Complete beginner here- Humidor help

[StarWait]

welcome.....your choice of humidors is fine...yes,get the beads and a digital hygrometer....enjoy your cigar smoking experience...you may want to try a few more cigars each week...as long as you have time to really enjoy them.....then,start thinking about more humidors and coolerdor's.....

post often and don't pee in our sandbox.......let's see that writing talent and wit!!!....

Thanks- but what is a hygrometer? And how do these beads work? I just put them in the humidor? And therefor don't use whatever humidification system comes with this humidor?

Sorry, again I am totally new. :)


and I also saw this deal- same deal different cigars: Anyone have a pref over which cigars are a better deal? Since I am new- I try to stay at mild.

http://www.cubancrafters.com/products.php/item_id/2634

or

http://www.cubancrafters.com/products.php/item_id/280

[stjohnroe]

Thanks- but what is a hygrometer? And how do these beads work? I just put them in the humidor? And therefor don't use whatever humidification system comes with this humidor?

Sorry, again I am totally new. :)

Not sure if this has ever been stated directly, but a hygrometer is a device for measuring humidity. The aim is to have a relative humidity somewhere between 62 and 70 %. Try searching on this site using "beads" or "heartfelt" for the bead information.

[bigpoppapuff]

Thanks- but what is a hygrometer? And how do these beads work? I just put them in the humidor? And therefor don't use whatever humidification system comes with this humidor?

Sorry, again I am totally new. :)

digital (not analog) hygrometer tells you what the rh is....for the info on how the beads work,you're invited to try the search function...all you need to know should be there....

[stjohnroe]

Check out http://www.cigarsmokers.com/showthread.php?t=3814 for a good guide to seeting up your humi

[cls515]

That is a good post for seasoning your humidor. I've made a few minor modifications though. I do things a little different after wiping down the wood, placing the wet sponge inside, and leaving it overnight so the wood can absorb water. The next day, I take out the sponge and place a shot glass inside about 3/4 of the way full. Then I put the beads in, where only a little bit of water has been added to the beads. The beads work to keep a constant humidity by absorbing or releasing water vapor. If you have 65% rh beads, then the humidity will stay at approximately 65%. It above 65, the beads absorb water. If below 65, the beads release water. This is why beads need to be activated prior to use, which means some of the beads are dry, while some of the beads are holding water. If all the beads are all dry, no water can be released into the humidor. If they are all wet, they won't be able to absorb any water from the humidor. The shot glass is put inside the humidor with the beads so that the humidor will have a high humidity and the beads will not absorb all the water from the wood. The wood also acts like a humidification device, because the wood can absorb and release water. Only a small percentage of the beads are activated initially with water, maybe 10%, so that the beads will absorb all the water they need from the shot glass. This prevents over or under activation. Leave the beads and shot glass full of water overnight. The next day, remove the shot glass but leave the beads inside. Your humidity will most likely be too high, or just right. If above 80% rh, the cigars should not be put inside. It is also important to note that the cigars will absorb water. If the humidity is around 75%, it is ok to put the cigars inside, and it will facilitate dropping the humidity to the level of the beads. In about a day or a matter of a few days, the humidity will drop down to where it needs to be, depending on the rh value of your beads.

[mauied1101]

welcome to the forum - when you get the beads, you can almost chuck the hygrometer.

as for stuffing the humidor - after you season it properly - put your sticks in gradually - if you stuff it all at once, you're going to notice a fluctuation in your humidity. your humi will be truly seasoned when you've kept it 75% full of sticks for a couple months - won't have any fluctuations after that, providing you keep the rh constant.

good luck

[StarWait]

Thanks everyone!

When I put in the cigars- if they are in individual boxes- so I leave them in the boxes or take them out to put in the humidor?

I'll go look at the beads posts as well to see how to put them in the humidor.

[bigpoppapuff]

leave them in their boxes...no big deal,either way..

[WOXOF]

Thanks- but what is a hygrometer? And how do these beads work? I just put them in the humidor? And therefor don't use whatever humidification system comes with this humidor?

Sorry, again I am totally new. :)


and I also saw this deal- same deal different cigars: Anyone have a pref over which cigars are a better deal? Since I am new- I try to stay at mild.

http://www.cubancrafters.com/products.php/item_id/2634

or

http://www.cubancrafters.com/products.php/item_id/280

I wouldn't worry about buying a combo package with cigars in it.

Here is one a buddy of mine recently purchased and it is well worth the money...

http://www.cubancrafters.com/products.php/item_id/260

I wouldn't buy anything smaller than this if you plan on sticking around here for very long.