humidifier qestion

[arkansaspiper]

any ideas on home made humidifiers for humidors I want to make my cigars last longer but don't want spend a ton. im good with making it if you have some ideas to pass my way.

 

[Richard Burley]

Just use any old humidor, semi-airtight box, or Tupperware and throw in a Boveda pouch or two, depending on size or amount. I hate screwing around with anything else. Seems to be working quite well so far. If you're aging hundreds of cigars long-term, I suppose that's another matter.

 

[Hiram-2011]

Tupperware with boveda works good. For large storage I use a couple of large coolers with a pound of heartfelt beads in each and they do the best of keeping the humidity level constant.

 

[Blackhorse]

So...you have a nice small sized Spanish Cedar humidor and need to add something to ensure an appropriate...consistent...and economical level of hydration. Got it.

BEWARE of just stuffing any old funky home baked piece of hardware in there. You are dealing with a perfect environment to grow molds...the great enemy of humidors and their expensive residents...your cigars.

Sometimes modest spending is justified in order to preserve something of significant value. This can prevent the introduction of mold spores into the box. It can also act as a "mildicide" (I think that's right)...and kill existing spores. I think it's Propylene Glycol that does that.

DO NOT moisten the interior wood surfaces of the box.

Since I got you into this I believe it's my responsibility to provide a solution at no cost to you. I've ordered a jar of Brigham Crystal 70% and the solution to be sent to you. Read the instructions! You just set the opened jar in the humidor. There is a 'full' and a 'fill' line on the jar. The crystals will shrink down as they give off moisture into the humidor. When it gets down to the fill line add solution so the jar contents are up to the full line. The crystals will "soak up" the solution and be pretty much spill proof.

You don't want this...

 

[Cerfer]

Humidity beads (http://www.heartfeltindustries.com/categories.asp?cat=Humidity+Beads) and distilled water have always worked well for me.

 

[Richard Burley]

Do the crystals or beads work both ways, like the Boveda, hydrate and dehydrate, or whatever the term is? My understanding is that you can't over-hydrate with Boveda. It's "set" at the humidity level on the package. They do eventually dry out, become stiff, and then you replace.

As far as mildew or mold goes, that's why I don't buy large quantities of cigars. (Plus my tastes change drastically over time. And I hardly smoke cigars at all in cold weather.) I have lost cigars to mold. Not with the Boveda, though. Not yet.

 

[Blackhorse]

My understanding is that the crystals will work both ways.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

I would imagine a modicum of hygiene helps as well. Basically, do not rummage around in the box handling unsealed stogies with unclean paws. Or does it not matter?

 

[Blackhorse]

Everything matters. Grubby mitts, leaving it open, whatever. Mold spores are just one of the mass of invisible live things that float on the breezes of our planet...growing, multiplying, spreading. Jeez! It's creepy, kinda. It's just a matter of keeping things at bay.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Things get pretty moldy down this way, with the high humidity and such. How is it possible to be sure to avoid mold? PG? Salts of some sort? Individually sealing each stick?

Mold is insidious.......

 

[Blackhorse]

I would use the Bovedo thing, at a low RH. Keep things as non moist as possible. I think the upper 60's would be a good Bovedo to use.

Yes...PG (Propylene Glycol) (anti freeze) IS a mildicide.

If you DO get the dreaded mold thing, there are lots of threads on how to deal with it...freezing is among them. I used to wipe off the Cigar really well and smoke it. That killed the mold fer sure.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

I only have a couple dozen cigars at any given time, and they reside in a home made cedar box, finished on the outside, but unfinished inside. I keep them (as I get them a few at a time) in ziplock bags in the box. Scattered about in the box are Frankincense stones, as they are a natural antifungal/anti-mold agent. I didn't think to use a hydro-pack to keep them at a proper moisture level. If I'm in the mood for a stogy and it seems crunchy I usually blow into it for a while until it stops feeling brittle. Being more of a pipe guy I'm not up on the proper handling of cigars. I have those little pucks for hydrating pouches, but rarely use them unless I have a trip to the desert planned... I'll look into those Bovedo dealies.....