Question on Seasoning Coolidor

[blueboy714]

ok - it took a week to get the "smell" out the new cooler and I put a 69 Boveda in with it empty - after 2 days it was at 70%. I put a box of cigars in the humidor and the humidity went down to about 63-64%, as expected. I know how to season a traditional humidor, but is there anything I need to do to "season" a coolidor? I put a small cedar sheet in the humidor with some 50/50 solution on it just to get the humidity up. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[GoingPostal]

you don't really "season" a coolidor. the key is to use cigar boxes in the coolidor to help maintain the RH where you want it. B&M usually give you boxes for free if you ask.

 

[blueboy714]

thanks - I've got some cedar sheets from the cigar boxes, which should do the same thing. I'll have to give it some time - like I said I've been putting 50/50 solution on a small strip to act as the seasoning agent. I'll have to put some 50/50 on all of the cedar strips and give it another day without the cigars to season.

 

[funkejj]

Ok this brings up memories of a Lon lost tinychat conversation. The fact is plastic does not store humidity. So toss in some beads or bovedas or your choice of humidification device and fill the cooler up.

 

[BrittS88]

I recently made a coolidor. The one lesson I learned was the less empty space the easier it is to maintain RH.

 

[funkejj]

I recently made a coolidor. The one lesson I learned was the less empty space the easier it is to maintain RH.

So true you should always keep it near 2/3 to 3/4 full to maintain humidity. If you have less than that it just seems I jump around.

 

[Cigary43]

Accurate statements having the coolerador at least 2/3 full and I use cedar boxes/trays only and line the inside with cedar sheets...bottom, sides and inside top. You can use duct tape to hold it in place and the transfer of cedar to the cigars is really good.

 

[blueboy714]

Accurate statements having the coolerador at least 2/3 full and I use cedar boxes/trays only and line the inside with cedar sheets...bottom, sides and inside top. You can use duct tape to hold it in place and the transfer of cedar to the cigars is really good.

won't the duct tape or any kind of tape have an affect on the smell, taste, etc.?

 

[Cigary43]

Accurate statements having the coolerador at least 2/3 full and I use cedar boxes/trays only and line the inside with cedar sheets...bottom, sides and inside top. You can use duct tape to hold it in place and the transfer of cedar to the cigars is really good.

won't the duct tape or any kind of tape have an affect on the smell, taste, etc.?

Glad you asked that as when I first put the tape over the edge of the cedar sheets I thought there might be a residual bit but found no trace of anything and my olfactories are pretty reliable. When I open the lid all I get is a pungent smell of cedar which is what I wanted and it does transfer to the cigars. I have had my coolerador for almost 2 years now and there isn't one cigar in the whole thing that hasn't picked up that great scent. If you think otherwise double sided scotch tape would work as well as the cedar sheets I use are pretty thin...got a ton of them off FleaBay that could line 50 cooleradors if I wanted them to but I only have 32 humidors at present time and I've loaded ALL of them up with extra cedar.

 

[blueboy714]

thanks everyone - just trying to make a 5 quart coolidor for my nephew now that he has moved away to college and can't bum cigars from his dad and me. I'll put some duct tape on the cedar sheets, which I'm now seasoning, before putting the cigars in.

 

[CWS]

Never bothered with lining my three 180 quart cooledors. As people have said, fill with boxes, add beads, a fan and good to go.

 

[blueboy714]

Agreed - but can't fill with very big boxes in a 5 quart starter coolidor, so I lined with cedar sheets - hoping that does the trick. I just wished I had known this trick 35 years ago when I bought tupperdor and watched my cigars go soogy from too much moisture.

 

[Cigary43]

Agreed - but can't fill with very big boxes in a 5 quart starter coolidor, so I lined with cedar sheets - hoping that does the trick. I just wished I had known this trick 35 years ago when I bought tupperdor and watched my cigars go soogy from too much moisture.

Tupperadors work very well...you just need to keep the RH at around 64-67 which is very easy with KL and open the top at least once a month to recirculate air. I have 20 tupperadors and they're every bit as good as my $500 wood humis of which I use KL religiously but beads are just as good but a bit on the pricey side.

 

[puzzlestone]

Great post! Any new developments in coolidors in the last 2 year since this was posted?

 

[Omerta]

Great post! Any new developments in coolidors in the last 2 year since this was posted?

Ah no? Still a great basic way to store cigars.

 

[Cigary43]

I recently made a coolidor. The one lesson I learned was the less empty space the easier it is to maintain RH.

BINGO! Cooleradors are a great way to store our cigars and I use the rule of thumb with them like I do with any humidor...75% full gives just the right amount of exchange within that space for air to circulate. Using the boxes your cigars come in is correct useage of that box....I tend to use a 48 qt. size cooler because anything bigger than that then it becomes a PIA to find what you want in there. label everything on the outside of an opened ziploc...some are 5 paks and others are 10 paks but it affords me an easy process to find what I want.

I use KL as a RH media...works to perfection and I keep it in a small sandwich ziploc that stays upright inside the coolerador. This is where I store my AGED cigars and the numbers don't vary by more than 1% for months.