Possible Humidor?

[Lil_mac14]

The coolerdor is all set up and holding humidity well, just gotta throw some empty boxes in there, buy some boxes, and start loading it up!

As I was cleaning and rearranging my room, making room for the new coolerdor, I stumble upon what I think could be a possible humidor....the top drawer to my dresser. It's mostly empty, I only keep paper work and watches in there right now, and as i was closing it yesterday I thought to myself, "Huh, I wonder if I could turn this drawer into a humidor?" So I propose this question to you. Would this be possible? I left a digital hygrometer in there all day, and it's been holding a steady 65% humidity at 67* F.

My thoughts were to pull out the drawer and re-line it with spanish ceder, build some dividers, throw some beads in there, and bada-bing right? Maybe?

The one thing that comes to mind as being a problem would be that my closes would most likely smell like cigars.

Let me know what you guys think.

_craig_

 

[Audi_kraut]

A few questions and concerns come to mind...

Though you left the digital hydrometer in there, if you were trying to maintain a constant humidity, you would need to check the seal of the drawer. Generally speaking the dresser is one contained unit and the drawer itself is not sealed off from the other drawers. Thus your clothes would also see the same humidity as this top drawer.

What is the dresser made of? Is it wood? Has it been chemically treated? Does it have a scent? Personally I would have concerns with the wood used in the dresser and any adhesives used during assembly. I looked into turning an armoire into a humidor and came across this (Link...)

 

[tomthirtysix]

In another month or 2, with your heat cranking, it will be very difficult to keep a drawer that's essentially open at a regulated humidity.

 

[BlindedByScience]

In another month or 2, with your heat cranking, it will be very difficult to keep a drawer that's essentially open at a regulated humidity.

....this. During the summer and fall months, the ambient RH in the house runs 60-70%. As soon as the forced air heat comes on for any significant amount of time, the RH drops like a rock into the 40-ish range.

 

[tone-ny]

In another month or 2, with your heat cranking, it will be very difficult to keep a drawer that's essentially open at a regulated humidity.

....this. During the summer and fall months, the ambient RH in the house runs 60-70%. As soon as the forced air heat comes on for any significant amount of time, the RH drops like a rock into the 40-ish range.

This phenomena is called seasonal mood disorder and has been discussed on a few occasions. YMMV

 

[4cbln3]

I don't know if I want my BVD's to smell of cedar (insert moth ball jokes now) :laugh:

 

[Lil_mac14]

All great points guys, and thanks for the advice! After taking the drawer out and taking a better look, it appears that the top drawer is actually "sealed" from the rest of the drawers. By this i mean that when the drawer is removed, you cannot see into the drawer below it (I will take a picture of what it looks like if it helps in understanding).

I realize that this would take a lot of work, but wouldn't I essentially be able to re-finish the inside of this "compartment" with cedar, re-build the drawer itself out of ceder, and create some type of seal so that when the drawer is closed, its sealed from the rest of the dresser? Maybe this is just a pipe dream, and if so then no big deal, I just thought it'd be a really cool idea for a drawer that's not being used.

Also, wouldn't the RH humidity of the room apply to desktop humidors as well? Is it just the fact that the seal on a desktop is better than that of a normal dresser? Would it be possible to re-create this same type of seal on the drawer?

I don't know if I want my BVD's to smell of cedar (insert moth ball jokes now) :laugh:

How'd you know that I wear these :blush:

_craig_

 

[Chemyst]

Since the drawer is isolated from the others, it might work.
Getting a good seal is the big challenge. Lining with spanish
cedar is a good idea, though don't breath too much spanish
cedar sawdust, as it is noxious, iirc.

The 'glue' I used to seal my glasstop humi was GE Silicone ll
bathtub caulk, but be sure to use the alcohol blend, not the
acid blend. If the caulk smells like vinegar, you got the wrong
blend. The alcohol based caulk smells a lot less. Read the
label carefully. Let it cure for a week or so. Then you're good
to go.

You could even try door and window sealing strips to seal it.
They usually staple on, or have a tape backing.

My brother has my great grandfather's humidor, with a
magazine rack below it. It has a metal(copper or zinc, iirc)
box with a matching lid placed over the top. It's not as
tight as a cookie tin, but more like a glass plate over a
piece of Tupperware w/o the lid. Just an idea.

Gee, maybe you can find a Tupperware, or two, the right
size for that drawer. Then you don't need to convert much.

Have fun, and let us know how it turns out. Think of all the
storage you'll gain.

Chemyst

 

[chiefmd]

i guess there would be no harm in trying and let us know how it turns out. maybe put some sort of rubber seal around the lop of the edge of the drawer on the front.

 

[Fishin345]

I am very interested to see pictures once it is all done.

 

[Lil_mac14]

So I'm gonna attempt to make this happen, will be posting pictures of my process throughout the project. Most likely, this will turn into a long term project, as I will be going back to school soon, and wont have much free time on my hands.

Look forward to hearing more thoughts about this project.

_craig_

 

[Humidor Minister]

Should make your clothes smell great in the drawers below.