Build a humidor, you must

[leftimatic]

Well its time. The heat spell and the humidity are causing mass havoc with the old coolidor. To dry to wet always to warm, cant find a safe spot in the whole damn place. So like Yoda told Luke in the first movie when he went to that planet to train to be a Jedi, and Luke offered Yoda a stogie and upon lighting and the first pull he stated "Build a humidor, you must hmmn." I too must construct a humidor, one that will suit my character and not break the bank (just a carpenter, women marry us for our handiness not our money). I just need a bit of advice one is a fan system recommendation and weather real cedar or aromatic cedar or Spanish cedar. I have unlimited access to regular red cedar but if its no good then I wont take the chance and just pony up the dough for the real stuff. I'm not cheap just broke with an (less than crack) expensive habit. Any advice is good advice on these matters. I'm thinking go big or go home around 300 to 500 cigars, you know just in case.

[PigFish]

There is a lot to put into a thread like this one. You really should spend a lot of time looking over this forum (Humidor Tutorial) for a start.

Aromatic cedar is out. It is a juniper, contains cedrol (sp?) and is a known toxin; not worth the risk.

Humidors are a personal taste, as is defining storage conditions. I say start with what your goals are (as in how you want the cigars kept) and build from there. It is good that you bring up budget, you need to honest about it and set one. What you will ultimately build will be based upon it.

Ambient conditions have to me measured and evaluated. What are the conditions in your storage room and what will they be like over the course of the years? What is the delta between the varying ambient and how you want your cigars stored? This will define your storage solution.

I know my fair share about climate controlled, automated solutions. If you have specific questions ask them! Given the time I will get to all that I can and so will others.

Start with a question or two at a time. I tend to write tomes and I have been making a push to get out of the habit.

Good luck on your project. -Piggy

[leftimatic]

There is a lot to put into a thread like this one. You really should spend a lot of time looking over this forum (Humidor Tutorial) for a start.

Aromatic cedar is out. It is a juniper, contains cedrol (sp?) and is a known toxin; not worth the risk.

Humidors are a personal taste, as is defining storage conditions. I say start with what your goals are (as in how you want the cigars kept) and build from there. It is good that you bring up budget, you need to honest about it and set one. What you will ultimately build will be based upon it.

Ambient conditions have to me measured and evaluated. What are the conditions in your storage room and what will they be like over the course of the years? What is the delta between the varying ambient and how you want your cigars stored? This will define your storage solution.

I know my fair share about climate controlled, automated solutions. If you have specific questions ask them! Given the time I will get to all that I can and so will others.

Start with a question or two at a time. I tend to write tomes and I have been making a push to get out of the habit.

Good luck on your project. -Piggy

Thanks Piggy for the reply I was reminded today that not only do I have min. money, I need to complete the barn and build a woodshed plus fill it for winter. So time is at a premium also. I found an old chest of size and think I will line with Spanish Cedar or mahagony. When finished I will post a pic and you can tear it apart tell me where I went wrong and how to fix it. Just talk slow and stop when my eyes glaze over. I was wondering budget wise what your take is on the oasis systems. This is first year of issue so the more simple I can make it the better. I promise no CC's will be hurt in this endeavor.

Thanks,

Lefti

[PigFish]

Thanks Piggy for the reply I was reminded today that not only do I have min. money, I need to complete the barn and build a woodshed plus fill it for winter. So time is at a premium also. I found an old chest of size and think I will line with Spanish Cedar or mahagony. When finished I will post a pic and you can tear it apart tell me where I went wrong and how to fix it. Just talk slow and stop when my eyes glaze over. I was wondering budget wise what your take is on the oasis systems. This is first year of issue so the more simple I can make it the better. I promise no CC's will be hurt in this endeavor.

Thanks,

Lefti

I have to be careful when critiquing products made by others, you see I make climatology equipment and believing that I make the best stuff, it is a bit of an ethical challenge. It is certainly not fair, as I have a rather powerful bias.

Your CO questions should be posed not just to me then.

I will try to answer the question without too much bias, but understand that a bias does exist.

Do you need an active solution? This is always where I am going to start. Did you do your homework? What do I mean?

You need to decide not only what products you will have to control your humidor, but what means you will need to control it… In other words, for me to supply a complete answer, I need to know what your ambient conditions are and how you intend on making your humidor. How you intend on dealing with changing conditions.

I have posted a lot about environmentally "driven" systems and the theory behind it. Are you planning a system driven by your ambient conditions or a fully controlled one? Based on budget and that you are a woodworker, I imagine that you are going to use materials at hand, ones that you are skilled with and make a wooden, driven, passive or semi-active system (since you asked about the Cigar Oasis (CO).

When I ask for data, this is the detail of data that I ask for. The data of the ambient conditions over time will dictate, in addition to your beliefs, needs and budget, as to whether your system works or not. Working or not working is a matter of opinion. You cannot ask that of me, it is not my system and not my cigars. It is not my home and you and I likely have different mindsets. This is why I engineer solutions and genially 'solve' problems. I try not to dictate on my opinions of conditions and controls. I present facts and a mix of opinions and you (one) chooses to believe and follow, or go another route. A blending of ideas, while I may not agree with it, is often the solution…

You will need an active hydration system if your ambient is notably lower in rH than your storage conditions AND you have a porous humidor (not sealed solid surface material) that will diffuse water into the environment from the contents of the humidor. This diffusion and the subsequent water supply is a classic generation 2 type humidor. This is not my specialty by the way. I am a sealed, fully active and automated humidor 'expert.' I am not a classic wooden, passive humidor expert. Everyone is (claims to be) an expert there.

Since I see such systems as 'failed' humidor systems (generally, based on ambient conditions) I am not really the right guy for your research. You should understand this up front. It is kinda' like asking your podiatrist why your hair is thinning!!! Certainly I can generalize, but I am a downer in this department… You should understand this before we go on!

A passive systems that is not consummate does not take into account possible problems for high rH or variable temperature. Do you need those controlled? Do you understand those aspects and how they can affect your cigars? Do you care? Are they to be dismissed due to budget…?

These all need to be addressed.

Vague situations create huge written explanations from me. Sharpen your pencil and tell me what it is going to be like in your home. Tell me what you want to build and I will better answer questions. I cannot guess, it is not a good use of my time!

You tell me what I need to know and what you will be building and I will opine on the CO…

Cheers! -Piggy

[leftimatic]

Wow. Thanks for giving me a list of things to look out for. I am even more stoked about pulling this off now. I think I found the cause of all my problems a new gel pack humidifier I bought. I think it was to much for my little cooler. I think I will purchase a larger cooler to get me through but I haven't given up on building this humidor. I like a bit of a chance to try something new and I really get off when I succeed. If anyone happens to know of any books out there about this stuff, throw some titles my way. Laptops are such a pain when your sitting on the crapper.

[Pedro2486]

Wow. Thanks for giving me a list of things to look out for. I am even more stoked about pulling this off now. I think I found the cause of all my problems a new gel pack humidifier I bought. I think it was to much for my little cooler. I think I will purchase a larger cooler to get me through but I haven't given up on building this humidor. I like a bit of a chance to try something new and I really get off when I succeed. If anyone happens to know of any books out there about this stuff, throw some titles my way. Laptops are such a pain when your sitting on the crapper.

iPad mini is my device of choice for optimal toilet time browsing

[leftimatic]

iPad mini is my device of choice for optimal toilet time browsing

LOL I may have to look into one of those. Would make morning coffee less of a struggle.