Shilala Beads
 

For any of you on the fence about what to do for your humidification needs,
or if you're having trouble maintaining constant humidity with your boveda
packs or propylene glycol, I just wanted to give a shout out for the shilala beads.
I have always had trouble maintaining constant humidity during the summer,
and these babies have been keeping my stash at 65% on the dot
with no variation since the moment I put them in. I am extremely
impressed with the quality of the product and only regret that it took
this long for me to invest in some. Noobs, you have got to put some of
these beads in your humidor! I am one happy customer.:tu

Re: Shilala Beads
 

:tpd: x2

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:tu

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:tpd: x3

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:tpd:

There is nothing better. I have never, and I truly mean NEVER opened my humi and read anything other than 65% rh on my hygrometers.

I love these beads. :tu

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Same here as the rest.:tu

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Just so everyone knows, I invented the beads cause I'm the cheapest bastage on earth. When I did it, it was only cause I needed tons of beads and didn't want to pay the till.
I've worked with environmental control all my life, and I invent stuff. I also used to design/build/retrofit environmental control systems for factories and stuff, and I've always invented things all my life.
When I got interested in beads, I did tons of tests. My whole house was a bead lab. When I discovered the HCM beads, I was shocked by the data. It said that they should work tons better than everything I had already tested. I was totally skeptical.
Then I got the stuff and started tests. My test data was so incredibly good, I honestly didn't believe it. I got more skeptical.
So I enlisted dozens of brothers to test the stuff. I changed things and improved things and got lots of ideas from the brothers. I collected tons of "real world" data.
It took a number of months before the beads made a believer out of me.

I decided that they were too awesome to not offer to the public, and I had spent a fortune on crap to test and develop the beads. So I started selling them to get my money back.
It became way too much for me to handle, and I hated making beads. I create stuff. It's what I enjoy. Making beads all day every day was like hell to me.
So I decided to get rid of the whole deal and move on, which is what makes me happy. :)
Michael bought the business, came and trained with me, and he's doing a tremendous job. He's a good guy, he's generous, he's polite, fun, affable, and a true BOTL in every sense, and he just keeps getting better. It's really for the best that he's running with the beads, because since he bought the idea my health has plummeted. Now it's starting to get better, Thank God.

I honestly could not be more pleased with the whole experience. The beads are light years better than anything available. They last forever. They work way better.
It's honestly a huge step ahead for keeping our cigars on many different levels.
I know everyone doesn't want to drink the Koolaid. I get that. I invented them and I didn't want to drink the Koolaid myself. I was skeptical for months DESPITE having all the data, and DESPITE having done all the tests myself.
I do know that in time, everyone will move to them once they've tried them. Or maybe not. We like what we like, and that's awesome. It's a "Smoke what you like" thing. I can say that there's nothing out there that works or lasts or even comes close to the value or effectiveness of the beads. That's not pride talking, it's happy talking. I did something good with the help of all my brothers, and I couldn't have done it without you all.
We're all going to benefit if we choose, and that's simply awesome. :)

Re: Shilala Beads
 

Release the recipe ;)

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Buy the beads ;)

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I would if I could afford the markup on clay.

56% markup (on pounds) over RH/Heartfelt beads. Hard to justify.

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As soon as I am finished paying off my vinotemp, I am picking up another 2 lbs! :tu

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It's hard to justify if you're uninformed. Take a minute to look over Michael's website. Read. Get educated.
Honestly, your statement is absolutely 100% incorrect on at least 20 different levels.
Just my post alone invalidates your assertion. Completely. Just on lastibility alone Michaels beads win out by a huge margin, unless you plan to die tomorrow. :rolleyes:

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Again, not like you have a vested interest in this. (even if it's just ego at this point)

Plenty use RH/Heartfelt beads with no problems. Plenty use Shilala with no problems. For the 56% difference in price (at the pound level) I just can't justify "magic clay" at the moment.

Don't get all butt hurt over opinion.

