Humidor questions

[Joe Shinall]

I had a friend ask me last week to build him a humidor. I was thinking something like a small box size. Well after speaking with him this weekend, he wants a HUMIDOR! He basically wants something like the 2 pictured below. I want to build the single door but he's leaning to the double door.

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I have never done a humidor nor have I ever had a humidor. I have been doing my research and see I need to take these into account:

1. Spanish Cedar Lining
2. Tight seal
3. Humidifier
4. Hygrometer
5. Slots in the shelves for ventilation

The questions I have are the following, but before I ask I want you to know that I am doing this on a budget. He is not an avid cigar smoker but thinks humidors look really cool and he wants one for his living room and I want to do it because if it turns out nice then I would like to market them in my refinishing business.

1. Can I use a weatherstrip type sealing for the doors and strong magnets to hold the doors shut in order to provide the seal? (tongue and groove joinery was my choice to have an air tight seal with the wood)
2. What is the thinnest I can go with and be ok with the cedar lining? I have heard 1/4.
3. Will it hurt to have metal full extension drawer slides inside?
4. I also see all these Boveda humidor packs for humidity, are these good or does someone have a suggestion for a humdifier?
5. Is there a certain spot inside that is better than another for humidifer or packs? (ie top, bottom, drawer?)


Any brands or anything anyone has suggestions on as well for how to build, hardware, humidifers, hygrometers, etc... would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks!

[Joe Shinall]

Anyone? Bueller?

[Greg Caputo]

Hi, Joe.
I'm getting ready to build a humidor for myself, so am hoping to see the answers to your questions. Based on my research, however, I wonder whether you need something bigger than humidity packs for a humidor as large as you intend. The one I'm going to build will be smaller, but still large enough that I felt the need to get an electronic humidifier. Here's the one I bought: http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/pipes-cigars-tobacco_2246_47437799Can't tell you how well it works, but the reviews were good.
A few years ago I made a desk-top humidor. Lined it with spanish cedar I resawed to 1/4 inch. Seems to work well.
Looking forward to more answers.

[Mark Largent]

I own a small humidor - about the size of two shoe boxes sitting next to one another. I use some gel humidity pellets to keep it at the right humidity (they absorb humidity over a certain amount and release it if the humidity drops). I have to add water about every two weeks.

There's no way humidity packs would be sufficient for anything as large as you're thinking .... you really need a little humidifier unit. They are not that expensive, but you'll have to design a spot for it.

[Joe Shinall]

Thanks guys, yeah I was looking at that same Electronic humidifier Greg. That one and a few others that price range. Mark, I agree with you that I need a humidifier. I haven't used the gel packs obviously, but my thoughts were they would be insufficient for one that size. Hope some of these humidor builders can shed some true light on this. Don't want to build something that big that won't work...

[Jeff Willard]

As far as humidification devices go, it's something of a personal choice amongst cigar smokers. Some prefer one type, others, something else. If you plan to market these, a serious cigar smoker might appreciate options.
Something else to keep in mind-the volume of the box itself. The examples that you show appear to be rather large humidors, and may require multiple units.
I'd find a large, well stocked smoke shop in your area with a knowledgeable staff to speak with and find out what devices are available.

[Vince Shriver]

As an aside, my first encounter with milling spanish cedar was miserable. Admittedly there was little to no dust control with the equipment I was using - and the fine dust that kicked up got into my clothes, hair and skin, and it seemed to take a month to get the pungent order of the stuff out of my brian. Not a wonderful virgin experience.

[keith jensen]

Bill Wyko produces some ridiculously beautiful humidors! You might try PM'ing him for some support. The finish on his humidors is out of this world.

[Richard Coers]

You've gotten the help on the humidifier, I'll comment on the rest. You can use standard drawer slides, but they will probably have to be replaced in a few years. Be careful on the install to not nick the zinc or epoxy coating, and they will last longer. Humidity is high in these things. 1/4 spanish cedar should be fine, but I would use a small ship lap joint where the pieces meet. The door will be a big issue. The ones in the pic seem pretty light duty. If you use strong magnets, the door will flex. I would use a silicone bulb seal for the door weatherstripping. http://www.architecturalresourcecenter.com/bulb-vinyl-silicon-leaf-weather-stripping/
and seal the glass into the frame with clear silicone. Make the glass either laminated or tempered if it will sit on the floor. My favorite statement these days, especially when a "friend" asks for something that he can buy from a catalog. "that I am doing this on a budget". Ain't it always that way. "Build me this super duper built to the nines cabinet, but can you do it cheaply?" NO!

[Joe Shinall]

Richard, I totally agree with the cost. I showed him a rough estimate of the large ones and he had a 5 second heart attack. We are now looking at this style:

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Still a full size but now the humidor is a bit smaller (actually making that section a little shorter than pictured). Thanks for the other tips. I was looking at something along the lines of that same bulb weatherstripping just this morning. Thanks for the other tips as well guys, might have to PM Wyko and see if I can pick his brain a bit.

[Joe Angrisani]

.....I showed him a rough estimate of the large ones and he had a 5 second heart attack.....

If you don't mind, I'd like to know how much you told him. :eek:

[Bob Reda]

First thing to consider, a glass door on a humidor is not good. Second in reference to spanish cedar. If you use a mahogany you won't need it. The history of cigars goes that Cuba was predominant in the cigar industry and shipped all their cigars in spanish cedar boxes. Thus everyone fills they need spanish cedar for a humidor. The fact is, spanish cedar was the type of wood they had on hand to build the boxes. But you will never convince anyone they do not need spanish cedar in a humidor. If you do use it, make sure you use a shellac between the outer box and the spanish cedar or it will begin to bleed some real ugly black stuff.

