Please note - I didn't write this. BigWhiteAsh wrote this. This post disappeared when the sticky's did, but I found it and am reposting. Dennis, if you want, I'll take this down so you get the credit.
7 Easy Steps to a Successful Coolerdor!
Step 1) Select a cooler!
Look for a cooler that will fit in an out of the way place.. most Wife Units don't approve of large coolers cluttering up the living room or bedroom. I keep mine in a closet. Look for a cooler that has a tight sealing lid. I only use 50qt Coleman coolers LINKY. I have two of these filled already, with just over one year of collection. You can find larger coolers, and some of the 100+ qt Coleman Marine coolers would make GREAT humidors, they're just too large for me to lug around.
Step 2) Clean the Cooler!
This is an important step, but not difficult. I clean mine using a mild bleach solution, making sure to wipe all surfaces well, rinse with generous amounts of cool water, (do this in the driveway with the hose.) Once you are satisfied that no bleach aroma can be detected, let your cooler set out in the hot sun for a good while. This will help release the plastic odors that are present in any newly molded cooler. I let mine sit in the sun for at least two days, bringing them in at night.
Step 3) Humidification!
I think I speak for most everyone here when I say Rh Beads are the way to go. Not only are the basically a set and forget system, (very little maintenance is required,) but they work two ways, by releasing humidity when Rh is low, and absorbing excess humidity when Rh swings high... Very Cool! First you need to determine the quantity of beads needed, They're sold by weight.LINK TO BEAD CALCULATOR
Measure the interior dimensions of your cooler, and use that calculator to determine how much to purchase. DON'T SKIMP ON THE BEADS! Too Much is ALWAYS better than not enough! Most here will recommend using the 65% rh Beads but you can eventually determine what works best for you. Beads will need to be charged with DISTILLED water, put some water in a NEW spray bottle, and slowly spray and mix them up until about half of the beads are clear.
Step 4) Hygrometer
This is another thing that you will not want to skimp on. Get yourself a good quality DIGITAL hygrometer, one that is preferably adjustable. ADJUSTABLE DIGITAL HYGROMETER.
Step 4a) Calibrate hygrometer
If you purchase a hygrometer from the above link, just add the Boveda Calibration kit at checkout, they're very easy to use. Or, you can perform the "Salt Test". Get yourself a HEAVY gallon size ziploc freezer bag, a cap from a 2-liter soda bottle, and some table salt. Fill the cap with salt, and drizzle some distilled water just enough to make the salt paste like, not soaked, then seal both the salt, and hygrometer up in the ziploc bag, and leave it alone overnight, in the morning, a perfectly calibrated hygrometer will read 75% rh. If you can adjust yours through the bag, do that, otherwise, open the bag, and quickly adjust to read 75%. Done
Step 5) Humidity Buffering
Eventually, this step will work itself out due to large numbers of box purchases Plastic does absolutely nothing to hold humidity, and constant opening of an empty cooler will usually create some pretty drastic swings in humidity. If you want to get all fancy, you can purchase some SPANISH cedar, (not red cedar, it's totally different,) and build shelves that fit your cooler. Another option is to go to Home Depot, and ask for some 1/8 thick LUAN, which is a mahogany plywood. (Spanish Cedar is a close relative of Mahogany). Or, just collect some nice wood cigar boxes, and use them to store cigars in. Ideally, you want to fill up at least 75% of the coolers internal volume, this will act to hold humidity when you open and close the cooler.
Step 6) Seasoning
This step is very important! Cigars by nature are Hygroscopic, meaning they will adapt themselves over time to whatever humidity level they are stored at. The important note here is: Spanish cedar is ALSO hygroscopic, and if not properly seasoned, will quickly absorb the moisture from your precious cigars... NOT GOOD! So, if you use luan, or old cigar boxes, moisten a sponge with distilled water, and dampen (slightly) all exposed surfaces of the wood, then place all the Empty boxes in the cooler, along with the charged beads, (the sandwich shaped Gladloc containers work great for beads, you can leave the lids off, or drill holes in them,) put the hygrometer in a place where you can easily read it quickly when you open the cooler, close the lid, and leave it closed for 48 hours or more. This will allow everything to stabilize, and if you calibrated correctly, you should have a reading somewhere between 65% ~ 70% rh.
Step 7) Fill it up!
No explanation necessary here Go Smoke A Cigar!
Please feel free to add any details that I may have missed!
