Tupperdor Lessons Learned

[dafrey23]

I am just finishing starting up a new tupperdor. I only had a 50 count humidor before and didn't really have room for full boxes, so I thought I'd give this a try. Here's some things that I found along the way...

1. Container Store has some really nice clear plastic waterproof totes that have a foam seal around the entire edge. No problem with a seal on this thing. The clear tote is nice because I can see the hygrometer inside without opening it.

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/storage/totesTrunks?productId=10026213&N=71235

2. You must, must, must, fill that thing up. Don't just put one box in there. There isn't anything in there to absorb humidity except what you put in. My humidity would skyrocket after 30 minutes when I only had one box and my beads in there. Once I added a bunch of empty boxes, everything has been rock solid.

3. Heartfelt beads are nice. They seem to do a nice job and don't seem to need much attention.

4. Do not put too much water on Heartfelt beads when you first get them. I made this mistake and ended up having to dry them out and start over. Start by putting the beads in your tupperdor dry with everything else. Watch the humidity. If it starts to drop, add a little water (for 1/2# I'd say one tablespoon would suffice). Watch the humidity some more. Add more water if needed. It's far easier to add the water slowly than it is to dry out the beads.

5. Calibrate your hygrometer. I always do this, but it can never be said enough.

6. Clean the tote out thoroughly. I washed mine down three times and I could still faintly smell the plastic after it had been closed for a while. I put in a baking soda box for a couple days. Now with all the cedar that's in there all I smell is good stuff.

I'm still getting to the point where I'm comfortable leaving the thing alone for days at a time. It's been steady at 63% RH for the past several days though so I think I have it under control. Now I just need to add more stock to the thing (the fun part).

[nikesupremedunk]

I've been using this exact method for the past year and absolutely love it. Also got a gigantic clear container from the container store. I never had a problem with it being empty so it was always full and steady 63-65% RH with a pound and half of dry HF beads.

You can leave it untouched for a week and it will still be good...but I can't stop opening mine to inspect everything lol.

[nikesupremedunk]

Also I leave everything in my boxes so the plastic smell never bothered me...giving it a good wash before won't hurt though. I have about 20-25 boxes in mine and it's been tapped out for a while...just don't want to buy another one cause then it'll never end!

[stogieluver]

I pretty much had the same experience (see my post from a couple of months ago) and all is well now. Once I got rid of the plastic smell and got the beads properly saturated, it holds steady at 64% to 65% day to day at an averge temp of 72 degrees F. I have about a half dozen boxes in there, most partially empty, and I'm well pleased with the results.

Now, if I could just afford to buy some more boxes....

[LDOG]

I like this advice... will use it for the next tuppa project. I did go a bit rogue with my first one, seems rock solid at the moment but time will tell!

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[GoJohnnyGo]

Great post! I really appreciate the link. I've been looking for tup that is big enough to hold a few cedar trays and those look perfect. I'll get out the measuring tape tomorrow. I need something to do with the NC singles I have left.

[dafrey23]

these boxes are plenty large enough to hold a few boxes. I'm guessing I'll be able to get at least 10 boxes in mine and I have one of the medium size ones. I only went with the 8" high ones so I could slip it under the bed.

[bresdogsr]

I've done this for about 8 years now, but with a storage tote to which I added insulation foam to the top for a good seal. I like the clear box idea though because I am always trying to remember what is where and I can't see it.

[CanuckSARTech]

Good post / thread. It's nice to see feedback and experiences from members after they've set something like this up for the first time. It's definitely helpful for other "newbies" coming into the fold, rather than some of us old dogs saying the same things over and over again. (FYI - Ray is older than most, and older than me at least! )

[dafrey23]

thanks. I ran into some interesting issues setting this up that I hadn't seen referenced here or on other boards so I just thought I'd try to help others avoid the same problems.

[PigFish]

Good post / thread. It's nice to see feedback and experiences from members after they've set something like this up for the first time. It's definitely helpful for other "newbies" coming into the fold, rather than some of us old dogs saying the same things over and over again. (FYI - Ray is older than most, and older than me at least! )

... since you brought me up, "PUP" I will chime in here if you all don't mind!

There is an error here that I thought I would comment on. I am not doing this to pick on anyone, but this is how myths start. They start by people making wrong conclusions about the data that they see.

If you have one box of cigars in a sealed container and the rH spikes, it does not mean you need more boxes! While that might aid the situation, or make it worse it has no real correlation to the original problem. The original problem was that the items that caused the rH to spike were too wet in the first place! The solution is drying the sealed container out and if that was done with dryer boxes, then that was the real solution, dryer boxes, not more boxes!

