Making my own Coolerdor

**daredog4** · 07-07-2009, 10:35 PM

I first want to say thanks to all of the great posts that have helped me to make the decision to go with a coolerdor. As many of you know when you first start this journey as I did several months back you think to yourself, I will just get a nice desktop humidor and it will surely last me quite a long time.....and then a few weeks or months later you fill it to capacity. Then you start to worry about how much money this obsession is going to drain your bank account as soon as you see how much the larger humidors go for. And then you search the forum and all of your prayers have been answered.

I am now starting my own Coolerdor project. I have not done much yet but i will be sure to let you all know how it goes. I ordered the cooler from Wal-Mart (on sale!). Its a 60qt Igloo Ice Cube. I liked the shape better due to the confined closet space. I will be sure to follow the cleaning procedure to get it ready for use. Instead of lining it with Cedar I just decided to get several of the stackable Spanish cedar trays. These I found on ebay at this link

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cigar-Humidor-Tr...A1%7C294%3A200

I also bought a digital hygrometer/thermometer that i can mount to the inside of the lid. And to finish it off I have plenty of RH beads. I will probably just get a couple of those little plastic food containers and punch holes in them for the beads. Anyway, I will post some pics as soon as everything is assembled and ready for cigars. Thanks again.

**Cigarbear** · 07-08-2009, 12:26 PM

You could always use empty boxes from your local B&M. A lot of places give those away for free.

**denver24** · 07-08-2009, 01:11 PM

Nice work and it sounds like you've got a good plan. I look forward to the pics!

**daredog4** · 07-14-2009, 11:43 AM

I got the cooler cleaned and seasoned yesterday, and also wiped down the spanish cedar trays once. I put the cigars in at about 6:00 pm and by 8:00 the humidity was right at 70%. I checked it again today and it is still holding right at 70%. This has been the most trouble free project that i have done. My desktop humidor was a pain in the ass. I had to season it 3 times and it still would only make it to 65% with the 70 RH beads. Now im thinking i should have done this a heck of a lot sooner.

P.S. if anyone wants a 50 count desktop humidor with built in analog hygrometer that has already been seasoned, you can have it for 20 bucks. It is a Bally Glass Top Humidor. If anyone is even interested i will be glad to get some pics up. Also, i will get some pics up of my Coolerdor as soon as I can.

**Roger** · 07-14-2009, 12:06 PM

glad to hear you are getting you coolidor set. You have all those nice cedar trays, that is making a huge difference for buffering your humidity. I have set mine up and my humidity is a bit high 71-72 rh. I have boxes in my coolidor but they are not the wood ones unfortunately. I went to the B&M in Portland OR. They had boxes but wanted $5 a pop for them. So I only have the paper covered boxes. I am looking forward to your pics too. Roger.

**ashauler** · 07-14-2009, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by daredog4

snip.....
P.S. if anyone wants a 50 count desktop humidor with built in analog hygrometer that has already been seasoned, you can have it for 20 bucks. It is a Bally Glass Top Humidor. If anyone is even interested i will be glad to get some pics up. Also, i will get some pics up of my Coolerdor as soon as I can.

Sales go in the exchange forum......I'm just sayin'.

**mrtr33** · 07-14-2009, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by daredog4

P.S. if anyone wants a 50 count desktop humidor with built in analog hygrometer that has already been seasoned, you can have it for 20 bucks.

You must be under the impression that the coolerdor you just built will be the only cigar storage you'll ever need. That's cute.

Originally Posted by Roger

They had boxes but wanted $5 a pop for them.

That's insane. The most expensive boxes I've ever seen were $1.50 each - and that dropped to $1 each if you bought more than 10 of them. Most of the time, they'll just give them to you.

**Shelby07** · 07-14-2009, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by mrtr33

You must be under the impression that the coolerdor you just built will be the only cigar storage you'll ever need. That's cute...

That was my first thought, too. Keep it.

**daredog4** · 07-14-2009, 07:26 PM

Well first of all when they say 50 count humidor they really mean about 20 or 30 count. If i took out the tray and just piled them in then i could maybe get 50 in there. I am glad i got it at a reduced price when i bought it but with all the issues i have had with it I am just about ready to pitch it in the garbage. I looks really pretty and if i wanted to show off my cigars then maybe i would consider keeping it but all i care about is keeping them at the right RH and having the most capacity.

**Irish79** · 07-15-2009, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by mrtr33

That's insane. The most expensive boxes I've ever seen were $1.50 each - and that dropped to $1 each if you bought more than 10 of them. Most of the time, they'll just give them to you.

My local b&m wants $3-5 each as well, although I was able to get some of the cedar blocks and sheets for free.

Roger - I know that CI sells lots of 10 boxes and I'm sure that other stores will sell them for less or give them away.

