Cigar Box and Varnish

[MonteCristoValentine]

I bought a vintage cigar box today (cedar inside and out) and it will be used as a humidor. I am debating if I should treat yje outside with oil or varnish. I was thinking varnish may help seal in the humidity but I am concerned it may infiltrate the wood and create an issue with how the wood interacts with the moisture. Any thoughts?

[badwhale]

I bought a vintage cigar box today (cedar inside and out) and it will be used as a humidor. I am debating if I should treat yje outside with oil or varnish. I was thinking varnish may help seal in the humidity but I am concerned it may infiltrate the wood and create an issue with how the wood interacts with the moisture. Any thoughts?

This sounds like it won't work at all. JMHO.

Will

[MonteCristoValentine]

That's not helpful at all. It is working fine, I just wanted to improve the aesthetic appearance without messing up the wood. Hence the specific question to varnish. I was hoping for a constructive response considering this was a well thought out gift.

[badwhale]

That's not helpful at all. It is working fine, I just wanted to improve the aesthetic appearance without messing up the wood. Hence the specific question to varnish. I was hoping for a constructive response considering this was a well thought out gift.

Don't get all butthurt.

Is it a humidor, or a cigar box? Cigar boxes aren't meant for long term storage, unless you live in say, the Dominican Republic.

Will

[badwhale]

That's not helpful at all. It is working fine, I just wanted to improve the aesthetic appearance without messing up the wood. Hence the specific question to varnish. I was hoping for a constructive response considering this was a well thought out gift.

Moreover, how do you know it's working fine if you just bought it today? That makes no sense, or proves you have no idea what you're talking about.

[badwhale]

Almost like the person who wanted to turn the bedside end table into a humidor, and was all offended when told it's not worth the effort.

Great gift.

[Mangyrat]

Cigar boxes make good temporary humidors but if you want a humidor for long term storage buy a real humidor.

[mrtr33]

I bought a vintage cigar box today (cedar inside and out) and it will be used as a humidor. I am debating if I should treat yje outside with oil or varnish. I was thinking varnish may help seal in the humidity but I am concerned it may infiltrate the wood and create an issue with how the wood interacts with the moisture. Any thoughts?

This is not a good idea at all. For one thing, a cigar box is not a humidor any more than a portable cooler is a refrigerator. Sure, it will keep your beer cold - for a day. But that cigar box (even vintage ones) don't have the seals like a humidor would (which is much more important than the density of the wood) and like has been said previously, would really only work for maybe a long weekend, if you had a good humidification device inside. Instead, I'd still keep the box, wouldn't 'varnish it' (as a woodworker, the thought of doing this to wood actually turns my stomach), but build a coolerdor and include this box in my collection. Why destroy something that's vintage? Would you paint a '67 Mustang a neon green color? Of course not.

That's not helpful at all. It is working fine, I just wanted to improve the aesthetic appearance without messing up the wood. Hence the specific question to varnish. I was hoping for a constructive response considering this was a well thought out gift.

Was it?

[ashauler]

I bought a vintage cigar box today (cedar inside and out) and it will be used as a humidor. I am debating if I should treat yje outside with oil or varnish. I was thinking varnish may help seal in the humidity but I am concerned it may infiltrate the wood and create an issue with how the wood interacts with the moisture. Any thoughts?

If you're planning on having so much humidity inside this box that you're concerned it will leak through the wood......ya got other problems to worry about. Like mrtr said, why the hell would you want to screw up a vintage box anyway?