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Starting off with a coolidor

TexasToastTexasToast Posts: 37 ✭✭

So my case elegance humidor is back down to 59...great. I’m considering getting a Coolidor and putting a couple of the big boveda packs in there. Now after dealing with this as my first humidor you can imagine why I’d be worried about setting up a coolidor only to have the same issues due to not enough cigars. I guess my real question is. Can I set up a coolidor and only have a handful of cigars in it? Don’t wanna commit to full boxes and a lot of money only to have them under humidified. Also thoughts on storing cigars at 60%

Comments

  • TruDogTruDog Posts: 8,325 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Bro, I got all old wooden Humidors. Ya gotta rap with these wise Young Bro's.

  • IndustMechIndustMech Posts: 4,660 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You could get a cooler large enough to hold your humidor. Keep the humidor in the cooler.

    Coolidors, tupadors, and humadors work better full or nearly full.

    Empty cigar boxes can be used to fill up the cooler, they'll help maintain the Rh.

    I like 65Rh, some like it lower, some higher.

    I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list.
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    It'll be fine once the swelling goes down.

  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Start with a small cooler if you're worried about wasted space. Even some six pack size coolers would work if the lid was making a good tight seal. I use a Coleman Extreme 28 Quart Cooler as well as the larger 70 quart xtreme model. IMHO It's easier to maintain wasted space in a cooler than in a wood humi. But you can always fill the void with air pillows, or gallon ziplocks filled with air. Any air you can displace will not require humidification.

  • VegasFrankVegasFrank Posts: 16,587 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Tearawa air bags like you get in amazon packages or a roll of bubble wrap in the negative space will do just fine. Or, extra bovedas.

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  • Trykflyr_1Trykflyr_1 Posts: 2,500 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2021

    Not as well as 499 varied premium cigars and one @VegasFrank dog rocket would...

    I'm still troubled by what I did for that Klondike bar...
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2021

    @TexasToast said:
    Just purchased a Coleman xtreme 70 quart.

    Good choice. You would even have enough room to keep your desktop humidor inside the 70qt cooler with plenty of room leftover to grow your collection. And if you ever want to have your desktop on display you can bring it out in the open for a while without much concern for RH problems. Check your new cooler for odors. That new plastic smell needs to be washed out. Using the same soap to water ratio you would use to wash dishes, wash with warm water and a little dawn dishwashing liquid soap, scrub, rinse well and air dry with lid open for a day and close the lid for a few hours and check again to see if the odor is gone. That method has always worked for me. If you were to still have have lingering plastic smell after the wash and dry attempt, some say adding some crumpled up newspapers with the lid closed will absorb odors (black and white print only, not glossy, no colors). And later on, occasionally remember to check the drain to be sure you haven't accidentally popped open the plug.

    I've been a fan of this particular line of coolers since I chose Xtreme for my first coolidor, and my second, etc. etc. I was looking for a good seal and these lids fit well. The lids are a separate component held in place by exterior hinges and I assumed they would have a better seal than a cooler with a hinge built into the lid that might leave a gap along the back where the attached lid rotates in relation to the rest of the cooler. However I have heard from some guys here on the forum that their attached lid coolers work just fine.

    Keep us posted. Let us know if you have any more questions.

  • deadmandeadman Posts: 8,804 ✭✭✭✭✭

    ^ some models are offered metal replacement hinges too. I’ve seen Coleman selling them through Amazon.

  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2021

    I've heard of the hinge replacements. Even though the original plastic hinges have never broken on mine, they do appear to be a weak point that could wear out. And I will say one other thing about the original plastic hinges,.... they are my least favorite part of the coleman xtreme coolers because the damn things just won't let the lid stay propped open when I'm rummaging around for smokes. There's a little tension energy stored in the plastic hinges and they will always bring the lid back down.

    After googling the metal hinge replacements,.... ($12 for a pair) I'm thinking I could replace all my original hinges with short sections of 2" nylon webbing, and my lids might stay open if I do that. I would only need a short section. And I can get five yards of that stuff for $11, with a set of buckles and D-rings included for other uses.

