Seasoning a 'dor w/o Distilled water?

Hi all,

I am new to the community and before everyone here tells me how to season a humidor let me finish my question. I am currently in Iraq and have no access to distilled water. So I was wondering if I could use saline solution to wipe down the interior as well as for the humidifier. I may not have to worry about the humidifier I am going to look into those beads I had read about.

One last thing, I know this is a noob thing to ask but this is the humidor I was thinking of buying, I would like to know if anyone has any type of experince with this brand (if it is a brand)

http://atlanticcigar.com/milanohumidor.html

But I am starting to think about just trying to find a cooler at the PX and make a coolidor. Thanks for any and all help.

i have nothing good to say about atlantic cigar....

Thanks for your service in Iraq!

I wouldn't use saline to wipe down the humidor. The salt may leave a film and affect the wood's ability to breathe. If you don't have distilled water, putting a bowl of drinking water in the humidor for several days may be a slower, but effective method than wiping it down. Only the water (not the minerals) will evaporate into the wood as needed. But, when you're done you'll still have to figure out what to put in your humidification unit. Most units (including the beads) recommend distilled water so as not to affect THEIR functioning. I guess you could get a cheap humidifier (sponge in a box), use drinking water and then replace it when you get home.

A coolidor wouldn't require seasoning.

It you're in Iraq you could probably make your own distilled water. Just place some water in a dark container and place it in the sun. Run a piece of clean hose from that into another container placed in a shaded location to catch the condensate from the heated water. That'll give you distilled water!

Good luck, and thanks for your service!

So using tap water will only affect the humidifaction device not my cigars?

I had thought of making my own distilled water but the problem is I dont really have any private place where I could set that "still" up at.

right

and if you use the bead humidifiers then to refill them you can just put a shotglass of water in the humidor for a day... the water will evaporate(leaving the chemicals behind) and be absorbed by the beads.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JBrooks

Hi all,

I am new to the community and before everyone here tells me how to season a humidor let me finish my question. I am currently in Iraq and have no access to distilled water. So I was wondering if I could use saline solution to wipe down the interior as well as for the humidifier. I may not have to worry about the humidifier I am going to look into those beads I had read about.

One last thing, I know this is a noob thing to ask but this is the humidor I was thinking of buying, I would like to know if anyone has any type of experince with this brand (if it is a brand)

http://atlanticcigar.com/milanohumidor.html

But I am starting to think about just trying to find a cooler at the PX and make a coolidor. Thanks for any and all help.

---

Just curious, what are you doing in Iraq. Are you armed services or private contractor.

I would suggest getting yourself a cooler and some of the heartfelt beads. You wouldn't need to "season" a cooler and I imagine you could activate the beads by placing them in the cooler with a glass of water for a while.

When the beads dry out, just repeat the glass of water thing...

I could see this poor guy setting up a gizmo for distilled water. Let's see him explain that to his CO!

Don't sweat the distilled water thing if you're gettig an inexpensive temp humidor or a cooler-dor. You must have bottled water (spring water) which in a pinch is OK. YES, over time it will eventually clog a humidifier puck or other humidifying device but it won't impart any adverse odors to your smokes. You could even use it to wipe down the humidor if you want. The one time application shouldn't leave any mineral stain since the quantity woul dbe miniscule. However, I don't believe in this method. Allowing the humidor to slowly absorb the moisture over a week or so is better. Place a moderately wet sponge or small dish of water in the humidor and let it set for about a week with NO cigars in it. Then after that time you can use the humidor for your smokes using only the humidors humidifying puck or whatever it may have for rh control.

As the others pointed out, a cooler-dor needs no conditioning since it's plastic and doesn't absorb moisture. Just put in a moderately wet sponge or use beads or what have you for humidity control.

Best of luck, good smokes, thanks for standing up for the USA and most of all be safe and come home soon! :smiley20:

If you don't have access to distilled water, use regular drinking water before saline. There is most likely more salt in saline than just drinking water.

Viper139, I am a contractor with General Dynamics and I network support for several of the computer networks that the military has.

And I suppose I could make my own distilled water but I think I would rather have my wife send me 20oz bottles of distilled water say once everyother month. But I think I am going to build a coolidor. I just need to see what size coolers they have at the PX. Thank you to all that replied, I appricate it.

And incase anyonewanted to know I am at Camp Slayer / Camp Victory.