Humidor Questions

[JoeGibs]

Hi guys, newbie to the forum here. I've been plotting and planning to build myself a nice humidor for a couple weeks now and have some questions for guys who know more than me. In some light reading i've come to realize how crappy cheap humidors really are, and reinforces my desire to build myself a nice solid "for the rest of my life" humidor. Along the way I've learned that the type of wood is a lot more important than I would have thought. Spanish cedar is clearly the most popular/best quality wood to use for this application. It's also rather expensive and not easy to find, especially in Minnesota.

So, my biggest question is: what would the pros/cons be of using some thick (6/4 or bigger) cuts of black walnut to build a humidor? I had originally intended on building it from black walnut, and then lining the inside with spanish cedar, then I started to look into it and discovered how damn expensive it is. From what i've been able to find online, to line the inside of the humidor with spanish cedar it's going to cost me just as much as the big boy slab of black walnut. Doesn't seem logical. So back to my original question, how big of a deal would it be if I build the humidor from black walnut and didn't line it with cedar?

Also, if I do go the route of lining it with cedar, how important is it that the cedar pieces completely cover the inside with the edges perfectly sealed? I was peeking at some other people's humidor builds and it doesn't look like they completely lined the inside with sealed edges and such, they just slapped a bunch of spanish cedar in there as if it were just there to absorb and retain moisture.

And in case you were curious, my plan is to build something in the neighborhood of 18" wide, 12" deep, and 8" tall from one solid slab of black walnut. Cut the two sides and front piece in order and miter the edges so the grain looks perfectly uniform wrapping around the sides to the front. The interior needs to be at least 7.5" front to back to be able to fit my Churchill's, of course. No stain, just poly to get the grain to pop. Then to finish I'm going to source some antique door pull handles from ebay to attach to the sides.

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge!

 

[CBoukal]

Welcome to the forum, please take a second and head over to the introduction area and post an introduction when you get time.
1. Spanish cedar is important.
2. Honestly with as small are you are talking about, you'd be WAY better off getting a tupperware container and a boveda pack. If you plan to even dabble in this hobby that humidor won't last you till spring before you'll need to get something a ton bigger

 

[JoeGibs]

Something that size will be able to hold 100 sticks, that's plenty big. If I have that many on hand, I definitely don't need to be shopping for any more.

 

[JoeMO]

Something that size will be able to hold 100 sticks, that's plenty big. If I have that many on hand, I definitely don't need to be shopping for any more.

This is something many of us have said over the years, but if you hang around here for long and especially if the bug bites, you will be past 100 quicker than the Lions lost hopes at making it to the play-offs

 

[CBoukal]

Something that size will be able to hold 100 sticks, that's plenty big. If I have that many on hand, I definitely don't need to be shopping for any more.

This is my 2 cents and its probably worth that. My opinion only
Desktop humidors are good for beginners and someone who is looking to have a nice show piece. I have a beautiful desktop humidor that holds 150 sticks (According to the packaging). I used it for a year and then upgraded. I am not a "showy" person so having something out to show my friends doesn't mean anything to me. I upgraded from that to tupperware.. Then from that to a wineador. Then of course to a cabinet. Any friend that ever asked me for help getting started, I tell them to get tupperware. You invest $20-$30 and they work as good or BETTER than anything you'll spend a ton more on. Then after a year you can see where you are in the hobby. If you plan to smoke cigars for any length of time, 100 cigars is laughable. You'll see someone have a sale and buy 4 boxes. Well unless your humidor was empty, you are screwed. All the time, money and effort you are talking about putting in, is awesome if you want it for show. But at the end of the day, that's all it will be. Again that's just my take from my journey and the journey I've helped others with.

 

[SKYDIVNEKD]

You’re willing to make a beautiful outside and then skimp on the inside?! Makes no sense. Your valuables are inside the thing. I’d spend extra on what I know is needed(Spanish cedar) and less on the “showy” side. Just my opinion.

I suppose you could get empty boxes from the shop that are cedar, and use them inside. That should be cheap enough.

Good luck. Sounds like it’ll be nice. Black walnut can be pretty.

Floyd T

 

[CigarStone]

Joe, I will echo what others have said. Save the money you would spend on a humidor and spend it on cigars.

Tupperware, cooler, anything you can seal, and some boveda packs with work perfect.

As far as the Gurkhas you mentioned in your intro, I have found that if you open vent in your bathroom and store them in there for a few weeks, the flavor will improve immensely! Just kidding! Not really

 

[drunkfish3]

Something that size will be able to hold 100 sticks, that's plenty big. If I have that many on hand, I definitely don't need to be shopping for any more.

Lol we have all said this in our pasts and I have a full cabinet.

Ps 100 sticks was yesterday's purchase

 

[kann]

You’re willing to make a beautiful outside and then skimp on the inside?! Makes no sense. Your are inside the thing. I’d spend extra on what I know is needed(Spanish cedar) and less on the “showy” side. Just my opinion.

I suppose you could get empty boxes from the shop that are cedar, and use them inside. That should be cheap enough.

Good luck. Sounds like it’ll be nice. Black walnut can be pretty.

Floyd T

This. 100%. If you are going to do it, do it right. As a guitar enthusiast, I love black walnut; it's a beautiful wood, which is obviously why you chose it. The inside of the box doesn't need to be ridiculously thick with the spanish cedar, but I'd say it's a necessity if you are building a purpose-built humidor that you are planning on keeping for a lifetime. Also, make sure you take the time to properly season it.

