couple of storge noobie questions

[jdogg440]

I searched for a bit, but i guess, like the others still a bit nervous about wrecking a pile of quality smokes.

Bought my humidor a week ago, Wiped (i know i know) the inside down with distilled water, and let the damp sponge in all week. Analog read 75% all week with very little rise or fall.

Today my order from CI came in with my digi-hydrometer, rH beads, and water pillows. When i got my beads they had already been charged and leaked in the box a little. Threw the beads in the humi and am running the salt test right now on the hydrometer. I'm from maine and didnt think it was that humid up here, but still running 75%+ with very little change. I know the humi is empty right now, i have about 18-20 ready to jump into the himi when everything looks to be normal.

I have a couple of questions still though;

1, i bought a small (10ct) travel humi
and i travel alot back and forth from NY to ME. I also like to enjoy a good cigar afterwork and CANNOT bring them into work (food service prep) I bought the pillows thinking i can toss one in the travel humi along with 1-3 smokes and they might be ok for the time I'm at work or a few days away from home. Will this work/? will i over/under humidify my smokes?

2. does it make a difference in the salt test useing tap or distilled water? i used tap, but from reading, looks like i should redo using distilled. EDIT ** just tossed the salt test out and started again double bagged, with distilled.**

3.whats the best way to maintain 70degrees ? the house is generally at 75 or so in the summer and 70 in the winter, but with really big swings, the fully finished basement runs 60-70 year round. Is it worse if the temp is to high (upstairs) or too low (basement)?

thanks, hopefully im not asking too many noob questions in the first 2 days of being here.
thanks to all
happy smoking nsure:
-jon-

[DOZER]

Heres my take on your questions

1. They should be fine for that of time period I do it all the time.

2. I dont believe it does.

3. Cooler is always better than warmer.

[Toasted Coastie]

Dude, that ten count would be fine without the pillow, but would also be fine with the pillow. I have a 15 count that I take camping with me, and I rarely put a pillow in it. Almost like dry boxing but not quite I guess. I also always seem to find a way to fit 20 in that thing....

You have to do the "salt test" over the course of a week to get it right. I usually use the calibration packets, and calibrate over the course of a week to week and a half. Too much money in the damn humidor to be anything else that dead nuts accurate.

Keep the box in your basement. The constant 60-70 degrees is better for the cigars than 70-75 degrees. Also, the cooler air will help regulate the relative humidity.

[Snapperhead-cl]

Dozer hits the nail on the head.....I use a lot of pillow packets when I ship and some packages are in transit for a week.

[AdReNaLiN jUnKeE]

ya im going to agree with dozer, you should be fine

[Moro]

Originally Posted by DOZER

Heres my take on your questions

1. They should be fine for that of time period I do it all the time.

2. I dont believe it does.

3. Cooler is always better than warmer.

Hear hear.

[matt3-cl]

I have that same travel humi. You don't need any kind of humidification. That travel humi has a great seal on it and other than the sticks that you throw in it nothing should soak up any humidity. If you keep it out of the sun and in a cool spot you should be ok.

[jdogg440]

Thanks for all the help so far things are looking ok i guess up until about 2 minutes ago when i went to check on the humi.
temp 64, humidity 79 holy crap. WTF is going on. using the humi beads i thought it was 100% all the time. i guess even this monkey can screw up using the beads. hahaha.
using this humi with only about 12 cigars in it right now, need to take another trip to the B&M. could the lack of cigars and too much free space cause the humidity to be too high? i did the salt test on the digi-hydrometer and it read dead on 75%. Not sure exactly whats going on. please advise.. thanks
happy smoking
-jon-

[SmoknTaz]

Be patient Jon, that's the first thing I learned when I got into this "Hobby." I would not panic just yet. It is harder to control the humidity when you first start out due to the lack of contents but that will change with time. Try opening the humi more frequently and let it air out. Unless if your room humidity is greater than 75 this should help.

[elidog]

Originally Posted by jdogg440

Bought my humidor a week ago, Wiped (i know i know) the inside down with distilled water, and let the damp sponge in all week. Analog read 75% all week with very little rise or fall.



2. does it make a difference in the salt test useing tap or distilled water? i used tap, but from reading, looks like i should redo using distilled. EDIT ** just tossed the salt test out and started again double bagged, with distilled.**

3.whats the best way to maintain 70degrees ? the house is generally at 75 or so in the summer and 70 in the winter, but with really big swings, the fully finished basement runs 60-70 year round. Is it worse if the temp is to high (upstairs) or too low (basement)?

thanks, hopefully im not asking too many noob questions in the first 2 days of being here.
thanks to all
happy smoking nsure:
-jon-

First of all I think your questions are great ones. Second and most importantly imo 75% is way to high. Humidity is the single biggest factor in how well your cigars will smoke. Personally I keep my smokes right at 63% and this works very well for me. Some would consider this to be too low. I would try not to go over 70% and try to keep it between 65 and 70. You will find that your cigars burn more evenly and freely at lower ranges. Third off welcome to the passion of quality cigars man!

[KaiSQ]

Originally Posted by SmoknTaz

Be patient Jon, that's the first thing I learned when I got into this "Hobby." I would not panic just yet. It is harder to control the humidity when you first start out due to the lack of contents but that will change with time. Try opening the humi more frequently and let it air out. Unless if your room humidity is greater than 75 this should help.

I agree. My humi is very similar to the one pictured and I filled it when it got to about 75%. The time it was opened during filling and checking the next day, I was at a comfortable 68%. I bet you'll be fine.