DIY Humidi Tube Help

[BTcigars]

So I just bought a awesome travel humidor from off this fourm and I am looking to make a humidifier type tube that I can put beads in it. I am drawing a blank on how to go about this. Any ideas?!

[jesseboston81]

If you want to go the DIY route just for the sake of DIY, I can't really help. However, if you're just looking for a humidification tube there's one that pops up with some frequency on the Monster for <$10 (regular price $11 if you don't want to wait). I have no experience with it, but at that price it might be worth trying.

[bobarian]

Unless you are storing cigars in the travel humi for over a month it should not be necessary to add anything. Most travel humi's have great seals. But if you dont want to use something like a Boveda pack(takes up very little space, you can take a regular aluminum tubo and just drill a mess of holes with a very small bit.

[SvilleKid]

Originally Posted by bobarian

Unless you are storing cigars in the travel humi for over a month it should not be necessary to add anything. Most travel humi's have great seals. But if you dont want to use something like a Boveda pack(takes up very little space, you can take a regular aluminum tubo and just drill a mess of holes with a very small bit.

Tried this. Problem is that the inside tends to have burrs from all the drilling, with exterior burrs on the opposite side (if you drill thru both sides with one move). You can sand or grind the burrs off the exterior easily enough. But if you leave them inside the tube, the burrs tend to (eventually) break the beads up. Also, the tubos are not as strong as I thought they'd be, resulting in the pressure from the drill bit causing the sides to dimple in somewhat. A dowel close to the interior diameter would help with this, but greatly increase the drill time and effort. The project turned into much more work that I expected!!! I still have several in my humis, simply because they were so much work that I just couldn't throw them away. However, they are not what I had hoped they would be. As a result, I also have several of the heartfelt tubes, which I appreciate much more than my homemade ones from tubos. They are much, much, much easier to add water to when they need it, and you can see the beads to know that they do (or don't) need attention. You almost have to pour the beads out of the tubos to tell the true condition of the beads. Always have to worry about spillage!!!

Good luck if you go for it.

[bvilchez]

Check out HF

http://www.heartfeltindustries.com/p...at=Empty+Tubes

[Wolfgang]

I use a plastic film canister they are free at your local walgreens,cvs, photo developer. take a thumb tack and poke holes on the sides untill you feel there are enough. fill with beads and off you go.

The boveda takes up less room but i dont have any.

[SvilleKid]

Originally Posted by Wolfgang

I use a plastic film canister they are free at your local walgreens,cvs, photo developer. take a thumb tack and poke holes on the sides untill you feel there are enough. fill with beads and off you go.

The boveda takes up less room but i dont have any.

That's a good suggestion. I have hundreds of the little canisters somewhere from the days before digital. And many of them were clear! I'll have to hunt up where I have these stored away!

[Wolfgang]

This is what I use in mt desktop I have 4 canisters. in each corner. 2 up top two down low. Im sock solid at 65%

[shilala]

I made a little bitty one ounce soft bead stick for my 5 stick travel humi.
I have a couple long ones for my big travel humi. They're stuck to the lid with velcro.
I use them because I leave my travel humis in the car at times. I always leave my little one in the car.
If not for spending so much time in the car, I'd probably use nothing in the little humi cause it seals real well. The big one, not so much. It needs help.

I can think of about a million ways to make hard beadsticks using any of the humidity control media. Problem is, when you start the hole drilling thing, you lose tons of surface area and lose most of the bead's efficacy.
A guy is way better of with some soft HCM sticks or a Puckifier, if they'll fit.

[BTcigars]

Thanks everyone for the ideas as well as the caveats!

[Chemyst]

I used an aluminum cigar tube, but drilled the holes
using my fingers. Do not go through both sides of
the tube. That way the burrs are only on the inside.
Nobody cares about burrs on the inside.

You might try some nylon stockings or fish tank
skimmer net, with some modification. Make a
little pouch out of the material.

How big is this 'travel' humi?

Chemyst

[BTcigars]

Originally Posted by Chemyst

I used an aluminum cigar tube, but drilled the holes
using my fingers. Do not go through both sides of
the tube. That way the burrs are only on the inside.
Nobody cares about burrs on the inside.

You might try some nylon stockings or fish tank
skimmer net, with some modification. Make a
little pouch out of the material.

How big is this 'travel' humi?

Chemyst

About a 16 count

[Bubba - NJ]

I used a churchill sized Romeo tube . Drilled alot of holes , filled with beads and have not had any problems with it . I have read on the forums that if you soak the beads , they will fracture and become smaller pieces over time , so I don't think it's the burrs inside the tubes that are causing them to break . I'm pretty sure Dave from Heartfelt confirmed the fracturing of beads when placed directly in water . Also because aluminum is a softer metal it can stick to your drill bit and cause the drill to not work as well(loads up on the tip). I have a Cohiba tube that I plan to do the same too .