Like the others have said, a 100 stick box will be outgrown quickly. Not saying to not make it -- it sounds like a great project and I'd love to see photos of it. Just know that you will sooner-rather-than-later need a much larger storage option. This is where coolers and Tupperware come in.

 

[ChuckJr]

Woodcraft Woodshop Spanish Cedar Dimensional Lumber

Spanish Cedar (Cedrela Odorata) is light reddish brown to dark brown in color with grain texture similar to that of mahogany. Machines and carves well with hand and power tools. Strong yet lightweight. Applications for the wood also include craft projects, high-end cabinetry and furniture, and...

www.woodcraft.com

You could line it with these and it'd only be a little over $100 plus shipping in wood.

1 sheet back wall
1 sheet front wall
3 sheets top/bottom
2 sheets sides and you'd have 2/3 sheet left over

I'd strive to get as close to 100% inside coverage as possible, I think walnut would impart a funky flavor to the cigars - I just built some walnut trimmed speakers not long ago and just the smell of cutting/routing/sanding the walnut was unpleasant to me.

Build your humidor, stock it up, but in the meantime start accumulating some other storage. I have a little desktop humidor (50 capacity, I think) that I use as my dry box for cigars on deck but my main storage is a 120qt cooler and six Tupperdors.

A 100 stick humidor will work OK if you only buy 5vers or individual cigars at a shop, but once you do the math on individual cigars vs box prices, you'll probably end up with some boxes. I am all for supporting the mom and pop stores when possible, but I live in the boonies and only buy boxes online.

Both of these have snaps on all four sides and gaskets on the lids (there are plenty of other options, I own some of both of these)

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

This holds more than all the Tupperdors combined

Amazon.com

 

[JoeGibs]

You guys made me literally lol. I knew including that Gurkha on my favorite list was going to get some reactions.(response to my welcome post) I'm in agreement with everyone that their products suck, as I've tried several other Gurkhas and never finished them. The chairman select though, I really like that one

I can see how a tupperware would be an excellent option for creating a sealed compartment to retain humidity. The objective of my humidor project is to have a finished show piece though, so no tupperwares for me.

As for the 100 stick capacity, I'd like to stick with that target size. I'm not an avid smoker like it sounds like a lot of you are. In the warmer seasons I might have 2 a week AT MOST. Winter time? I might sneak outside on a warm day and enjoy it as long as I can before the cold becomes too unpleasant to enjoy the smoke. Having 50-100 on hand is a lot for me, and will keep me smoking for many months.

I'm an advocate of doing things right the first time, thanks for reminding me of that. I'll have to source the correct amount of spanish cedar to fully line the inside with 1/4".

What is the exact purpose of the spanish cedar in regards to it being a better choice of wood than others? Does it retain moisture better than others, while having a better/non existent aroma? How well does the interior lining need to be sealed up to keep the walnut separated from the cigars?

 

[ChuckJr]

I'll have to source the correct amount of spanish cedar to fully line the inside with 1/4".

What is the exact purpose of the spanish cedar in regards to it being a better choice of wood than others? Does it retain moisture better than others, while having a better/non existent aroma? How well does the interior lining need to be sealed up to keep the walnut separated from the cigars?

The link I posted above is one source of 1/4" Spanish cedar in handy 4" wide x 36" long pieces. Using those dimensions I came up with the list of pieces needed to line an 18" x 12" x 8" box, and that's using inside dimensions.

A quick Google search on Spanish cedar for humidors brings up a few pertinent reasons it's so widely used - large grain structure to hold/release humidity as an aid for humidity control, a natural deterrent to mold and insects, and of the woods that have the chemistry needed for this mold/bug deterrent action it imparts the least unpleasant flavor to the cigars.

I don't think you'd need to try for hermetically sealed joints in the lining, just make the joints as tight as possible. If you have the skill to make a nice walnut box, then lining it with cedar shouldn't be any problem at all.

 

[smellysell]

Sounds like a cool project, I'm excited to see the final product.

While I agree with what everyone else has said, having a nice, handmade piece of furniture will never be a bad thing.

 

[JoeGibs]

I found someone selling 7"x18"x1/4" pieces of spanish cedar on facebook marketplace last night. Sent him a message asking if he'd split the pack of 24 and he's up for it. 6 pieces for 32 bucks shipped. score!

 

[Eqwhipped]

One thing to consider is that many wooden cigar boxes are made of Spanish cedar and can be broken down and repurposed for use in building. I took an interest in it awhile ago but soon gave in to the Coolidor due to the quantity of cigars randomly showing up at my door.

 

[Eqwhipped]

I found someone selling 7"x18"x1/4" pieces of spanish cedar on facebook marketplace last night. Sent him a message asking if he'd split the pack of 24 and he's up for it. 6 pieces for 32 bucks shipped. score!

Nice find!!! I would verify it is what they say it is though.

 

[smellysell]

Another bonus of lining with Spanish cedar, bring the lining of the bottom portion up higher than the edge to help with the seal. Not sure if that will make sense, but not sure how else to explain it.

 

[JoeGibs]

The seller has more of the spanish cedar boards available if anyone else is looking for some

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