Proper humidor seasoning technique?

[Joey Link]

I ordered one of the cheap 20 count humidors from CI and half pound of beads from Viper cause I'm planning on building a coolidor as well. I placed a small dish with properly wetted beads in the middle of the bottom of the humidor a couple days ago but I'm wondering what else I need to do and how long it'll be before I can put the cigars in. I don't have a hygrometer of any type so I'm pretty much relying on the beads for now. I tried to search but I was getting mixed results. Some said to wipe down the cedar with distilled water, some said if you do that it'll expand and warp. What's the proper method for seasoning a humidor for use with beads?

[TechMetalMan]

I used a Boveda Seasoning pack- I think it's like eighty two percent humidity. Left it in for four or five days. That thouroughly humidifies the wood and such. Then I throw in the humidification device and use a Radio Shack Digital Hygrometer to check RH.

Worked well for my fifty count desktop!

[tippytwo]

Mixed opinions all over the place.

From the post that I made, I was told by someone who works with wood that wiping the cedar down will not hurt it at all.

So what I did was lightly wipe the wood down and place a shotglass of dist water in the humidor for a few days. The jury is still out on whether or not heating the water up first makes the process any faster.

My humidor is doing great.

-T2

[n2advnture]

You did the right thing, now just wait 10-14 days for it to season.

Be sure to salt test your digital hygro and then put that in there as well.

When the RH steadys, SLOWLY add smokes as they can/will draw moisture possibly reducing your RH.

~Mark

[qwerty1500]

You're getting some good advice. Seasoning humidors is sort of a hobby of mine ... so I'll just throw in my

Don't rush the process. It's not rocket science. But, if you do it right the first time, you will eliminate a lot of headaches.

First, go to Radio Shack and buy yourself a good digital hygrometer. Do the salt test on it so you will know accurate it is. Do a CS search or go out on the internet for information about how to do the salt test. Lots of information out there.

Second, glad to see that you already have the beads. You will really like how they maintain the rh once your humi is seasoned.

I don't think you'll find much argument about digital hygrometers and the beads. However, the apes are right ... there is controversy about wiping down the inside of the humi and heating the water. You'll see opinions on both sides.

I usually wipe down the cedar with distilled water once at the very beginning of the process but it's not necessary. It just seems to jump start the process. BUT ... don't soak the wood! Just a slightly damp paper towel and an almost undetectable film on the wood is all you need.

If you have a glass top humi, you may want to avoid heating the water. It can sometimes condensate on the glass a drip back onto the wood inside. If it's an all-wood box, I normally warm a small plastic bowl (avoids condensation on the container) of distilled water and carefully place it in the humi ... you don't want to spill it on the wood. Don't warm it to the boiling point. A nice rule of thumb is ... if it's too hot to stick your finger in it ... it's too hot. I think the warm water evaporates faster.

I've never used the bovida packets but I've heard good things about them.

Above all, don't rush the process. The 10-15 day recommendation is a good one.

[okierock]

Originally Posted by tippytwo

Mixed opinions all over the place.

From the post that I made, I was told by someone who works with wood that wiping the cedar down will not hurt it at all.

So what I did was lightly wipe the wood down and place a shotglass of dist water in the humidor for a few days. The jury is still out on whether or not heating the water up first makes the process any faster.

My humidor is doing great.

-T2

T2 has it right IMO, heating the water only helps to get the humidity up more quickly. If you are patient (I know I am not) it is unnecessary and I'm not even sure how much time it will save you, in the end you are talking about saving hours in a several day process.

[Zman2700]

Hello,

I built a humidor and lined it with 3/16" spanish cedar and was told to season it buy lightly wiping the inside with a wet paper towel and then heat up a small glass of water and thenput it in there. I did both of these and the next day my cedar had small spots (black/green) all over. The water I heated was hot but not boiling and the spots seem to be impregnated into my cedar. Is this mold? I'm really confused and would be glad if anyone could help.