Here is a bit of advice for those of you who store this way. First, start dryer! Don't be over eager to add water to your system, until such time that you can track it for some days and know for sure that it is dry.

If you are a bead user, get a syringe from a doctor or vet and measure the amount of water in you beads when you add it. "Spritz," is a meaningless term and should be shunned. You should always measure the water you use.

Get a clipboard or pad and leave it next to your box. When you go by to look at the readings, jot them down. Write down both the temp and the humidity and the time of day, date. Do this over and over again! In doing so, you may find that you are tracking heating and cooling events in your home. By doing this you will begin to notice that you will not be making quick decisions about if the cigars are too wet or dry. They will range because your home temperature is ranging.

Simple data logging is your friend. And if you don't have one, then become one yourself. You will learn a lot about storage and how it works if you just take the time to notice, and the time to log the events so that you have a record.

If you have the budget, get a second temp/hygro and keep it just outside of your box. Log it every time you log the internal one.

If you move your data over to Excel, you can visualize the correlations and chart them.

Good luck on your projects! Cheers. -'y

[Fosgate]

I use a few different containers for home brewing with a heavy duty seal and they are made of a thick BP free food grade plastic. Box of cigars would easily fit in either opening, would these be viable? Between what I have fermenting at any given point in them or storing grain, I usually have one or two not in use.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_53_147&products_id=12287

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-gallon-fermenter-homebrew-beer-wine-buckets-/221270777109?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3384c41d15

[superconductor71]

Not to really resurrect an old thread, but for a relative noob as myself, I found this topic (and it's replies) to be informative. Thank you!

[garbandz]

My boxes are shorter and wider,the idea is the same .I have been using this system with one addition since the 80's..

I have several (8) slide top cedar boxes in each of my humis,it works out to 4 churchill size and 4 robusto size in each one.These boxes hold from 20 to 30 cigars each,depending on size,and do a great job for me.

My humis are deep enough to hold a dress box on top of my cedar boxes,or a 10 sized box,so I can usually cram another 50 or more into storage if needed.

I have about $8.00 in the tupperware and $10.00 in my humidifiers(2 per humi) and a hygrometer ($16.00) in each one.The cedar boxes were free at my local shop,or donated by friends.This is the most economical storage I could come up with,and I can age 200 or more cigars in each humi.

Some of my cedar boxes are from the 80s,some are newer, as I expanded a few years back.

My rotation of sticks move to my desktop as needed.

It's great fun to haul out one of these when friends come over,imagine someone setting a box of 200 plus cigars on the table,popping off the lid, and saying"want a cigar ?"

[Pedro2486]

Thanks guys. Great posts and great info for someone like me. Even though my storage is only one 300x300x200mm Tupperware box (I know I know, I just ordered a 50ct humi from eBay)

Cheers

[ArtemusGordon]

Great stuff here. thanks for posting it up.

When i built my first tupperdor I should have not hydrated the beads immediately and waited to see what they were at in the box. Everything worked out just fine but that is what I should have done!

Also I used a liquid paste of baking soda and distilled vinegar a couple of times to scrub it down and then let it sit for a bit. Wash. Repeat process again and I was all good!

[Hunter1974]

good tips guys I too am running out of room

[muzz]

These are a great idea. I have a pound of 70% HF beeds coming my way and I think I will set up several smaller tupperware containers so I can separate thigs a little better.

Are the 70% beeds going to be overkill? they also come in 65%.

[LordAnubis]

Being in Perth I keep my fridge at 65 rH and 18 degrees C. Normally have no dramas through both the winter or summer months.

Tupperware is a great way to go if you have an air conditioned house.

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[muzz]

Yes the house remains fairly cool and is on AC.

I might get some 65rH beeds coming and experiment a little.

[manelson05]

Also I leave everything in my boxes so the plastic smell never bothered me...giving it a good wash before won't hurt though. I have about 20-25 boxes in mine and it's been tapped out for a while...just don't want to buy another one cause then it'll never end!

I said the same thing with 125 count humidor, then the boxes started showing up, they went into boveda bags in a chest, then a I ordered the Stabell Aristocrat, it waas quickly maxed out, so now I have raided the empty solid oak refrigirated wine fridge that Im planning on adding a couple Stabell humidifier units too. What I worry about now is when will my madness stop? Im thinkin gof using the Aristocrat as the ageing unit for handrolls, lol such an ambitious plan LOL

pure madness