Bob

[Joe Shinall]

If you don't mind, I'd like to know how much you told him. :eek:

It was about $1500 for the large cabinet and $900 for the smaller. Not a lot to some people but I know he's not wealthy. He didn't realize how much materials themselves cost. We don't have a good lumber mill around here so I have to drive 4 hours away to find some good lumber at good price so that's $150 in gas and a hotel stay for a night included in that. But just today I found a local business owner that also owns a saw mill that can get what I need delivered at no extra charge. So we saved a bunch today by going smaller, smaller humidor, and local lumber supplier. Looking at the $600 range now, mostly materials. I'm not charging much for labor to help him out. I don't mind helping good friends and gets more pieces of mine out there to be seen.

[Joe Shinall]

First thing to consider, a glass door on a humidor is not good.
Bob

Bob, I see tons of humidors with glass doors. Why wouldn't that be good for it if it is sealed in rail and stile doors? I have also heard exactly what you just stated about mahogany. But the price is about the same for both and I like the look of the lighter cedar and a dark cabinet. I have also heard of sealing it before putting in the cedar as well, mainly just to be air tight.

[Bob Reda]

The ones you see are mostly retail which shows the cigars to potential customers. The light comming through the glass will play havoc with both the humidity and temp. inside the humidor. If you ever stood in front of a window when the sun was shinning in you would notice the extra heat. It also effects the tobacco.

Bob

[Joe Shinall]

The ones you see are mostly retail which shows the cigars to potential customers. The light comming through the glass will play havoc with both the humidity and temp. inside the humidor. If you ever stood in front of a window when the sun was shinning in you would notice the extra heat. It also effects the tobacco.

Bob

Makes total sense. The room that it is going in has no windows and only CFL can lights. It's a movie room they have on the back of their house so they have low lighting to give that theater feel. Very much a man cave. Do you think that would be ok in that environment?

[Richard Coers]

It was about $1500 for the large cabinet and $900 for the smaller. Not a lot to some people but I know he's not wealthy. He didn't realize how much materials themselves cost. We don't have a good lumber mill around here so I have to drive 4 hours away to find some good lumber at good price so that's $150 in gas and a hotel stay for a night included in that. But just today I found a local business owner that also owns a saw mill that can get what I need delivered at no extra charge. So we saved a bunch today by going smaller, smaller humidor, and local lumber supplier. Looking at the $600 range now, mostly materials. I'm not charging much for labor to help him out. I don't mind helping good friends and gets more pieces of mine out there to be seen.

Yup, too cheap. I charge $300 for a small box humidor. Must be a great friend. I did make one once for a swap for a 3600 series Caterpillar engine piston. Those things weigh about 80 pounds, and are as big as a waste basket. I sat across from the remanufacturing engineer, and I knew my son would go nuts over the piston. He took it to college, and it's in his living room in LA. It will soon be back in Chicago, so worth the humidor.

[Joe Shinall]

Yup, too cheap. I charge $300 for a small box humidor. Must be a great friend. I did make one once for a swap for a 3600 series Caterpillar engine piston. Those things weigh about 80 pounds, and are as big as a waste basket. I sat across from the remanufacturing engineer, and I knew my son would go nuts over the piston. He took it to college, and it's in his living room in LA. It will soon be back in Chicago, so worth the humidor.

Been a best friend for 14 years now. He owns a small car dealership and helped me get my truck when I really couldn't afford one. He makes enough off the cars he sells to make ends meet so I know he doesn't have a ton of money. And I'm doing it just to have something to do. Don't care much if I make much, just keep me busy without costing me money. :)

[Jacob Muldowney]

I hear ya Joe. Sometimes its nice to just make beautiful things and not pay for it.

[Joe Shinall]

I hear ya Joe. Sometimes its nice to just make beautiful things and not pay for it.

Whatever gets me out the house and gets me some practice. Plus if it helps show me off to others I could make more down the road possibly.

[Chris Fournier]

I have built humidors for customers and myself and I smoke cigars regularly. I can tell you this; a humidor is not a microwave that you turn on as you need it. Instead you need to be very active and stay on top of its performance. Just because you're not smoking much doesn't mean that the humidor will take care of itself. The smartest play for a cigar smoker is to build a humidor that will hold a reasonable number of cigars given their smoking habit. You'd have to be Winston Churchill to require the humidors that you have suggested for your friend.

Your budget is simply unrealistic if you are hoping to build a truly fine humidor unless your time is worth nothing to you. Be good to a friend but be realistic about a project's worth.

Spanish cedar is essential for the lining because it is industry standard and if you want cigars to taste like cigars should taste then you need to use this wood.

[Joe Shinall]

You'd have to be Winston Churchill to require the humidors that you have suggested for your friend.

Your budget is simply unrealistic if you are hoping to build a truly fine humidor unless your time is worth nothing to you. Be good to a friend but be realistic about a project's worth.


Personally, I don't mind if he stacks it full of Black and Milds or Havatampas just for looks and never smokes a single one. He asked if I can build it because he likes the way they look as I stated. He has smoked 2 cigars in 4 years. It's more of a display piece than anything.

Sorry Chris, but I did not suggest anything for him except to go smaller when he said 4 feet wide. He asked me if I can build it. I told him I can build anything. If it doesn't work right, it will be a nice display cabinet for his wife in his dining room.

Sorry but my time and friends are worth alot. Not worth money, but worth memories. I do not do this for a living. I do this in my spare time and I enjoy it as a hobby, not as a way of making money. It's a challenge to me and I have accepted it if it doesn't work out right then I know for the next one. I have never built anything for money. And personally do not want to. I enjoy my "hobby". It's a way to get away from work and money. I do not want to mix the two.