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Getting started...

Howdy all,

I've been browsing the forum for awhile now, as well as dabbling in cigars for about 3 months (thanks to a Drew Estate Java from my brother over the 4th of July weekend).

I'm hooked.

So far I've been buying sticks one by one, getting one or two at a time and smoking them within 2-3 days.  But I'm ready for a humidor.  I went to my local shop and they're a little higher than my price range.  So here are my questions:

1) What's a good "starter" humi?  I'm looking for something that holds 20-30 sticks, preferably that I can keep on a nightstand.
2) How hard is making a humidor?  I've got a couple older wooden boxes I'd like to try and convert.
3) Do I need to get a separate (albeit smaller) humi for my flavored cigars?

Thanks all, and I look forward to learning and contributing!

~Brian "Yeti"

Comments

  • wwhwangwwhwang Posts: 2,878 ✭✭✭
    Sup Bearded? Welcome to the wonderful world of cigars and Cigar.com!

    Rule of thumb with humidors is if you're serious about the hobby, get at least twice the humidor space that you think you need. Cheap daily deals and special deals on samplers and 5 packs will flood your inventory faster than you can imagine. I would suggest getting a good 100 count humidor on Ebay. They can usually be found for 45 to 60 dollars. Though if you insist on a 20 to 50 count that you can keep on a nightstand, I'd still suggest Ebay or cheaphumidor.com

    Just make sure that the seal on the humidor is good by doing the dollar bill test. And NEVER pour or wipe your humidor down with water. This will only promote warping of the wood, which could lead to damage.

    If you want to make your own humidor, I'd suggest talking to WaxingMoon or Cabi on these forums.

    And yes, you definitely need a separate humi for your infused cigars. You don't want your premium traditional cigars smelling and tasting like your infused ones.
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402
    wwhwang:
    Sup Bearded? Welcome to the wonderful world of cigars and Cigar.com!

    Rule of thumb with humidors is if you're serious about the hobby, get at least twice the humidor space that you think you need. Cheap daily deals and special deals on samplers and 5 packs will flood your inventory faster than you can imagine. I would suggest getting a good 100 count humidor on Ebay. They can usually be found for 45 to 60 dollars. Though if you insist on a 20 to 50 count that you can keep on a nightstand, I'd still suggest Ebay or cheaphumidor.com

    Just make sure that the seal on the humidor is good by doing the dollar bill test. And NEVER pour or wipe your humidor down with water. This will only promote warping of the wood, which could lead to damage.

    If you want to make your own humidor, I'd suggest talking to WaxingMoon or Cabi on these forums.

    And yes, you definitely need a separate humi for your infused cigars. You don't want your premium traditional cigars smelling and tasting like your infused ones.
    +1 to everything

    A humidor is nothing more than a box of wood lined with spanish cedar, but it has certain requirements (keeping humidity in, for one) that require special details that only someone who's worked with wood can really tell you
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    BeardedYeti:
    1) What's a good "starter" humi?  I'm looking for something that holds 20-30 sticks, preferably that I can keep on a nightstand.
    If you are looking for a 20 count because you are "just starting out" and "dont need that many" then go with a 50 count.
    if you are looking for a 50 count because you want to be able to buy a box, then go with a 300ct.
    if you are looking for a 150ct because you will "never need than many cigars" then buy a 1200ct.
    if you are looking for a 1000ct because it will be a good end table, buy a 5,000ct cabinet.
    if you are looking for a cabinet, just build a walk in.
    if you are looking to build a walk in, just buy yourself your own shop.
    if you already have your own shop, quit your ****!!
  • shawtdshawtd Posts: 72
    Hey Yeti. I'm like you, I just started. Despite the fact that I just started, I can already see that these guys are right. I have a 20 ct humi that I got here on Ccom. It's almost full already and I'm thinking about a second one. I say go bigger than you think!
  • The biggest reason I'm looking for a smaller humi right now is simply cost. Thank for all the input however. I've checked out a few websites and a couple not-quite-so-local shops and my financial advisor (*cough* wife *cough*) and I are still doing some mathematics. ~Brian
  • rossdavey2rossdavey2 Posts: 979
    man i thought a 100 count would do me. 2 months later I have 3 20 counts, 2 100 counts, and a coolidor. They stay mostly 80-90% full. I'd look at sites that have slightly damaged humies. If cost is more important than what it looks like you should be able to find something bigger. and yes thats what she said.

    some thing like this http://www.cheaphumidors.com/HUM-75DR-IMP.html
  • tkohlertkohler Posts: 70
    Honestly, unless you need/want something that looks nice, I'd opt to start off with a coolerdor, and a sack of humidifying beads. If you get 1/2 or a full lb of beads, you can start in a small cooler, and as you get more and more cigars move to a larger cooler, (reusing the old cool for bee...um 'beverages'). You can also get cedar trays to use in the coolerdor for when you really start to get a lot of cigars. I only have a 20ct humidor, and quickly found out it was nowhere near what I needed, now I use a 100qt cooler with trays in half, boxes full of cigars on the other half.
  • lcpleellcpleel Posts: 3,455 ✭✭✭
    BeardedYeti:
    The biggest reason I'm looking for a smaller humi right now is simply cost. Thank for all the input however. I've checked out a few websites and a couple not-quite-so-local shops and my financial advisor (*cough* wife *cough*) and I are still doing some mathematics. ~Brian
    Brian- I have to agree with all of the other BOTL's about getting bigger, but if a 20 count is really want and your financial advisor says you cant go bigger. I will send you a 20 count that i just got this week. I know im new to this forum as well but unlike you i havent been consulting with my financial advisor (Girl friend) about my spending. Call it a welcome gift from another NEWB. -Isaac PM your address ill get it out to you asap.
  • Amos_UmwhatAmos_Umwhat Posts: 8,405 ✭✭✭✭✭
    lcpleel:
    BeardedYeti:
    The biggest reason I'm looking for a smaller humi right now is simply cost. Thank for all the input however. I've checked out a few websites and a couple not-quite-so-local shops and my financial advisor (*cough* wife *cough*) and I are still doing some mathematics. ~Brian
    Brian- I have to agree with all of the other BOTL's about getting bigger, but if a 20 count is really want and your financial advisor says you cant go bigger. I will send you a 20 count that i just got this week. I know im new to this forum as well but unlike you i havent been consulting with my financial advisor (Girl friend) about my spending. Call it a welcome gift from another NEWB. -Isaac PM your address ill get it out to you asap.
    Ahh, the wonderful world of pre-marital relations, when your time is appreciated and your money is your own.
    WARNING:  The above post may contain thoughts or ideas known to the State of Caliphornia to cause seething rage, confusion, distemper, nausea, perspiration, sphincter release, or cranial implosion to persons who implicitly trust only one news source, or find themselves at either the left or right political extreme.  Proceed at your own risk.  

    "If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed.  If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." --  Mark Twain
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