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May I ask where you got yours from, if you remember sir?

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Amazon and EEbay have them online. Look for "z insert".

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If you check amazon it's called z-plus or something like that

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replicant argent (Pete) has them on his site.

http://www.stogietorch.com/Z-Torch.html

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I was surprised to see them at my local B&M today.

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I recharged my beads and the humidity jumped to 73-74. Is that too high to keep my cigars at?

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Really its a personal choice based on how well they smoke for you. If it gets to high you risk mold. If you want to lower it just toss in some extra cedar.

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I don't have cedar :/

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If you've got a hair dryer, try drying the beads a bit. Or take them out of the humi and let them airdry for a day or two. Your smokes should survive. :2

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Just open the humidor for a while. Its winter, its dry, it will dry out relatively quickly. :2

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I would recommend that you just take the beads out of your humidor and let them dry out for a bit (hours, not days).

That might be better than exposing your cigars. Cigars are resiliant, but why put them through changes to humidity needlessly.

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I have a tupperdor and I was wondering if I am maintaining it correctly. I bought it a year ago, cleaned it out, placed my cigars and humidification beads in it along with a hygrometer. It is holding steady at about 68/68. Is this ideal or should I leave the lid open? Also, does having a tupperdor diminish cigar quality?

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Sounds fine.

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hello all, I am relatively new to this. I am looking into getting a humidor for myself and was wondering if anyone could recommend any type or model in particular. Looking for something that can hold around 25 cigars.

I was looking over at ebay & amazon earlier and found a few different types but before i make a purchase i would prefer to get some more info on what exactly i would need other than the humidor (i keep hearing about crystals/drymist?).

Apologies if this has been addressed earlier in the thread.

thanks

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Actually I would recommend that you get some humidity beads and any humidor that you think will be built well enough to contain the light of a flashlight from showing in a dark room. However, if you want to go the route of a sponge and solution, the box you buy may already come with these. Good enough. Personally, I would use a Tupperware box if I was just starting out, get a bead tube and use that, but I understand the beauty of the humidor.

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Hey Norman, there is so much information already covered on this in the forum and you will get answers from using Tupperware containers, to coolers, to zip lock bags, to jars, to humidors. All of these if done correctly are exactly what you need. Do you want it to look pretty sitting on a desk, do you just want your cigars to be at the proper humidity level and don't care what the container looks like. SOOOO much good information inside here.

I will offer a suggestion and you could get 100 different opinions after mine.

Go to a local brick and motar (B&M) cigar shop or go online to a good retailer and get a package deal. You can get a small humidor, cutter, package of cigars, lighter, humidifier, etc. for $40 and up. This will give you everything you need to start the process at least plus start figuring out what cigars you like. Samplers packs are also great as you get to try a bunch of different cigars for a lower cost.

For a small humidor like this, you don't need much humidification if the humidor seals well. Then as you learn more about cigars and your stash grows, you can buy a larger humidor or cooler and really create a nice collection. The beauty is you can then hand down your smaller items to a new person and get them on the road of enjoying cigars.

My :2

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ok cool i will check it out thanks.




i'll check through the forum and see the different types you mentioned. personally i dont mind getting a humidor that i can place on my desk it does have a nice look to it lol, but until i actually get one a temp setup could work fine.

thanks very much for your advice.

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How much you looking to spend there Norman?

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anywhere between $30-$60 us i am cool with.

i already have something on my desk that i may be able to convert currently looking on amazon at a humidifier and a hygrometer. but still curious as i dont think the current case is air tight , also its lined with felt and not cedar. so i have some thinking to do.

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Type in Google "Humidor Combos" and start from there. Might as well get some goodies thrown in if you buy one.

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thanks Jeff :tu

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www.Cheaphumidors.com
http://www.heartfeltindustries.com/p...Humidity+Beads

I wouldn't really recommend getting anything smaller than a 50ct. 100-150 is ideal. A 25ct will fill up much quicker than you think. That and a small tube of heartfelt beads and your in good shape.

If you get a humidor with an analog hygrometer you can salt test it and make sure its reasonably accurate and wait to spend money on an expensive digital hygro.

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thanks i'll keep it in mind. right now i basically visit the cigar shop once a week and pick up a few so the most i will have at any one time (right now) is about 10 , i keep getting a new one every time i drop by.

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Kind of a beginner question, but what do you find to be the minimum you need to spend to get a good "upper level" cigar, if that makes sense?

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Anyone know had one of my first cigars the other day had an acid wafe was delicious but I can't find any more in any stores. Do they carry them anymore or is there another one like it?

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Price doesn't have to be a major factor as there are some really nice $3-5 cigars and some really crappy $10-15 cigars and vice-versa.

:2

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The Acid Wafe is still made and is available in many places. The next time you are in your local b&m, ask about them and see if they continue to offer them. If not, they are easily available online.

Drew Estates also makes the same size (Wafe) in the Java line they make for Rocky Patel but it tastes much different than the Acid, as all other cigars do. Acid's are in a category by themselves and definitely not for everyone but if you like them, smoke away!

Re: Just joined the forum and just received my humidor
 

Joined the forum yesterday and received my 50ct humidor today...... and to say that I am a little confused would be a huge understatement.

Wipe it with water, bowl of distilled water, sponges, beads, gel.... boveda??

Would really like to get it right the first time so what is the best way to season a new humidor, after it is seasoned what is the easiest most efficient way to keep the RH at a proper level?

I live in Winnipeg, Canada so winters are pretty harsh.

I am sorry, I know this question has probably been asked and answered a billion times......

I appreciate any and all assistance.

Greg

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Congratulations on your purchase....I know winnipeg winters very well (a dry cold, right??) :)


Lots of opinions on seasoning a humidor. I roll with boveda and love it.


