Catastrophic cigar and humi loss...FML...

[FUEL]

As some may have read I'm moving. I had my two humis specifically set aside in a hard sided duffel bag like suit case that was riding shotgun with me while moving to ensure safety. Folks came over, things moved fast and furious, and the bag ended up in the bed of a cousins truck. As we pulled out and got on to the highway he apparently didn't close the tail gate hard enough and out she flew in front of me. I swerved a 26' moving truck full packed to the gills and at full weight capacity to miss it but the rear left wheel clipped it. Sigh.

Before I start crying my eyes out, it fell down, went boom, shattered both 150 - 175 count humis and sent sticks everywhere. It rained last night so I salvaged what I could that didn't explode or end up soaking wet but lost about 4/5ths of what I had. Moving was not my choice, divorce cleaned me out and coupled with the cost of moving to a new place in and of itself not to mention all the BS costs like first, last months rent and security deposit I cannot afford buy a new humi and sure as f@ck cant afford to replace the sticks.

I figure its time to learn to make a coolidor so when I get to that point of being able to buy again I can spend the cash on sticks and not hardware.

So I have read up on making one but was looking for any additional input and thoughts if the below cooler would work. My biggest concern or question is how to humidify and being that its an "extreme" cooler. We used it camping and even in hot ass 95+ degree weeks and 100& humidity it would keep ice solid for over 3 days and not melt fully even in the hot summer for 6 days, so is it "too extreme" and how are the sticks going to breathe? Do I have to open it up a few times a month for a certain period of time? What is the most cost effective way to humidify until I can invest in quality beads or another method?

What a horse sh!t day, I'm so F'ing bummed and it makes unpacking all this sh!t that much more fun. Sorry for being a Debbie Downer.

In the end I should just be thankful to God to have made the trek safe and have a roof over my head, food in my belly, family and friends at my side and have been blessed by God being almost 9 months newly sober and did not fall back on old "coping" habits of the bottle. He has given me strength to fight through that and I am still in a better situation than 99.999% of the world. Just poopy as cigars were my escape.





Thanks S/BOTL.
James

[BHalbrooks]

That's completely awful James, went from a soup sandwhich to a **** sandwhich. I really hope that things get better for you soon.

I'm not sure if the "Extreme" cooler makes a difference, so I won't guess. Somebody will be alone shortly to answer.

[Remo]

Wow, that sucks @ss!!! Sorry to hear. On the cooler thing I am not sure how air tight the "extreme" is but you maybe able to get away with a jar or two of gel and call it good. I used a cooler for a long time, it was not really airtight and used a few gel jars and it worked perfect.

[FUEL]

Originally Posted by BHalbrooks

That's completely awful James, went from a soup sandwhich to a **** sandwhich. I really hope that things get better for you soon.

I'm not sure if the "Extreme" cooler makes a difference, so I won't guess. Somebody will be alone shortly to answer.

I'm very resilient and will bounce back, and bounce back stronger and a better man and person for it. These things in life happen. Its like the old cliche goes, "Its not how many times and how hard you get knocked down, its how you get back up, and when knocked down again, you keep getting back up stronger and faster."

Its not a life altering event its just a huge downer as I've really grown over the years as a casual cigar person to a very deep lover and its the same as if I collected coins or beanie babies lol.

Thanks for the warm thoughts.

[Remo]

Originally Posted by FUEL

I'm very resilient and will bounce back, and bounce back stronger and a better man and person for it. These things in life happen. Its like the old cliche goes, "Its not how many times and how hard you get knocked down, its how you get back up, and when knocked down again, you keep getting back up stronger and faster."

Its not a life altering event its just a huge downer as I've really grown over the years as a casual cigar person to a very deep lover and its the same as if I collected coins or beanie babies lol.

Thanks for the warm thoughts.

How is the Beanie Babie collection? Is that safe?

[FUEL]

Originally Posted by Remo

Wow, that sucks @ss!!! Sorry to hear. On the cooler thing I am not sure how air tight the "extreme" is but you maybe able to get away with a jar or two of gel and call it good. I used a cooler for a long time, it was not really airtight and used a few gel jars and it worked perfect.

I'm unfamilar with "gel jars" can you link me to something?

I know how to clean it up, have old boxes to put the cigars in so they are neatly organized and can pick up the aroma of the boxes but the biggest point of confusion is the humidification and making sure its stable around 65%.

[emopunker2004]

Originally Posted by Remo

How is the Beanie Babie collection? Is that safe?

[FUEL]

Originally Posted by Remo

How is the Beanie Babie collection? Is that safe?