*Edit: Some day (when my car isn't rear ended and my A/C didn't go out just days later on the house) when I have some spare cash to buy some "magic clay" beads I'll form my own opinion of them. Until then I'll have to suffer. :rolleyes:

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Lol. You're probably right on the money. I'm quite an egomaniac. :rolleyes:

Like I said, everyone doesn't have to drink the Koolaid. It's okay. If you don't want any part of the beads, that's cool.
I simply hope everyone tries them, because I know what they do, how they do it, and why they do it. I know the value.
It just doesn't help anyone for you to claim things that are 100% wrong.
As I mentioned before, all the information lies there for you to justify magic clay. All the test data has been posted in the wide open spaces from day one. If you choose not to look, that's fine.
You yourself wanted to try them at my expense. I'd have done it in a minute if you were willing to read a little. You're clearly not willing to get educated about them. That's cool, too.
It's your life, my brother. You can do and say whatever you like. :tu

Re: Shilala Beads
 

I actually spent about a week trying to search every board I'm a member of about your beads. I read opinions as well as your posts. I'm still just not ready to 'drink the koolaid' as you say, it's not for lack of trying to understand how your beads differ other than composition.

FWIW: I'm using KL.

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If you want to start a thread and ask direct questions, I'll give you straight answers to anything you want to ask, my brother. I'm sure Michael will chime in, too.
The "how they work" is because of how they are made and their physical properties. It's really interesting if you dig science. It's more like a colonoscopy if you're not. :D
I can explain the difference between Kitty Litter and all the different grades of silica gel, too. It ain't rocket surgery, but it's still pretty boring.
All the posts on creating the beads were at Club Stogie. That's where we developed them. It ain't Club Stogie anymore, and I haven't been back forever, so I don't know what's left of the info. They saved everything, to my knowledge. My screen name was the same there, so you could search that way.

Re: Shilala Beads
 

I've already got 2.5 lbs of Heartfelt beads but wouldn't mind trying some Shilala beads. Will the two work together?

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Yup.
Dave's beads will work really hard to control the RH to their setpoint though.That creates oddities that are really complicated, but the short answer is "Yup".
It does defeat the flexibility of the shilala beads, because they can be changed to whatever setpoint you desire. If you use them with Dave's beads, they'll constantly try to assume those bead's setpoint.
I always suggested that guys wait till they are ready for new beads and use all one kind. It's just easier than explaining what could happen, and it's good advice. :)

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I ordered beads from Michael last week and they came Monday packed perfectly. Highly respectable business and quick service. Both him and Shilala have answered all my questions and im very thankful to have been educated.

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I am using the 65% beads from Dave so I am thinking they might work in harmony. Or am I just dreaming??? :rolleyes:

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I have an extra pound of Shilala's beads on order from Michael.
I needed extra storage after recent events. :bh
I wouldn't use anything else as they are extremely easy to use.

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LOL... that has been a fun thread to watch :banger

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Not in harmony at all, but they will compliment each other. Dave's will dictate the RH in your humi because there's an RH control additive in the beads. Plus you won't be able to change RH.
There's nothing to be harmed, except the care instructions are different for both and you really need to take care of each in their own respective fashion.
You can use the shilala bead instructions to care for both beads, but you can't use Dave's care instructions on the shilala beads.
Does any of that make any sense at all? :confused:

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Sorry for puking up your thread, Clayton!!! :)

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I have used both kinds of beads and I have to say the HCM beads perform better and last longer. I have had them in my desktops, my coolers, and my travel humis. If my cabinet didn't have a active humidification device I'd have them in there as well. The reason I say the work better, at least for me, is that I usually keep things around 61-63% and I can adjust them as I see fit. While I just sold some of mine that used to be in my cooler I still use them in my desktop and 2 travel humis.

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I ordered some Shilala beads about a month ago and finally was able to put them in the new humi this weekend so I cannot comment to their magic as others do, but...

They shipped immediately and were packaged perfectly.

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Could someone point me to the thread that explains how you can control the RH with these beads? Is it a matter of using more or less water? ME = Stupid, and I haven't found where on the website it explains how to change RH.

