How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Humidity in my house during the winter months usually drops to something around 20%. My glasstop Bally humidor struggles to maintain proper humidity. When I was using Heartfelt beads, I’d have to rehydrate every few days, and even with Shilala beads, I’d watch my hygrometer drop a few % every other day.

Scott’s thread last year inspired me, but it also intimidated me: many of you know that Scott’s a craftsman—got lots of cool tools, builds lots of cool stuff. Me, on the other hand—well, at 47 I finally got my first Craftsman toolchest a few months ago for Christmas. I know which end of a saw to use, but I’m pretty much spatially challenged.

The humidity problem finally pissed me off so much that a few weeks ago I decided to fix this problem for good. Snapped some pictures to show how an amateur can do this project and get good results, and thought I’d share my experience with you. No doubt, others are having the same problem with their glasstop. Hope this helps!

First I moved my stock to the cooler--here’s an empty Bally II, getting ready to be disassembled

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...ors/Bally1.jpg

The easiest part of the job was removing the piano hinges on the lid. Be careful to hold the lid while you’re unscrewing. I unscrewed from the lid first on both sides, then removed it from the base.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...ors/Bally2.jpg

There are slim pieces of wood (not cedar, look like cheap firring strips or something) loosely attached to the side of the lid by staples or something. They keep the hold-downs in place against the glass. Since they’re pressed into staples inside the lid, you have to pry the first piece off. I used a thin chisel. Once you get the first strip off, the other three come out pretty easily.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...ors/Bally3.jpg

Mark the inside of these strips so you know how to re-position them when you put the lid back together.

Below these strips are more thin strips of wood that support the glass. These are glued to the glass, and you need to very carefully pry them off without cracking the top. This was the most delicate part of the whole operation. Move the chisel slowly along the underside of the wood. They’re only glued along a small section, so they shouldn’t give too much resistance. Again, mark the underside in a non-conspicuous location so that you know where to reattach them.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...ors/Bally4.jpg

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Once the glass is exposed, use the chisel to scrape as much of the old glue as possible.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...ors/Bally5.jpg

Note the gaps between the lid & the glass. No wonder this humidor leaked. I’m about to fix that problem

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...rs/Bally5a.jpg

using fishtank silicone. I picked this tube up at PetCo, I think it was a couple bucks. It smells like solvent when it’s going on, but once it hardens the smell goes away.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...ors/Bally6.jpg

I ran lines of silicone all along the cracks and beneath where the hold-down strips went.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...ors/Bally7.jpg

I then repositioned the hold-down strips of wood, and clamped them with the 2 clamps I own. If silicone oozes out along the exposed glass, you can use a razor knife to trim it once it dries.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...ors/Bally8.jpg

I did this on all four sides, leaving the clamps in position for about an hour before moving on. If I had more clamps, the job would have been done faster, but I wasn’t in any real hurry. I then reattached the woodstrips by pressing them in to the exposed staples on the inside of the lid.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

The next big area of leakage was around the inset hygrometer. I don’t have any pictures of this, but what I basically did was cut a circle of wood out of a piece of 3/8” plywood, run a bead of silicone along the underside and pressed it into the hygrometer cut out hole inside the box. I then ran silicone along the seam. It got a little messy and didn’t clean up well, but once the humidor is back together you won’t be able to see this anyway.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...ors/Bally9.jpg

Not too pretty, but it's fixed!

All of the silicone completely firmed up in 24 hours and then I left it to air out for an extra 24 hours.

For the next week, I put a bowl of steaming water on a small rack inside the humidor and left it overnight. After 7 days of this, I put my sack of shilala beads in there with the water bowl and left all that alone for another 7 days.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...lyReseason.jpg

The result?

Rock solid humidity at 65% in an empty humidor.

I can’t wait to put my cigars back in there this weekend!

Hope this helps some of you with leaky humidors and limited skills like me!

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Very nice!!!

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Why not use clear silicone?

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

That was my first choice, but I couldn't find any in the fishtank aisle. :) None of the silicone is visible once everything was reattached, so it worked out. Except for the hygrometer piece and that was only because I got sloppy.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Looks good and nice work.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Very nice.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Fair enough! Nice work too.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Great tutorial! :tu

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Good job

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Nice work Gerard...up for another....because unlike you I don't own a craftsman anything and certainly no clamps...

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Very nice. I just put a bead of clear silicon around the glass and the hygrometer. Not as pretty but it worked.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

:tu :tu

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Very good work! Thanks for posting this -- it's always nice for people to have a reference on fixing a humidor. Allows people to see how big or small a job it really is!

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

So of all your "stock" fits easily into the cooler? :hm Very interesting info.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

I'm looking at trying to make it to Bailey's/shedherf next Thursday. I'll let you know--if so, I'd be happy to pick up your humi and give it a shot. I have plenty of silicone left over.

:bh Uh, nonono! Not at all! Nope!

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Thanks for the do-it-yourself project...much appreciated.:tu

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Good Work - you may have found a previously undiscovered talent!:tu

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

:tpd:

You wanna try on a domed Humi next? I'd been using it for a couple years but I got too angry at the RH fluctuations.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

I may be able to help you out, Emjay. I got all but the silicone and some mad skillz. Next time we get together, bring it along and we'll have a go at it. :D

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Hmm you know tim I am not to far away from clintonville and I like driving. I have same issue and could get the silicone.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Oh gee wizz Tim! All this time and I didn't know about your mad skillz!!

I'll be sure to bring it over to you to fix :)

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Haha test out your mad skillz on Corey's humi first!

That and I can use the left over Silicone :ss

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

The more the merrier! Bring 'em on.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Sweet. Keep your spring break free! LOL

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Hows it working with the sticks in it?

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

I got pre-occupied so it's still empty! Maybe I'll do something about that this afternoon. But the RH hasn't changed in a week.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Oops, I think I over corrected...

Finally moved some of my stock back in from the cooler last night, and the humidity promptly settled in at a balmy 74%. I put my bag of shilala beads in the cooler and will let the humi sit without humidification for the day to see what happens.

But I think it's safe to say that I fixed the leakage.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Great Job! I did a similiar re-furb on some "fake" ebay Humidors a while back that included replacing plastic with glass and lining the entire inside with cedar.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Nice work!

Is there advantage to using fishtank silicone vs others?

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

If I send you my Bally II will you do mine? lol

Nice guide, ill check that soon.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Nice work there.

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Mostly because it dries odorless. I figured if it doesn't harm fish at 100% humidity, it ought to be good enough for the cigars. :D

Re: How an amateur can fix a leaky glasstop humi
 

Well done, Gerard!!! :tu