Question about the Chasidor drawers

[lbowles2]

I am looking into buying drawers for my Vinotemp 28 from Chasidor.com and had a couple of questions for others that have got them.

1st... I have seen a post where somebody talked about the single and double height drawers but couldn't find it again. How many cigars will the single height drawers hold? I typically buy 50 - 54 ring guage cigars and wondered if they can be double stacked in a single. I'm thinking maybe a 50 can but not a 54?

2nd... I am trying to decide whether to go with the solid bottom/glass top drawers or the slotted bottom drawers. I know there is a lot of debate of which one to go with so I won't ask that question. What I would like to know is how is the glass attached to the drawer and if the glass can be opened without completely removing the drawer from the wine cooler.

I had also considered Mikes drawers but unfortunately it is just bad timing right now for him. Otherwise the drawer bottoms he makes are pretty cool.

Thanks for any input you can provide!!!

Larry :cbig:

 

[twenty5]

Chasidor trays are great! I can post up exact measurements for mine tonight when I get home but in the mean time, I seriously doubt you can stack anything besides 40ish or less RGs in a single tray. I had 1 single and 4 doubles and was so pissed about what would fit in the single (literally like 20 smokes) that I decided to pull it out and put 2 more doubles in. The glass is not attached at all, just basically sits on top with sides and front to prevent it from moving but it can be slid towards the back. The only complaint I have about my trays is the cheap glass that was used. I would rather have paid more and got a tempered glass that wouldnt scratch or break as easily.

 

[swat253]

I'm looking into the chasidor trays as well, and I also found out Mike is swamped. Glad to hear it for Mike, though!

I took the tray out of my 300ct humi and currently have it double stacked and sitting on the top rack. It works fine as long as the outside rows are single. It would hold more but it begins to pyramid. I'm not to the point where I need to go any higher.

I just received three, slotted-bottom, trays I bought online (the typical $9.99 tray you see when you Google Spanish Cedar Tray) and will improvise for the time being. I found a site that sells a wider tray, around 14.5" that would work better, possibly with the dowel mod that someone posted in another thread. I saved the link to the tray site on my work laptop, so I can't reference it right now.

I bought some spanish cedar blanks at Woodcrafters and plan to build the "swat version" of a vinodor tray. I'll let you know how that works out..

Slotted Bottom vs Solid? I like them both. I'm adding a fan bank to sit along the bottom rear of the unit, I might as well let the air flow as much as possible.

 

[jjon90]

Chuck (Chasidor) is swamped as well. I ordered mine on 4/2(Edgestar) and got them yesterday. I would recommend the double tray over the single. I got one single for the daily smokes. The singles are about an inch deep and the doubles a little over 2 and a half. I agree with Twenty5 about the glass but I don't remember seeing any other choice for the cover.
They are some great pieces of workmanship and come well packaged.

 

[TravelingJ]

I ordered mine with 4 singles, and 2 double trays. I should have stuck with all doubles. As others have said, you really can't stack much in a single, except for maybe lanceros, and I often have to offset them. One double has a lot more space than 2 singles, since it cuts out a bottom, a gap, and a piece of glass from the space.

I ordered when he didn't offer anything but the solid bottoms. Pulling them all the way out, and removing the glass does get a bit old. I recharge all my beads each time I'm home, so I find myself pulling out each drawer and taking up most of a room for the task. The solid bottoms do allow you to create different RH zones, it you prefer a certain type of smokes to be kept at a different setting.

I do find the glass to be a bit obnoxious. It seems to slide back when I push the drawers in, somewhat defeating their purpose.

 

[lbowles2]

Thanks for the feedback guys. That is the clarification I needed. Double trays with slotted bottoms it is :thumbsup:

 

[nofeardiver]

Def go with the doubles, i have two singles and two doubles, and i wish i would have gotten 2 singles and 4 doubles. I like the singles cause i can put my weekly type smokes in there and the longer term in the doubles. either way you go, he makes some killer stuff. I was blown away when i took them out of the box. Good luck bro...

 

[KPP]

I do find the glass to be a bit obnoxious. It seems to slide back when I push the drawers in, somewhat defeating their purpose.

I assume there is no significant purpose to the glass, correct??.....because the drawers sit on top of the shelving. Perhaps to maintain a different RH than the rest of the humi I suppose??

If not for the RH reason, why not just leave the glass off?? If/when I order mine, I plan on doing so without the glass, and per the feedback here....the double drawer with slotted bottom.

 

[jjon90]

I assume there is no significant purpose to the glass, correct??.....because the drawers sit on top of the shelving. Perhaps to maintain a different RH than the rest of the humi I suppose??

If not for the RH reason, why not just leave the glass off?? If/when I order mine, I plan on doing so without the glass, and per the feedback here....the double drawer with slotted bottom.

My guess would be the glass top sealed bottom tray simulates a cigar box for aging purposes. Glass on top for visual aid.

 

[lbowles2]

I assume there is no significant purpose to the glass, correct??.....because the drawers sit on top of the shelving. Perhaps to maintain a different RH than the rest of the humi I suppose??

If not for the RH reason, why not just leave the glass off?? If/when I order mine, I plan on doing so without the glass, and per the feedback here....the double drawer with slotted bottom.

The idea is to control the rh swings as you open the wine-a-dor door. The rh may swing some in the humi (especially if open for an extended period) but unless you open the glass on the tray it should stay fairly stable.