Buy a boveda seasoning kit. Follow the instructions and then maintain with the Boveda RH of your choice. I have a 50ct desktop that has been rock solid on 3 72% boveda packs now for 10 months. They're rated for 3 months, but I am now approaching 10 months with no issues.

Oh...and during winter, I put my entire humidor into a very large zip lock bag.

Next time I'm in town, we should meet up at Thomas Hinds.

Re: Just joined the forum and just received my humidor
 

Do NOT wipe it with water, water has a good chance of warping the wood and you won't have that super tight seal you want.

Either get a seasoning pack or just use a sponge, dampen the sponge with distilled (make sure it is distilled) water and place it on a plate inside the humidor, close it up and leave it closed, don't keep checking on it, let it sit for a couple days and check the sponge, you might have to re-dampen it a couple of times. Then after a few days drop in your hygrometer and close it back up, check it after a day or so and see where it's at.

After you get it seasoned I would suggest Shilia Beads, there are links all over the site for them :)

Best of luck!

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Thanks Greg and Adam..... I appreciate your recommendations......

Greg

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I have used the boveda but in all honesty I have found that the sponge method works just as well and is cheaper if you're on a budget :2

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Thanks Michael, I did elect to go with the sponge and distilled water in the saucer..... Seems to be working OK.

RH went from 59% when I received the humidifier to 87% on day 2.

Wondering how long you should leave the sponge in? When does the RH rise taper off.....??

Re: Beginner Questions (Ask Them Here!)
 

There is a lot of info here (Search is your friend :)) including a whole thread on Seasoning: http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=620.

The bottom line is that cigars require patience. Give your humidor more time to season. At least a week. More is better.

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I have a question about lighting a cigar. I *plan* on getting a torch when I can afford it but the question is not about what I should buy, but how do you do it?

How close to you hold the flame?

Do you draw while lighting?

If you hold the flame close, do you let it make contact?

How long should you light a cigar? What I mean is, you can light it in 2 seconds (and I assume burn the tobacco more than you should?) or do you normally take 20, 30, 40 seconds to do it?

If my cigar goes out (I really try to never let this happen) I will cut just above where the tobacco was burning and start "fresh" and do the whole thing over again, is this the proper way to handle this situation?

Last question will be weird, so I will try and explain it the best I can but if I make no sense, just don't worry about it, maybe my palate is dumb and needs to put in some more time:

Sometimes when I smoke cigars, about 1/2 way through the cigar, it will get a very "green" taste to it. Kind of grassy, almost like it's to young (pure speculation, just trying to describe it). The taste is not very pleasant, I don't know if I smoking the cigar to fast or what?

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Hottest part of the flame is above what you can see, basically holding the foot above the flame while rotating the stick "toasting" so the foot is evenly lit, once it is all red I blow on it to make sure it is lit all around before drawing....as for last question, some cigars are just shitty :r...but it could be a wet cigar, smoking to fast (gets hot) or your palate just may not like it.

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YouTube has a ton of cigar related videos, reviews on accessories and how to cut and light cigars. :) Happy Hunting!

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Go to Walgreens and get a Ronson torch for $5

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:tpd::tpd:

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Yup, my roommate just got home and gave me one of them today!

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Alright. So, I'm looking for a humidor and I need some brand suggestions. I want something that I can check the RH without having to open it, but I don't want anything to expensive. I've just gotten into the hobby, and finding a place that sells premium cigars is a challenge itself. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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I believe by "premium cigars" Apex was talking about a cigar store, not grabbing Black n Milds at the Shell station, although if those float your boat more power to you. Usually a "B and M" (brick and mortar) store.

If you are just starting you can find cheapy humidors online, or you can go the Tupador route, it's as simple as a good Tupperware type container and a boli pack for humidity, till you figure out if you are even really into cigars and you start down the slope. :2

Re: Beginner Questions (Ask Them Here!)
 

Lots of threads here on just that subject. Search on "humidor" in the thread title and that should get you started. If you want specific recommendations, you need to tell us your budget and what size (capacity) you are looking for. There are other storage alternatives. Take some time to look around and read. Lots of good information here.

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So I have a mini fridge out in the garage that has ceased working. I've seen many pictures of wine fridges and the like converted to humidors (fridgadors, winadors, etc.) My question is, is it as simple as sticking some cedar, a humidifier and cigars inside and shutting the door? Or do these ___-adors need to be plugged in and running for whatever reason?

-Miller

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Welcome to the Asylum!

Most humidors are basically boxes that sit out in the room. Their internal temperature is at the mercy of the room. Some folks like to build humidors into wine fridges to control the temperature. Or, maybe they like the way it looks. You could use a non-working fridge as the basis for a humidor with no temperature control, or use a picnic cooler.

Why control temperature? Probably, most of us don't. Our houses probably are conditioned to stay in a fairly small temperature range. If you suspect your room might get quite warm, then tobacco beetles could be a factor. You can search for info on that elsewhere on the site.

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This. The room where my wineador sits is the warmest room in our house. Even with the thermostat set to 72* that room will get up to 75-76* during the summer. So I keep the wineador running then just for peace of mind. Then from late fall to late spring I unplug it.

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Heartfelt beads and HCM beads is there a difference?

Re: Beginner Questions (Ask Them Here!)
 

There is a difference, but both products work well and while I am biased toward HCM beads, you cannot go wrong with either product.

Re: Beginner Questions (Ask Them Here!)
 

Thank you. Last time I hung around here everyone told me to get heartfelt now I see HMC in everyone's signature. So I was wondering. I also saw cheaphumidors sells a bead but I went with heartfelt

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Hi!

I'm building a humidor. Did some research and as many would recommend will make the interiors of Spanish cidar. My question is: is it OK to build the outer box completely out of mahogany? Thanks in advance!