Humidor and the Noobie

Marcbox67

All,

I have just recently been introduced to the world of cigars.  I have really only smoked about 10 cigars using advice from my local cigar shops.  I truly enjoy the experience.  My fiancé has blessed the habit, and purchased a small 12 count humidor as a gift.  I have been scanning the forums and found a ton of great information about humidors.  However, most of the information seems to be directed towards larger humidors.  Do all the same rules of thumb apply to my 12 count (dish with distilled water to condition, 65% beads, digital hygrometer, etc)?

Also, any advice or suggestions are welcomed for a new comer to the group/experience.  I still have a lot to learn so I reckon I’ll be snooping around here often.  Thank you in advance.

Marcus

j0z3r

Hi Marcus, welcome to the forums.

The same ideas will apply to a smaller humidor, the only real difference being the amount of humidity beads you will use in a smaller humidor vs. a larger one.

As with any other humidor, you'll want to season it properly. I usually recommend the dish of distilled water and leave it for 3-4 days without opening it. If you want to make sure it is holding properly, you can put your digital hygrometer in while you season it then when you remove the dish after a few days you can confirm that the humidity is holding by looking at the readout.

If you stick around, you'll find quite a few very knowledgeable people who are more than happy to give advice and answer questions. Good luck getting your new humidor set up.

Joe

sane

Hi and welcome Marcbox,

I also just got introduced to the world of cigars and I am enjoining it. As a noobie to the cigar world my self I can tell you that you will fill up that 12ct. very fast, I just got my 20ct about 2 week ago and it is full and I plan on building a 100+ ct. this weekend.
I would recommend reading the fallowing posts and blog entry's.
http://www.cigar.com/cs/forums/thread/10439.aspx
http://www.cigar.com/cs/blogs/alex_ccom/archive/2008/07/09/7610.aspx
http://www.cigar.com/cs/forums/post/6023.aspx

kuzi16

Marcbox67:

My fiancé has blessed the habit...

....er hobby.

BigDan.

As Kuzi just pointed out this is a hobby not at habit but no worries

anyhow welcome to the forum Marcus stick around you will certainly find all the answers to your questions and so much more. no to address your question

yes these principles you have stated do apply to smaller humidors, however i dont know if you need the water tray and the beads just yet. make sure you season your humidor and MAKE SURE YOU USE DISTILLED WATER and not tap water because those have minerals in it that will build up in the humidification system and block it from releasing the correct amount of water or any water at all so this would be very bad. for example if you have other seen the white build up on a shower head or around the bathtub this is calcium build up that resided in water. keep a eye on your humidor DONT OPEN AND CLOSE IT A LOT but check on it every so often

i personally dont have a digital hygrometer but i think they are a very smart choice and it is something im looking into buying. they are much more reliable and dependable.

i hope i helped you out a little bit stick around if you have any questions be sure to ask all the guys on this forum are really helpful and love discussing cigars so enjoy the smokes and your new HOBBY and i will see you around

dutyje

Welcome, Marcus... I only have one tiny humidor as well... it's not the size of your humidor, it's how you use it (I've also got a couple of tupperdors, but that's a subject for another thread).

Yes, the same rules apply to the small humidor. I seasoned as jozer suggested. I've got the beads (just one tube of 65% beads, in the smallest tube size they make), and a digital hygrometer. As others have mentioned, you'll quickly fill that humidor.

I maintain my small humidor as a "smoking queue" .. that is, when I smoke a cigar, I move another one down from one of my tupperdors, to keep the humidor about 80% full. I rotate these through, and smoke any of the cigars that have had sufficient rest in the smoking queue.

leonard

Marcus, I recomend getting beads. I open my humi's often (daily smoker) and the RH stays constant. Order a 1/2 pound bag (less than 20 bucks) because you want to use more than they recomend and you will probably get another, larger humi soon.

phobicsquirrel

kuzi16:

Marcbox67:

My fiancé has blessed the habit...

....er hobby.

habbit;hobby, same thing...

Marcbox67

Thank you all for the tips.  Sane, those were great articles.  Good to know the same rules apply.  Dutyje, I intend to do the same when I get a larger humidor...and I will.  As for hobby vs habit, it is definetly a hobby, although she may argue it's a habbit, probably because I am so stoked when I do have time to smoke one, like a kid opening a candy bar.

M-

j0z3r

Duty forgot to mention that all of his cigars are kept on a spreadsheet that tells him when to smoke what cigar and which to move into the smoking queue when there is a vacancy. An odd bloke, that he is.

j0z3r

Marcbox67:

Thank you all for the tips.  Sane, those were great articles.  Good to know the same rules apply.  Dutyje, I intend to do the same when I get a larger humidor...and I will.  As for hobby vs habit, it is definetly a hobby, although she may argue it's a habbit, probably because I am so stoked when I do have time to smoke one, like a kid opening a candy bar.

M-

The only habit I have in relation to cigars is that I'm addicted to the experience. In my mind, there is nothing better than settling down with a good cigar on a nice evening with nothing but the stars and crickets to keep me company...that is pure bliss in my opinion.

dutyje

j0z3r:

Duty forgot to mention that all of his cigars are kept on a spreadsheet that tells him when to smoke what cigar and which to move into the smoking queue when there is a vacancy. An odd bloke, that he is.

That's frighteningly accurate