 

[lbowles2]

Just ordered me 3 drawers and 2 shelves for my Vinotemp. Can't wait to getem' :grin:

Larry :cbig:

 

[Jfire]

The glass is also used to maintain all cigars in every drawer While the Unit is On! The unit won't condinsate as much because the humidity is mostly in the drawers not in the plastics vino unit.(unless your still using half the vino for box storage) stay w the glass and solid drawers IMO!

 

[KPP]

The glass is also used to maintain all cigars in every drawer While the Unit is On! The unit won't condinsate as much because the humidity is mostly in the drawers not in the plastics vino unit.(unless your still using half the vino for box storage) stay w the glass and solid drawers IMO!

wouldn't this strategy then require humidity beads to be in EACH drawer...as opposed to say the top and the bottom of the unit??

 

[twenty5]

wouldn't this strategy then require humidity beads to be in EACH drawer...as opposed to say the top and the bottom of the unit??

I would think that the cigars and the drawers themselves would really help regulate the humidity. They are not air tight so humidity comes and goes but at a much much slower rate than opening the door and having a complete air change in 2 seconds.

 

[Danilo]

I can fit about 80 sticks in my double drawers...
Sloted with no glass.
I use the bottom half of the Avanti for 3 drawers, and the top for boxes (mostly air now)
Condensation is not an issue, but humidity at the top is about 3% lower than the bottom.

 

[KPP]

I would think that the cigars and the drawers themselves would really help regulate the humidity. They are not air tight so humidity comes and goes but at a much much slower rate than opening the door and having a complete air change in 2 seconds.

I guess that's basically the reason I asked Justin, b/c of the humidity moving at a much slower rate like you mentioned.....I would gather it would take much longer for the drawers themselves to stabilize when there is a big shift in humidity (i.e. from opening and closing the glass lids when the door is open). If you don't have any airflow (or minimal anyway)....and no beads in the drawers themselves, I would guess it would take longer, than at least I would like anyway, for them to stabilize.

Although, these are all assumptions on my part, but i'm genuinely curious. Either way, it seems so many here have "their way" of doing things, which is as it should be. I'm just trying to find what that way will be for me .

 

[twenty5]

Couple opinions from "the pros" (obviously there is no right or wrong)

"I offer them both ways for just the reasons you are about to find out

Everyone's situation is different. In my case I designed the first trays with tops because I saw big swings in my unit when it cycled. Are the tops necessary even in the most extreme cases, NO! For years people have been storing their cigars in coolers without a tray with a top. IF you have large sudden swings in the Rh will the tops help buffer the effects, YOU BET!

So it depends on the situation. There are tons of threads here and other forums about people battling their RH highs and lows and for every one having trouble, there is a guy sitting there going, Mine is rock solid 24/7."

-Chasden

"I have always been on the fence with this, and never gave it much thought till now.
I even watched Chuck do all the swinging RH temp tests with enthusiasm.
Never really understood the benefit.
I battle massive rh swings in my big display humi. Those swings DEFINATELY affect the cigars. The fast up and down rises blow out wrappers. That's a painful fact. The swings won't wreck less expensive, thick wrappers. Just real thin, delicate, expensive ones.
If I was getting drawers, I would DEFINATELY opt for glass tops. Chas is a glass man, and he's super anal, so they have to be perfect. They'd suit me to death, I'm sure. "

-Shilala

 

[KPP]

Thanks for taking the time to find those responses and post em' Justin...much appreciated, and it does help explain the glass tops for me.


But I'm still wondering about whether or not beads should be in each drawer if you go this route...(glass lids w/ solid bottoms). For the example I used above, say you open the main door.....open a glass lid....hunt around for whatever meets your fancy to smoke, then you close it all. There's been a pretty big change in the humidity in that one drawer that was opened. Without beads in it, wouldn't it take much longer to stabilize??

I guess I'm wondering, b/c my original plan was to throw a pound of beads at the top...and a pound at the bottom. This whole glass lid, solid bottom has got my wheels turning about humidity, and I'm sure I'm over thinking it....but still curious just the same..lol.

 

[twenty5]

I look at it like this, when the door is opened, a tray is removed and you fish around for some smokes in that tray, the other trays are staying at or close to your desired humidity level. While there is a swing in the tray you are looking through, the gradual return to normal is better than the quick return to the level. The point I like the most is from chasdens test. He tested his wine cooler over a period of time, to see if there was a swing in humidity when the unit cycles on and off. His conclusion was that there was a dramatic spike (high or low - I cant remember) when this happens. The glass tops keep the humidity stable in the trays until the beads can catch up.

Yes, you are over thinking this, as we all did or still do. Cigar storage is much better today than it ever was and there is no such thing as perfect although we all like to think there is. My wine cooler, all double trays with no box storage, stays perfect for me. I am sure that it spikes in one direction or the other several times a day but I am beyond that now lol. 6 doubles, glass tops, with a pound of shilala beads on the top, 1/2 lb on the bottom and some heartfelts in the back to soak up extra moisture that drips down the wall. Overkill? Probably, but for me it works.

I bought the glass tops because of these facts and because I think they look cool lol. I always get people telling me they cant believe how nice my cooler looks. My only complaint is that when the door is open, the cigar smell is not as strong as it would be if I didnt have the glass tops, but I guess that would prove that the glass tops are doing their jobs.

 

[TravelingJ]

Wait, you don't keep beads in each drawer? I've always done that. I just assumed each drawer was practically it's own humidor, and treated it as such.

How do you keep your beads on top of the drawers?