humidor questions

I had a humidor for about 10 years now, never used it. Think it will hold around 50 sticks. I read up on distilled water to hydrate it. Ill be trying to grab some samplers to see what i like. Is this like pipe tobacco where I can only put certain kinds in or can I toss them all together? Do I need a hydrometer? it has a moveable divider in it. If I buy samplers do I need to let them rest in humidor a few days or can I smoke them? Sry for the questions, I been searching here and so much to dig through. I got addicted to the piping side very quickly and feel the same happening on this side. Thanks for any and all info!

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Originally Posted by cbr310

I had a humidor for about 10 years now, never used it. Think it will hold around 50 sticks. I read up on distilled water to hydrate it. Ill be trying to grab some samplers to see what i like. Is this like pipe tobacco where I can only put certain kinds in or can I toss them all together? Do I need a hydrometer? it has a moveable divider in it. If I buy samplers do I need to let them rest in humidor a few days or can I smoke them? Sry for the questions, I been searching here and so much to dig through. I got addicted to the piping side very quickly and feel the same happening on this side. Thanks for any and all info!

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It can be a lot of fun setting up your first humidor. It can be done with distilled water (effectively and relatively easily) but you have to be careful to not get it too wet if you are wiping it or you can damage the humidor (especially if it's one of the cheaper models). Easier by far is to pick up a couple of Boveda 84% seasoning packs. They take all the work out it. Then switch to something in the 65% - 70% range (most here favor 65%) for maintenance of the relative humidity (rh).

Yes, you should have a hygrometer, a digital one (the analog ones are notoriously inaccurate), preferably one that is adjustable and you should calibrate it (they make Boveda packs for that too).

Always best to rest new sticks from the sampler packs, but don't let that deter you if you have one you are itching to try. :)

You can put them all together, with one caveat. Flavored or infused cigars should never be stored with regular cigars. The flavors will leach into your other cigars.

Have fun! :)

Read thru Don's sticky on seasoning,if you get the boveda packs you wont need the plate with a sponge on it.

Definitely start here for the seasoning http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/cigar-...idor-1205.html

As far as mixing if you keep the infused stuff separate you'll be fine. I have read about keeping maduro separate from naturals but I think applies more to long term aging

Great advice from the others!
As @CoachDread said get a digital hygrometer and calibrate it.

As far as resting your cigars, it depends a lot on it's source and what YOU wind up preferring your smokes at. Most here do favor 65% for NC's (non-Cubans). But you might wind up liking them a little more wet, there are a few that like them 67-69%. Time/experience will figure this out for you.

I did learn that resting your smokes to get them at your desired rH makes a big difference. And as you will learn, longer resting periods have different effects on different cigars (most for the better).

But as said, nothing wrong with trying some ROTT (right off the truck)!

The only thing I would add to the excellent advice already given, if you decide to use Boveda packs for maintaining you RH, buy extras. Then when the ones being used need recharged you have charged ones to use. Another option is Heartfelt beads. They can be recharged much more quickly than Bovedas and backups are not needed.

PS- Take your time getting your humidor seasoned. Wetting the wood can and very likely will cause warping of the wood and then you have a major problem. It may take as long as a couple of weeks before it is ready to put your cigars in.

I prefer Heartfelt beads for maintenance. Charge them and they last for a few months for me.

I bought one of the cheap 50 ct. glass top humidors when I first started and have given up on it. It's just too difficult to keep up (not because its a wood humidor but because it's a cheap POS that won't keep a seal). I've switched to a tupperdor and haven't looked back. So easy a caveman could do it. In go a Heartfelt beads tube, in go cigars and forget about it.

That way it's almost as easy as storing pipe tobacco.

Thanks all. The link was helpful, wondering why it didnt come up when i searched humidors? Guess I should order some beads or packs asap! Time to get in touch with Kayla @ cheaphumidors, from reading here she knows her stuff!

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Originally Posted by cbr310

Thanks all. The link was helpful, wondering why it didnt come up when i searched humidors? Guess I should order some beads or packs asap! Time to get in touch with Kayla @ cheaphumidors, from reading here she knows her stuff!

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^^^^^^ Kayla can definatly get you started right.

NEVER wipe water directly onto the wood. Why so many guides still include this is mind boggling. It takes time for the cedar to absorb the moisture from the air, at least a week, and wiping water directly onto the wood does not "jump start" moisture absorption. In fact you could make it warp and ruin the seal, if you're unlucky.

I have a plastic disk in the humidor and has a green sponge like thing in it. its old also should I use that or look for a new one? I added distilled water to it and let it soak some up.

Toss it. Get the Bovedas

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Originally Posted by cbr310

I have a plastic disk in the humidor and has a green sponge like thing in it. its old also should I use that or look for a new one? I added distilled water to it and let it soak some up.

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You have to add some propylene glycol in the right ratio to make those work well.

Toss it or open it, toss the foam, and put some humidity crystals or beads or kitty litter in it.

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Originally Posted by AlanS

Toss it. Get the Bovedas

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Ditto...make your cigar time enjoyable and use the Bovedas. It just takes the hassle out of it...