Reconditioning Shelving and Trays
Vision
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I haven’t sanded the trays and shelf in the Wineador in a few years. Back in the day I would do two shelves at a time but it wasn’t nearly as full. Now it’s close to capacity and want to clean it up and open up the wood a little. I understand that the “moisture” isn’t solely contained to just the surface of the wood but wonder if I do all the shelves in one day will it have enough of an effect on the RH? I know the cigars and the Boveda will regulate the RH back to desired levels pretty quickly but can’t help to wonder if it’s possible that the wood will want to pull the humidity out of the cigars.....? Do I just sand the outside and not the portion of the tray that comes in contact with the cigars? Sharing any personal experiences would be gladly appreciated.
Comments
I would wait until you get out of the dry winter weather and into more humid springtime or summer weather. I would guess that you would lose most of the moisture in the wood from the shelves just being outside of the humidor itself. This would lower the effect on your RH inside the wine fridges.
If you are looking to impart more of the cedar aromas into your cigars, then you'll have to do the insides of the shelves, which I think is more important than the outside. I would sand all of the edges though... Both inside and out.
It’s about 25% at the moment so I’ll definitely take that point and run with it. I also want to clean them up physically (fronts and pulls). Also wondering if the oils from the cigars effect the wood as well.... 🤔
I would forget about sanding altogether. I don't think sanding will "open up the wood". Not saying I'm right or that you shouldn't do whatever you feel like doing, just that I don't do that to my trays. Is it that you like that aroma when you open the door? Do you want your cigars to smell/taste more like cedar? Just asking...
I can't imagine that the oils from the tobacco ever find their way into the shelves. Unless of course, You keep cigars resting on the shelves that don't have cellophane. Even then, I would think it's such a small amount that even over a decade, there's not much to it.
I would guess that substantial amounts of oil starts leeching from tobacco only in a very dry conditions. I would also guess that only very small amounts of oil come to the surface of the wrapper under normal humidor conditions as evidenced by unicorn plume crystallizing on the outside of that tobacco under optimal circumstances.
Nelson Alfonso from atabey takes a sander to his aging room every time he puts a new batch in. I'm pretty sure that he does this too accelerate the aging process. One distinct note about aged cigars is that they have a lot of cedar aromas and notes.
So Peter is probably right in that sanding probably won't open up the wood or buy you a whole lot other then getting a little cedar into your smokes. I don't think the wood will necessarily open up. I think that the wood probably has the same porous features on the surface as it does in the middle. However, If aroma and accelerating the age process is what you're going for, then it'll definitely work.
@peter4jc
Surprisingly cedar is one of my least favorite flavors in a cigar. What brought this about is a few of my pull openings are a little stained so I figured while I was in there sanding the fronts why not the whole shelf.
@VegasFrank
So the consensus is that cedar isn’t effected over the years in terms of its effectiveness?
That's my consensus bro, but I'm just a dude...
You’re not a man, you’re a Bishop, for god’s sake!