Help, Spanish Cedar "seepage"

[Mark Valsi]

Guys,

I just opend up a Humidor I made a while back and the inside is all full of spots of "seepage". It's tacky to the touch, and I imagine it is the resin inside the wood.

I'm donating the box to Habitat for Humanity on Monday !!

what can I do ???

Help !! SOS May Day !!

thanks

[Mark Singer]

If there is no finish sand it with 150 or 220 leave a bit of tooth so it can open and breath

[Alan Turner]

I have found that some boards of Spanish cedar do this, but I never found a solution to it. Good luck.

[Steve Clardy]

Sounds like the sap wasn't SET.
Like pine, when kiln dried, they run the temp up too 180 or so after its dry, to SET the sap. Hardens it up.

[Chris Barton]

Spanish cedar is known for sap bleeding and this can occur years after a board is milled. About all you can do is to use some spirits to scrub it off and wait. In almost all cases, it will continue to bleed for some time... That is why on most humidors they only use thin veneers which have less chance of bleeding. Best of luck with your project.

[Jim King]

The Cedar was badly kiln dried or most likly not kiln dried. I would assume that is why they starting using it for cigar boxes. A cheap soft easy to work with substitute for Mahogany. I was in a freinds house yesterday and his herbarium is all Spanish Cedar and looks like a dalmation due to the sap bleeding and this is old furniture.

Here in South America it is one of the most prized woods, it is very soft and easy to work with, very acidic so the bugs wont eat it , soaks up laquer like a sponge, not strong enough to warp. The only solution I have seen is boiling the sap out.

[Eric Hensel]

One thing that works is acetone. It will dissolve the sap, and it leaves no residue behind. The only problem is that the seepage could come back. I've wiped down boards that have seeped, and haven't had anymore, but then I've had others that bled out again.

[Darrin Vanden Bosch]

Having built many, many humidors over the last 20 or so years I have seen this quite a bit. It is just something that Spanish Cedar does, unfortunately. What I have always done is wipe it with denatured alcohol as it evaporates fairly quick, then sand it down. Do not use an oil based spirit to clean it off as it does leave an odor that will transfer to the cigars.
Spanish Cedar is used because it won't mildew and it helps to enhance the flavor of a good cigar. On a cheaper humidor it might be a veneer, but on a proper humidor the cedar is inserted into the box and also fitted to insure the seal, i.e. dropping the lid and hearing a rush of air and not wood on wood while still fully closing. It will also help maintain the humidity in the box if it is regulary(sp.) checked.

Darrin