First Humidor

[basil]

Hey Samurai, tried to respond last week but was held from posting for seveeral days.

CI currently has a deal for a humidor bigger than the one you are looking at along with 8 premium cigars for $15.

http://www.cigarsintl.com/sa819B

I think this is a great deal for beginners.

Genrally speaking, other than this deal, I would suggest looking for a deal like this including a 40 count humidor. Big enough and cheap enough to start with.

I think most will agree that a humidors claimed capacity is about 30% higher than the box will actually hold in full-sized cigars. IOW, you can probably fit about 10 mixed cigars in the 10-15 count you are looking at.

Most small boxes (and most medium and surprisingly quite a few large) will fit Churchills and long torpedoes only one way. The humidiifier in small boxes is often thicker than the depth of the lid, so it precludes making two layers of cigars as the humidifier intrudes into the box space.

That brings me to beads. I do not recommend them for small boxes - there simply is not enough room for a dish of beads in them.

I recommend crystal gel which comes in a compact jar and is a product veery forgiving of user 'malfeasance'.

What do you guys use for containers for the beads?

One more thing - you don't "need hygro for sure". Distilled water at $1 a gallon works fine. I only recommend hygro fluid if you are uing the OE dry sponge humidifier and even then not exclusively . Every 3rd time or so.

I disagree with you on a few points. First, for various reasons, I'd probably never send my money to CI. Second, along with others who have already offered sound advice, I think a larger humidor is probably a good idea, and cheaper in the long run especially if a cooler is used. Third, beads are good for any size of humidor, and to answer your question, anything that has unrestricted permeability, will fit in the humidor, and not take up much space will work as a container for beads; e.g., small bags designed especially for containing beads, partitioned off so as not to dampen a cigar. Panty hose will work too. Wash them first. An aluminum cigar tube with small holes punched in it will work. So, there simply is room for beads in even a small box. Fourth, I disagree with you on your use of the word "malfeasance", when either "error" or "neglect" would fit better and even be more accurate in the instant context. I think I feel the same way about when you use the word "preclude" and how this and "prevent" both connote similar meanings having to do with barriers, yet are somewhat differently nuanced. But It's too late to think about it anymore when mostly I'm wondering what it was that compelled you to sign up here only in order to attempt to trump others' sound (as I've already mentioned) offerings, with no introduction, no credibility at least on this board, and no good idea of what you are fucking talking about.

Welcome to the board. I think.