Faster then the freezer

[Demented]

Originally Posted by Rploaded

I think the faster things freeze the less cell damage there is...

Exactly, the faster it freezes the less cell damage there is.

Due to the rapidity at which the water within the cell is frozen, the crystalline structure and matrix are smaller.

Smaller crystals mean less expantion, less expantion means fewer cells are ruptured by expansion beyond their ability to stretch.

At least thats the way I see it. Then again, I dropped out of school after the 9th grade.

Dmntd

[ColdCuts]

Originally Posted by Rploaded

...I think the faster things freeze the less cell damage there is...

That's true for the wrappers, but it's also true for the flippin' beetles. I'm no expert on the topic. I've never had an outbreak--thank God. But, if you carefully read what Seangar was saying in NCRadioMan's re-post, beetles probably have a better chance of surviving a dry ice freezing than they do a conventional, freezer-in-yer-kitchen style freezing. Also, make sure temp transitions are slow. When I'm not sure of a vendor's storage conditions, I have the cigars go a day at room temp, a day in the refrigerator, 3-4 days in the freezer, then back to the refrigerator for a day, then room temp for a day, then back in the humi. I've never seen a wrapper split, and I've never--knock on wood--seen a beetle.

[audio1der]

Originally Posted by ColdCuts

That's true for the wrappers, but it's also true for the flippin' beetles... But, if you carefully read what Seangar was saying in NCRadioMan's re-post, beetles probably have a better chance of surviving a dry ice freezing than they do a conventional, freezer-in-yer-kitchen style freezing.

Word to the beetles' mother

[Demented]

Originally Posted by ColdCuts

beetles probably have a better chance of surviving a dry ice freezing than they do a conventional freezer

This is contrary to information on the preservation of antique books and furniture, regarding use of dry ice.

Dmntd

[Demented]

FUMIGATION - Powder Post Beetles in Furniture,

Jim Lockhart of Littleton Colorado writes: "After allowing the infected cabinet to spend 18 hours in the closed freezer with 30 lbs of dry ice at -25 deg F, I went ahead and removed the dry ice, saving what was left of it in a small ice chest. I closed the freezer up again and allowed the cabinet inside to slowly warm up to room temperature (another 12 hours) then took it out. I checked for signs of life with a stethoscope in the places where the powder post beetles could be heard and – not a sound. I checked again for signs of life 24 hours later – still nothing. It would appear that the insects either froze, suffocated or both. Of course I have no way to tell whether or not the freezing or lack of oxygen also killed any eggs – only time will tell. I am confident enough at this point that this worked and would recommend it to anyone in a similar situation. Feel free to include any and/or all the info I’ve given you on your website. This is a much less toxic way of killing insects than the use of chemical sprays and fumigants."
Jim writes one year later to update there is no sign of any beetle activity and "I’ve been telling fellow woodworkers about the idea and they, too have met with success without doing any damage to the wood or it’s finish."

http://www.dryiceinfo.com/other.htm

This is the only one I could come up with off hand but...

Dmntd

[audio1der]

I suspect the lack of oxygen is the main part of beetle killing, using dry ice. The whole idea makes me cringe with a product as delicate as cigars; these are (obviously) NOT hardwood cabinets- they're organic leaves, handwrapped into cylindrical shapes.
Besides, dry ice is a PITA to acquire here (only 1 place in a city of 1 million sells it!) and it seems it requires a fair bit of dry ice per freezing; economical?!
My $.02

[ColdCuts]

Originally Posted by Demented

This is contrary to information on the preservation of antique books and furniture, regarding use of dry ice.

Well, it could be that both methods work. In which case, we may as well go the conventional freezer method, no? I mean, nothing special required, and no $$ spent on dry ice = more $$ for cigars!

BTW, it's awesome that we're having this conversation now, in December, while temperatures are down, instead of in July when everyone on CS is already in panic mode and checking their stock for signs of beetles every hour, on the hour.

[mosesbotbol]

Sounds like a lot of expense and hassle when simply freezing cigars works fine. Why reinvent the wheel? Better to be pro-active in preventing outbreaks rather than try to kill them after they hatched...

Best practice is to first put cigars in fridge for a couple of days, then into freezer for about a week, then back in the fridge, then into the humidor. If you do this to each box before you put them into the cabinet, you should never have a problem.

[Demented]

Just a thought.

There's an Ice house 10 minutes away from my home.

It would cost about $5.00 and take 1 day to do with dry ice what would take upwards of a week to do in the freezer.

Dmntd

[ColdCuts]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

Best practice is to first put cigars in fridge for a couple of days, then into freezer for about a week, then back in the fridge, then into the humidor. If you do this to each box before you put them into the cabinet, you should never have a problem.

Or, you could do what I do and keep all your smokes under 70*F in a wine coolidor. (As I understand it, even if viable eggs are present they can't hatch unless they get warmer than 70.)

[RGD]

Personally - I will stick with my freezer. It's in the next room - does not cost me any extra money and I don't have to carry my ass anywhere to try and buy dry ice.



Ron

[Gargamel]

I was told the beetles were good for my humidor. That they were simply grooming my cigars?

[Demented]

Depending on how fast dry-ice drops the temperature inside a cooler (and how low it drops), using the this table posted by Icehog3;

5c (41f) requires ~12 days (275 hours)
0c (32f) requires ~9 days (220 hours)
-5c (23f) requires ~4 days (100 hours)
-10c (14f) requires less than 24 hours
-15c (5f) requires less than 24 hours
-20c (-4f) requires less than 24 hours

2 days in the fridge (1 before & 1 after) and 1 day in a cooler with dry-ice should be enough to do the job.

Dmntd

[4WheelVFR]

Microwave. Just a few seconds in the nuke should kill everything.

[smokinpoke]

can you just spray some RAID on them or something that should give you a double whammy.