    Or another idea I just came up with,..... I could cut the original hinges along were they flex and bend. Then drill a few holes across and run zip-ties through the holes and the lids would move more freely and stay propped open like I want them to.

  • silvermousesilvermouse Posts: 19,049 ✭✭✭✭✭

    or just cut the hinges, what purpose do they serve unless you are driving around with the coolers in the back of your truck?

  • YaksterYakster Posts: 25,533 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @IndustMech said:

    @silvermouse said:
    or just cut the hinges, what purpose do they serve unless you are driving around with the coolers in the back of your truck?

    Bob has been known to do that.

    Bob could just cinch the cooler shut with some kayak straps. Job done.

    I'll gladly bomb you Tuesday for an Opus today. 

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  • Trykflyr_1Trykflyr_1 Posts: 2,500 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Or just get some generic piano hinge from the usual suspect home devaluation emporium and blind rivet it on. 1 6-inch piece cut half should do it and not cost more than 5 bucks

    I'm still troubled by what I did for that Klondike bar...
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2021

    Well y'all,.... These (Xtreme) lids are tight, and could be used effectively without hinges. Also I'm confident actually, that even without being attached by hinges, the lids wouldn't fly off at highway speeds from the bed of my truck, while transporting mass quantities therein. (And yes, that's how I roll.)

    But what I want is for the lid to open and stay open, and attached, until I'm ready to close it. But hey, this is the least of my problems. I've successfully ignored these annoying hinges for years until @deadman mentioned hinge replacements and reminded me of this small nuisance.

  • d_bladesd_blades Posts: 3,701 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Coleman marine coolers have a internal strap and a latch.

    Don't let the wife know what you spend on guns, ammo or cigars.

  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2021

    @d_blades said:
    Coleman marine coolers have a internal strap and a latch.

    Now we're talkin' about straps and latches? Might as well talk about internal lighting! And electronic humidification! And fans! We all need fans in our coolers! Go ahead y'all bunch of thread jackers!!

    @deadman started it. And I fell for it. I didn't even know I wanted new hinges.

  • YaksterYakster Posts: 25,533 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Lights are a great idea, a fan isn't a bad idea either but I think electronic humidification in a cooler would be overkill since they're so well sealed. I know you're just joshing around, Bob, but some may not know you like I do. Maybe mounting a gas strut inside would be a nice way to pimp your cooler.

    I've got a deck box in the yard that I keep my firewood in for the fire pit. I use a stick to prop the lid open.

    I'll gladly bomb you Tuesday for an Opus today. 

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  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Yakster said:

    I've got a deck box in the yard that I keep my firewood in for the fire pit. I use a stick to prop the lid open.

    That's it! A stick! That's all I need. Really!

  • PatrickbrickPatrickbrick Posts: 7,722 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Only my small 70qt has the plastic hinges, but mine stays open, all of my other ones have the metal hinges. I had one that was not a Colman Extreme where the plastic wore out on the latch's and hinges but it never effected the conditions inside, so I let it be until I got a few other coolers. Then my OCD made me get a replacement so they would all match. Aesthetically much better having them all the same.

    "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give".  Winston Churchill.
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  • silvermousesilvermouse Posts: 19,049 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Bob_Luken said:

    @Yakster said:

    I've got a deck box in the yard that I keep my firewood in for the fire pit. I use a stick to prop the lid open.

    That's it! A stick! That's all I need. Really!

    wow, finally!

  • YaksterYakster Posts: 25,533 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Or just stain the stick and glue a cigar band on it.

    I'll gladly bomb you Tuesday for an Opus today. 

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  • silvermousesilvermouse Posts: 19,049 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Or mount a fishing rod at the back of the cab and use it like a winch.

  • VegasFrankVegasFrank Posts: 16,587 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Or wrap the entire stick in cigar bands. If I ever had a cooler, I would cut a hole in it so I could cauck in a window, And if it had a window, I'd have to light it with some battery powered led strips.

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