• Hi Guest - Come check out all of the new CP Merch Shop! Now you can support CigarPass buy purchasing hats, apparel, and more...
    Click here to visit! here...

Season trays or not

W

wilddul

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2021
Messages
30
Per everyone’s advice I just ordered a Tupperware container, some Boveda packs, and 2 cedar trays. I know the trays are not necessarily needed but I liked the idea. So do I need to season the trays or can I just throw everything into the Tupperware and be all good.

Thx
 
Think of the environment in your Tupperware as a pristine environment designed to maintain precious contents. Anything you put in that environment will change the humidity until the Boveda packs can equalize it. Try to put things in that environment which won't shock it.

Depending on where you live, the trays could be way lower, or a bit higher, than your desired RH. If the ambient RH is low in your home, I would wipe the trays down with a damp (not wet) cloth or paper towel using ONLY DISTILLED WATER, and put them in the Tupperware. Keep an eye on the humidity level to make sure it doesn't go off the chart in either direction.

For example, I built a shelf in one of my coolers, with some cedar wood I bought at Home Depot and when I placed the shelf in the cooler the RH shot up because that wood had been stored outside and was wet. I had to take the shelf out and leave it in my home for a few days until it dried out a bit.
 
Just don't get them too wet or they could warp. Sponge with some distilled water in a bowl works too. Leave it in there until the humidity starts going up. A week or two while it stabilizes won't be a big deal.
 
Thx all.
what’s are the best Boveda packs to use for this type humidor? In regards to % and size.
 
69%, no clue what size, but I think they're listed by cubic feet right? I'd probably go an extra 30% or so, but I've also never used them for main humidification, so could be way off! 😂
 
Don't forget a hygrometer you can trust. I really like the new bluetooth versions you can read without opening up your storage. I own both Govee and SensorPush. Easy to recommend either.
 
wilddul said:
Thx all.
what’s are the best Boveda packs to use for this type humidor? In regards to % and size.
Click to expand...
That all depends on where you live. @smellysell is up in Big Sky country and I’m sure the humidity is low. Where as I live 8 miles from Long Island Sound in Ct so my humidity is always running high. When I had coolers and wineadors 65% beads worked best. it’s not an exact science and although you’ll get some great advise here it really comes down to a lot of trial and error to see what works for you and your storage system. I’ll also back the advice provided above by BlindedByScience.
 
thinde said:
That all depends on where you live. @smellysell is up in Big Sky country and I’m sure the humidity is low. Where as I live 8 miles from Long Island Sound in Ct so my humidity is always running high. When I had coolers and wineadors 65% beads worked best. it’s not an exact science and although you’ll get some great advise here it really comes down to a lot of trial and error to see what works for you and your storage system. I’ll also back the advice provided above by BlindedByScience.
Click to expand...
That's a good point. I always assumed you guys in humid environments just didn't hydrate your beads so they could absorb moisture instead?
 
A
thinde said:
Not how beads work, unfortunately.
Click to expand...
Actually, The beads are essentially porous sand beads. These beads are able to pull moisture from the air as it moves and hold it inside themselves. They wick the humidity away in the air keeping the surroundings dry. That's why you so often find them in candy packets, in your shoes, or holiday decorations
 
BlindedByScience said:
I thought beads would absorb moisture as well...sort of like a 'solid state' Bovida. Can you enlighten me?
Click to expand...
I use about 6 pounds of beads in my 3 coolers which I bought raw and conditioned myself. I was always told that they will absorb if too high and release if too low. In the 12-13 years I've had them, I have never seen anything to contradict that.
 
CigSid said:
A
Actually, The beads are essentially porous sand beads. These beads are able to pull moisture from the air as it moves and hold it inside themselves. They wick the humidity away in the air keeping the surroundings dry. That's why you so often find them in candy packets, in your shoes, or holiday decorations
Click to expand...
Yes I mis spoke.....I agree the beads work to absorb and provide humidity but if you put them in a cooler without seasoning them it would take a long time, if ever, for them to be anything but dry.
 
thinde said:
Yes I mis spoke.....I agree the beads work to absorb and provide humidity but if you put them in a cooler without seasoning them it would take a long time, if ever, for them to be anything but dry.
Click to expand...
When I seasoned my beads from scratch it took about 5 weeks total.

I started with bowls of water and a cigar Oasis for a couple weeks and when the humidity inside the cooler got up to 70% I removed the bowls of water and let the cigar Oasis control things for the final three weeks.
 
wilddul said:
Per everyone’s advice I just ordered a Tupperware container, some Boveda packs, and 2 cedar trays. I know the trays are not necessarily needed but I liked the idea. So do I need to season the trays or can I just throw everything into the Tupperware and be all good.

Thx
Click to expand...
This thread is a sound example of why this forum is sooooooo valuable! I hope we answered your question.
 
When you get your stuff, don't run your Bovida's dry trying to season the cedar trays. I'd put them in the tupperware with a new, synthetic sponge is a small saucer with distilled water for a couple days. Remove the sponge / saucer, in go the Bovida's. Then all the Bovida's have to do is maintain and regulate the humidity.....not hydrate the cedar trays.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top