IcedCanuck Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 I've decided to go down the coolidor route because my humi is full and I don't see the point in spending gobs on cash on a bigger one when my long term goal is to build a walk-in once I move somewhere more permanent within the next couple of years. So that being said I went out trying to hunt down a cooler last night. Largest one I could find was a 80 quart, everything else I found were in the 40's but I kind of expected that as they are out of season up here in the great north. I wanted to test the seal on them so I stuck a $20 bill in the sides, closed the lid, and I couldn't move the bill at all without fear of ripping it. When I put the bill on the front of the cooler and closed the lid I could very easily take the bill out ... it felt as though it wasn't even in there. So I promptly walked away from it. I'm assuming the front should have been like the sides and that bill should not have budged? If there is already another thread on this I apologize but I couldn't find it. I have a couple other places to look today to see if I can find a better one but if I can't I might just use one of the ones I already have for camping. If I have this right once I decide on a cooler I just have to clean it, toss in some RH beads, place a digital hygrometer in it, and start stacking the boxes. Am I missing something or is that about the gist of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rckymtn22 Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 That is about the jist of a coolidor. I have 4 of the 48 quart coolers. You can pick the "blue" coolidor up at Walmart for less than $20. I left mine open for about a week after cleaning so the cooler could lose the plastic smell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puros Y Vino Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Coolidors perform better than desktop humidors IMO. Mine holds about 10 boxes and rarely drops below 66RH. Make sure you clean it well to get the plastic smell out and you're rockin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Oh yeah. Coolidors are my preferred method of storage. I wouldn't worry too much about the ability to slip a bill in and out. The rate of air/moisture exchange even with a gap like that is almost certain to be less than even a good wooden (passively controlled) humidor. One reason is that there will be very low exchange (meaning moisture migrating through the walls of the cooler) elsewhere. Also, the gaps usually have a bend or two in it and this will also serve to make the exit path harder for vapor to get in and out. You can use a cooler you have on hand, just make sure it is relatively odor-free. An hour's soak with a bit of unscented detergent and some baking soda do the trick. Occasionally, a touch of bleach in another rinse. Then line with scrap Spanish Cedar (like broken up old cigar boxes), some silica, beads, or solution and you're good to go. My preference is 48 qt Coleman coolers. Cheap, solid, good interior roominess as compared to the external bulk. I see no need to go to those extreme, thick walled coolers if you're storing in a relatively stable, cigar-friendly environment. Say 72F or less year round. I also don't go larger than 48 Qt as they get to be a pain to handle if you have several and are stacking. Some folks turn 100-150 qt units on end but the coolers aren't meant to sit that way so I would be just a tad concerned about the shell distorting a bit over time. I will put up a photo of my cooler collection when I get home tonight. I have, um, several. Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcedCanuck Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 Thanks for the info guys. Right now I'm thinking of continuing to restock my desktop humidors for my daily/weekly smoking and I want to use the coolers for long term storage.I was not planning on lining the cooler with anything because I will not be storing any single sticks in it. So because I am only going to store boxes and no singles do I really need to line the cooler with wood or should it be OK without? I was actually at WalMart last night, they have the 48 and the 80 quart coolers left. Costco didn't have any left and I'm going to check Canadian Tire today during my lunch break. I was leaning towards the 80 until I noticed I slip a bill out of the front of it a little too easily. The 48 quart coolers did not have that problem but when I was comparing the size difference I figured bigger was better. I'm getting kind of annoyed at having to get more storage for my CCs every six months but if the smaller ones work better I suppose I could just pick up a few of them before they are gone until next spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Oh, you should be absolutely fine without extra lining. I just like my boxes touching nothing but either tobacco or cedar. Call it an idiosyncrasy of mine. BTW, I use smaller coolers for my larger ready to smoke queue. For a day, I will load a handful into a Pelican Case-type traveldor. The size question really depends on your use situation. My longer term coolers don't get opened but 3-4 times per year. For example, cigars that generally benefit from a bit more age and self-constructed super-cabs. IF you don't intend to stack or move them, then by all means, go larger as this will provide better space efficiency. Now is the season to buy them. I can find the Coleman 48 qt for under $20 at ****'s Sporting Goods but they tend to become scarce as tailgating and picnic season comes to an end. Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcedCanuck Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 Oh, you should be absolutely fine without extra lining. I just like my boxes touching nothing but either tobacco or cedar. Call it an idiosyncrasy of mine. BTW, I use smaller coolers for my larger ready to smoke queue. For a day, I will load a handful into a Pelican Case-type traveldor. The size question really depends on your use situation. My longer term coolers don't get opened but 3-4 times per year. For example, cigars that generally benefit from a bit more age and self-constructed super-cabs. IF you don't intend to stack or move them, then by all means, go larger as this will provide better space efficiency. Now is the season to buy them. I can find the Coleman 48 qt for under $20 at ****'s Sporting Goods but they tend to become scarce as tailgating and picnic season comes to an end. Wilkey Selection is very scarce and they all seem to be on a we need to get this stock out of here sale. I am going to pick a cooler or two up today because if I wait any longer I might end up having to wait until spring before I see them on the shelves again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Yeah, for sure. Better to have something in place before the cold season. Hey, if you can get better ones next year, you can always put, gasp, food and drink in them. Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Here is my pile of coolers. They're sitting in a corner of my finished basement. Always cool, always dry. Perfect for storage. The big coolers are the main coolers. The smaller ones hold miscellaneous and ready-to-smokes. Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 That pic is funny. I have the exact same 48 qrt Coleman coolers x2. Make sure the little spout doesn't pop open if you stuff it. I also have the exact same TV in my smoking room...No VHS though...lol I like to line my coolers with Spanish cedar. It takes up space, and is certainly not neccesary, but I just love the smell too much to say no. Right on, brother Shlomom. Right on. Where do you source your cedar? Or do you just use broken up boxes and cedar inserts like I do? No need to go fancy if ghetto gets it done. Ain't nothing like watching a VHS tape on a Sony tube television. Old school pure. Wilkey PS. Would love to see pics of another coolermaniac's setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rckymtn22 Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Those coolidors like familiar... but what do you keep in the Makita box? Or is it just a Mikita tool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riazp Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 dumb question, do you guys season your cabs before putting them in the cooler? what I mean it take the cigars out of the box, wipe down the cab with distilled water and when the box is dry put it in the cooler? i'm trying to figure out why when I wet my beads i'm at 65% in the cooler and 2 days later i'm down to 63% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riazp Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 How the heck are you at 63%??? Its humid as heck here! Do you open your humidour often? How is the seal? Is it stuffed to the gills, or is there room for more cigars in there? How many beads you using for how big is the humi? I for one would NEVER "season" a cab. Its already set for cigar storage, not need to add water and possibly damage cigars. Dude, I have no clue...I have a half pound of beads in a 48 qt igloo cooler, seal seems pretty good to me...maybe some weather strip will help for the seal maybe? and I just put a oust fan in there yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riazp Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 maybe i'm getting my beads TOO wet...and thats affecting the humidity output? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riazp Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Its possible, but I dont know why that would be. Maybe somebody else has experience with flooding their beads? If your worried, bring your collection Friday night and I'll gladly hold onto it for you. It'll force me to show at least...lol YA OK Shlomo! anyways Phil, sorry for the threadjack, but yes if anyone has experience with overflooding beads does it affect the humidity output? and like you said i'm not worried, 63% it still pretty damn good...better than 70% anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcedCanuck Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 No worries Riazp. I ended up getting an 80 quart cooler from Walmart. The smaller ones all had wheels which, among other things, I did not want. I'm not completely sold the quality of the seal for this cooler so I'm going to have to put something along in to ensure I have a good seal. I'm thinking maybe some thin rubber strips that has glue or tape on one end. This cooler must have been open for a while or something because the inside does not smell like plastic at all. That could possible also be a sign of a not so perfect seal perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcedCanuck Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 Here is my pile of coolers. They're sitting in a corner of my finished basement. Always cool, always dry. Perfect for storage. The big coolers are the main coolers. The smaller ones hold miscellaneous and ready-to-smokes. Wilkey Sweet mother load of Mary! That's crazy but also reassures me that if these coolers work for all of you then I'm sure it'll work for me. Thanks for sharing that pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riazp Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Cooler is the way to go Phil, now go on cigarmony, order beads from Marc, there is a calculator too on the site to calculate how many beads you need, and voila your good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Those coolidors like familiar... but what do you keep in the Makita box? Or is it just a Mikita tool? It's my 18V LiIon Makita circular saw and driver drill. Love em! dumb question, do you guys season your cabs before putting them in the cooler? what I mean it take the cigars out of the box, wipe down the cab with distilled water and when the box is dry put it in the cooler? i'm trying to figure out why when I wet my beads i'm at 65% in the cooler and 2 days later i'm down to 63% Never. Never let liquid water touch either cigar or wood. For one thing, the joints and paper (dressed box) have glue there and it's just not a good idea to wet it. Mildew, warping, other not good stuff. If anything, the boxes I receive are more damp than my storage conditions and bump humidity up a bit until it either vents out or is absorbed by the other boxes in the cooler. I have the same size coolers and I have far less beads than you and they are totally dry. Haven't added any water to them in over 6 months and even took most out at the beginning of summer. they are holding at 67%. Not 66, not 68. rock solid 67% (which is slightly high for me, but not really complaining during the suymmer) Honestly, I would like to switch with you as i like having my humi in the 63-64 range. But tahts just me. Maybe add more beads and add more water? Don't drown the beads, just spray them until MOST but not all are wet. This is exactly the case in my coolers. No touch ups for months and months on end. If ever you have stuff that is too wet, the stuff I use is DampRid. A small dish in a spare cooler will very quickly absorb its weight in moisture, rapidly bringing down humidity. Very powerful, use with care. Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 No worries Riazp. I ended up getting an 80 quart cooler from Walmart. The smaller ones all had wheels which, among other things, I did not want. I'm not completely sold the quality of the seal for this cooler so I'm going to have to put something along in to ensure I have a good seal. I'm thinking maybe some thin rubber strips that has glue or tape on one end. This cooler must have been open for a while or something because the inside does not smell like plastic at all. That could possible also be a sign of a not so perfect seal perhaps? Good pickup. I don't like the wheeled ones either as the wheel wells take away from interior space. Seriously, don't even bother with any sort of weather stripping. Unnecessary. Besides, the gap is usually quite narrow all around. You're more likely to keep the lid from closing properly. Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcheek Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Good plan Iced, coolers are great if you have a cool place to store them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Very nice, Cheek! That looks ready for cigars. Have you got them loaded up yet? Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcheek Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Thank you Ginseng! Yes, they are getting full, the 100 qt. still has some room though. It pales in comparison to your "cooler corner", but two fit me well. I keep them in my basement also and they just seem to work out great down there, very stable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghabanos Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Here is my pile of coolers. They're sitting in a corner of my finished basement. Always cool, always dry. Perfect for storage. The big coolers are the main coolers. The smaller ones hold miscellaneous and ready-to-smokes. Wilkey Nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maverickdrinker Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Awesome setup Wilkey. Now you'll have to show up what is in the coolers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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