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First you wave your magic wand and shout out "Expelliramus" and do two 360 degrees spins and curtsy toward your humidor.

Then the magic clay just does it's job at your desired RH.

:D

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You can just click on the link in Shilala's sig that is 4 posts up it will lead you to the site. Under "About Us" there is a link on the bottom on how to care for your beads. I would post a direct link but still dont know the rules on that here.

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Ah yes, the Potter method. Thanks for the heads up!

EDIT: I found the part of the site that explains how to change RH

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Well they are magic after all.
:r

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To the folks using these: Did you have heartfelt beads before and find this to be better or was this your first go around with beads? I'm using the HF beads in my vinotemp and a a cooler and they work fine, but I find the claims of total RH stability from these intriguing. Might have to give some a try.

Re: Shilala Beads
 

I've Only Used Scott Shilala's Beads & They Work Great In My Crazy Climate of 100* Temps & 100% RH.:banger I Have Them In 3 Coolidors & 4 Humidors.

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On the flip side of this, I have a set of 65 % heartfelt beads that are having incredible trouble keeping the RH in my cooler below 70%. Is there something I should do with what I have or is my only recourse to buy these new beads?

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You could try drying out the beads a bit.

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Is the best method to put them in the fridge for awhile?

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Are you sure they are 65%RH beads? Did they ever hold at 65%?

Test them in a container with a hygrometer. Accidents happen, maybe you were shipped the wrong ones.

Another possibility is that something in there is very wet, could be some cigars (some vendors and retailers tend to ship stuff wet), or it could even be the wood of a box that is too moist, and since coolers don't breathe much, it's going to stay that way until you get what ever it is a bit dryer. If the ambient humidity where you live is lower than 65%, then you can just leave the lid open for a few hours or even a day or so, all depends how wet the problem causer is and how dry the weather is where you live and/or you can also try drying out all of the HF beads with a hair drier, then put them in the cooler - at which point, they will work like a desiccant and pull moisture from the air until they either become saturated or the air drops to 65%.

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Probably not a bad way to go. Whatever's gonna remove moisture from them.

Your beads should be about 70% clear, if they are any wetter that could be part of your humidity problem.

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Yes they are definitely 65%. The hair dryer idea is a great one!

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Yes it does make sense. Thanks for the replies. Next month when I can afford it I think I will buy 1.5 lbs of the shilala beads and see which I like better. It looks like some people could use the feedback of the direct comparison.

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Scott can you suggest a way to keep the bags from splitting? The large bags that sit at the bottom of my vino are fine but the ones that get moved around from time to time in the desktops have some issues. Two or 3 of the small bags have split on me. I tried to melt the bags back together with a torch with varying degrees of success. Actually not much success, just a lot of fail.

Re: Shilala Beads
 

Make sure they are contained somehow, like putting them in some nylons. Unless ofcourse you just really like picking up small beads or really want to vacuum. Ofcourse if they are in tubes or closed containers, the suggestion is moot. :tu

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Just transfer them into panty hose (new) and knot the end off.

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Yup, this is what I do as well. Works fine.

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I think he is asking Scott how to re-seal the bag they come in or a preventive measure to keep them from splitting, not what else he could put them in. ;)

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Why bother re sealing them at this point. We are giving him a working alternative.

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Because the original question was about the bags they came in, not what else he could put them in. :2

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Are these beads as easy to use as the web site claims? When they arrive don't do anything to them, just place in your humidor and wait?

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I'll try the pantyhose, seems obvious but didn't even think of it.

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That's about it, assuming you like your cigars at 65%. If not you can either pay the extra to have them pre-conditioned to your preferred RH or just raise/lower them yourself. I'm in the process of raising mine to 70% along with the contents of both of my humidors. The beads were easy to get to 70, just followed the instructions on the site, but of course since the humidors have been at 65% for a couple years as soon as they went in they went back down towards equilbrium closer to 65 so I've also got green foam in at the moment to provide an outside source of moisture. It's taken a month or so but it's now starting to get close so I expect the cigars and wood are close to reaching 70% themselves and I'll be able to pull out the foam.