Lol no I lost that too but the 40 Year Old Virgin "big box of p-ron" is safe thank heavens. I don't know what I would have done if I lost Ron Jeremy and Jenna Jameson on Beta Max tapes.

[Remo]

This is just one brand, many others....all the big retailers have some sort of Humi-Gel.

[Remo]

Or grab a small bag of beads

[FUEL]

Originally Posted by Remo

Attachment 13459

This is just one brand, many others....all the big retailers have some sort of Humi-Gel.

Ahh ok I know what you are talking about now. I had a few of those Xikar made. Not the best but I had not thought of that and can get the Xikar ones for free from a B&M I know.

[TJarv]

I have a treasuredome humidor you can have if you pick up the shipping

[Remo]

Originally Posted by FUEL

Ahh ok I know what you are talking about now. I had a few of those Xikar made. Not the best but I had not thought of that and can get the Xikar ones for free from a B&M I know.

They work pretty well in a confined space like a cooler, now an Aristocrat is a different story

[FUEL]

And thankfully I didn't pull a Chevy Chase "Summer Vacation" and leave the dog leashed to the truck.

"Poor little guy. Probably kept up with you for a mile or so." "Here's the leash, sir. I'm going back to get the rest of the carcass off the road."

[Remo]

Originally Posted by TJarv

I have a treasuredome humidor you can have if you pick up the shipping

[DAFU]

Sorry about your loss, I'm sure you will recover as strong as ever...............

On the Coolerdor situation I have used clear and unscented kitty litter beads in the past and have been able to maintain a steady 70% RH with them, no problem. Just make sure you monitor the RH for the first several days when you are adding water/beads until they have stabilized. The more sticks/cedar boxes in the cooler will the hasten the process. After that they should be good for months maintence free with occasional opening. You can google search for more info, but here is a prior comment from the CA forum:

Do a google search online for "Litter Pearls" cat litter. You will want the Litter Pearls Crystal Clear type, and not the fresh step. This comes in an eight pound bag for under $12, or a four pound bag for under $10 or so, and is exactly the same thing that Heartfelt beads are made from, silica sand and water. The Litter Pearls tend to be a little larger in diameter, but work just as well. My RH holds between 62-65.

Beware of the Exquisicat litter crystals. You have to find the ones without the blue deoderizing crystals in them, which is getting harder and harder to do. If you order online, make sure they are the ones without the blue crystals in them.

[FUEL]

Originally Posted by TJarv

I have a treasuredome humidor you can have if you pick up the shipping

Very kind of you. You don't mean this one do you? http://www.cigarsinternational.com/h...-dome-humidor/

That is far too much I couldn't ask that of anyone but thank you for the generous offer.

[TJarv]

Originally Posted by FUEL

Very kind of you. You don't mean this one do you? http://www.cigarsinternational.com/h...-dome-humidor/

That is far too much I couldn't ask that of anyone but thank you for the generous offer.

Yes that is it

It's sitting in a closet empty and unused. It has been for about 9 months.

[mahtofire14]

Fuel sorry about your situation, that sucks big time. I have a large Rubbermaid storage bin that I use for my boxes. I believe it is 18 gallons (I think). Anyway, I use two of the large Xikar jars and they keep it right at 65% and I rarely have to use the solution to rejuvenate them. If you ever want to go to a B&M around the Twin Cities there are members that go to Burn in Burnsville and Goodfellas in Mahtomedi as well as Tobacco Grove in Maple Grove. Just give any of us a shout.

[FUEL]

Originally Posted by mahtofire14

Fuel sorry about your situation, that sucks big time. I have a large Rubbermaid storage bin that I use for my boxes. I believe it is 18 gallons (I think). Anyway, I use two of the large Xikar jars and they keep it right at 65% and I rarely have to use the solution to rejuvenate them. If you ever want to go to a B&M around the Twin Cities there are members that go to Burn in Burnsville and Goodfellas in Mahtomedi as well as Tobacco Grove in Maple Grove. Just give any of us a shout.

I'd love that. My home B&M is Stogies on Grand as until today I lived in Woodbury. I am now in Brooklyn Park and am very familiar with TobaccoGrove. I hang out with Cole and Rick a few times a month at Fuegos. I've been to Burn a few times but never actually stayed to herf.

A friend and I took off June 13th from work to camp at TobaccoGrove early for the Liga Privada/Drew Estate event that Fabien is going to in attendance at lol. According to a TG person he is supposedly bringing "Everything he possibly can Liga Privada" to the event as TG is the only "authorized" LP retailer in the state. The Halfwheel Christmas party last winter was a blast.

Never been to Goodfellas.