[beezer]

sounds like mold to me

[montecristo#2]

Originally Posted by Zman2700

Hello,

I built a humidor and lined it with 3/16" spanish cedar and was told to season it buy lightly wiping the inside with a wet paper towel and then heat up a small glass of water and thenput it in there. I did both of these and the next day my cedar had small spots (black/green) all over. The water I heated was hot but not boiling and the spots seem to be impregnated into my cedar. Is this mold? I'm really confused and would be glad if anyone could help.

That sounds a little too fast to be mold, if it was a couple of days maybe, but overnight, doesn't seem likely? Also how hot is your home? This will determine how fast mold will grow as well.

Water is not that great of a nutritional source, this is not biological media.

Maybe there is something wrong with the spanish cedar you used. However, I don't really know that much about wood, so I will wait for someone with more experience to comment.

That really sucks -

Make sure to introduce yourself in the newbie forum as well - welcome to the madness that is CS.

[RockyP]

i have never seasoned any of my 4 humidors. i spray the wood down with distilled water with a light mist, insert my humidifers, and leave it shut for about 4 days and i have never had a problem. the only thing that i do is keep the sticks i plan on smoking in a seperate humidor bag so i do not have to open the humi

[j6ppc]

Originally Posted by montecristo#2

That sounds a little too fast to be mold, if it was a couple of days maybe, but overnight, doesn't seem likely? Also how hot is your home? This will determine how fast mold will grow as well.

Water is not that great of a nutritional source, this is not biological media.

Maybe there is something wrong with the spanish cedar you used. However, I don't really know that much about wood, so I will wait for someone with more experience to comment.

That really sucks -

Make sure to introduce yourself in the newbie forum as well - welcome to the madness that is CS.

That sounds like some combination of mold/mildew. If the lining is not glued in you might be able to save it by removing the lining and wiping the offending pieces down with bleach water a few times then rinse, rinse, rinse & rinse and let get fully dry in the sun. If it were me I'd discard the lining and start over, be sure to give both sides of the new lining enough sanding to get at the surface well smoothed - that should at least serve to remove any mold spores etc. that might be on the wood.

Other than that - take it *slow* I usually take a clean fresh damp sponge place it in a bowl put it, my beads and a hygrometer in the new humi and once things stabilize at my chosen RH (2-7 days usually) remove the sponge and add the cigars. The sponge may need to be replenished a few times in this process depending on how dry things are. Be sure it is just damp not dripping wet.

As always, YMMV.

Good luck!

[RGD]

Originally Posted by Zman2700

Hello,

I built a humidor and lined it with 3/16" spanish cedar and was told to season it buy lightly wiping the inside with a wet paper towel and then heat up a small glass of water and thenput it in there. I did both of these and the next day my cedar had small spots (black/green) all over. The water I heated was hot but not boiling and the spots seem to be impregnated into my cedar. Is this mold? I'm really confused and would be glad if anyone could help.

Can you get a picture of them? Where did the cedar come from? Did you use distilled water or tap water. If tap water: city or well water. How did you wet the paper towel - in a bowl or can? Where did it come from? Paper towel: what kind? Typical family kitchen type or shop towels and were they new.

I really doubt that it's mold/mildew - but some type of contaminate from the water application.

Ron

[qwerty1500]

Did you use Distilled water to wipe it down? Did you soak it or just leave a light film?

I love this stuff. PM me, I'd be glad to help.

[RGD]

Originally Posted by RockyP

i have never seasoned any of my 4 humidors. i spray the wood down with distilled water with a light mist, insert my humidifers, and leave it shut for about 4 days and i have never had a problem. the only thing that i do is keep the sticks i plan on smoking in a seperate humidor bag so i do not have to open the humi

Actually - you did season your humidors. Whether or not it was a correct method is debatable - and it may have worked fine for you, but yes you did season them.


Ron

[j6ppc]

Originally Posted by RGD

Can you get a picture of them? Where did the cedar come from? Did you use distilled water or tap water. If tap water: city or well water. How did you wet the paper towel - in a bowl or can? Where did it come from? Paper towel: what kind? Typical family kitchen type or shop towels and were they new.

I really doubt that it's mold/mildew - but some type of contaminate from the water application.

Ron

Unless the spores/colonies whatever were already present in the wood. I've seen a 2X4 go from clear to moldy/mildew spots almost overnight after a rainfall.