Edit - daredog4: You could save your desktop humi in case you ever need to drybox cigars or if you're having friends over and want to offer them a stick from the desktop.

**ashauler** · 07-15-2009, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by daredog4

Well first of all when they say 50 count humidor they really mean about 20 or 30 count. If i took out the tray and just piled them in then i could maybe get 50 in there. I am glad i got it at a reduced price when i bought it but with all the issues i have had with it I am just about ready to pitch it in the garbage. I looks really pretty and if i wanted to show off my cigars then maybe i would consider keeping it but all i care about is keeping them at the right RH and having the most capacity.

But you'd sell it to a brother on this board?

**DeeDubya** · 07-15-2009, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by daredog4

Well first of all when they say 50 count humidor they really mean about 20 or 30 count. If i took out the tray and just piled them in then i could maybe get 50 in there. I am glad i got it at a reduced price when i bought it but with all the issues i have had with it I am just about ready to pitch it in the garbage. I looks really pretty and if i wanted to show off my cigars then maybe i would consider keeping it but all i care about is keeping them at the right RH and having the most capacity.

Use it for your "Dry Box" and still show off your cigars. If your keeping the coolerdor at 70% then you would want to pull a few sticks out and dry box them for a couple days or prior to fellow BOTL's coming over.

**TravPSU** · 07-16-2009, 02:39 PM

I priced out materials for a coolerdor and it came out to $160+. Sounds a bit off to me. I didn't really expect it to be more than $75.

Cooler $40
Cedar Trays $15 x 4
Beads $35
Digital Hygrometer $25

**mrtr33** · 07-16-2009, 02:49 PM

Seems a little high.

First of all, how many smokes are you going to be putting in there? What capacity is that cooler?

Having both the beads and the hygrometer is redundant.

Aren't there cigar boxes from your B&M you can use instead of the cedar trays?

Just wondering.

**TravPSU** · 07-16-2009, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by mrtr33

Seems a little high.

First of all, how many smokes are you going to be putting in there? What capacity is that cooler?

Having both the beads and the hygrometer is redundant.

Aren't there cigar boxes from your B&M you can use instead of the cedar trays?

Just wondering.

For now it would only be between 35-40 cigars. The cooler is the 50qt. Coolman found in the sticky. Having both the beads and hygrometer is for peace of mind, but I can see your point. A cheapo analog would work. My B&M charges $3 for the cardboard boxes and up to $12 for the wood boxes. Empty.

**ashauler** · 07-16-2009, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by TravPSU

I priced out materials for a coolerdor and it came out to $160+. Sounds a bit off to me. I didn't really expect it to be more than $75.

Cooler $40
Beads $35

I'm with Mark......why trays? They're cool and all, but if $$ is a concern, empty boxes work great, especially if you seperate the top and bottom. There are even little plastic bins at the dollar store that work great.

Cost of beads sounds reasonable.......I also agree, that once you convince yourself that the beads work, you won't even look at the hygro any longer.

Whala....$75.

**mrtr33** · 07-16-2009, 02:58 PM

That's INSANE. If you want, I'll look around here for solid wood boxes, but I'm pretty sure he'll give them to me for next to nothing. Let me know if you're interested in the meantime, and maybe we can work out a deal.

**TravPSU** · 07-16-2009, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by ashauler

I'm with Mark......why trays? They're cool and all, but if $$ is a concern, empty boxes work great, especially if you seperate the top and bottom. There are even little plastic bins at the dollar store that work great.

Cost of beads sounds reasonable.......I also agree, that once you convince yourself that the beads work, you won't even look at the hygro any longer.

Whala....$75.

I was under the impression they helped moderate humidity swings from opening and closing the coolerdor, deter tobacco beetles (not that I'm worrying about beetles), and help season the cigars with the cedar smell. If they aren't needed then I won't worry about them... for now.

mrtr33 - I'd really appreciate that. Let me know what you find.

**mrtr33** · 07-16-2009, 03:15 PM

No problem at all. Should get there by tomorrow. Can't swing it today. I'll have an answer for you then.

Most quality wooden cigar boxes will be made of the same material those trays are - they might not look as pretty, but it's the same damn thing.

**ashauler** · 07-16-2009, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by TravPSU

I was under the impression they helped moderate humidity swings from opening and closing the coolerdor, deter tobacco beetles (not that I'm worrying about beetles), and help season the cigars with the cedar smell. If they aren't needed then I won't worry about them... for now.

mrtr33 - I'd really appreciate that. Let me know what you find.

There you go. Big fancy cabinets are sweet, and contain lots of spanish cedar, but, I'd argue that my coolidor just does just as good a job at keeping my cigars in great, smokeable condition.

ETA: Not that I wouldn't love to have a big, beautiful cabinet, cause I would. At this point, I just choose to spend my $$ on cigars instead of accessories.