New to Cigar smoking!

[Nightwingvyse]

Nightwingvyse thank very much for your help again!

For that humidifier that you linked to would it be worth when i start out to just use the sponge?

Because i could just put DI water/humi solution on the sponge cant I and it'll do the same job?

It doesn't regulate the humidity as accurately as the crystals, or last as long. They leak too.

With the crystals, they absorb the water until a bb sized one becomes the size of a ping pong ball, and still let nothing out. They last a lot longer because of that, and they regulate the humidity to about +/- 2% of the ideal level for cigars, whereas with the foam the margin of error is more like triple that, which may compromise the quality of some more delicate cigars.
The crystals aren't much more expensive either, as a thimble's worth of them alone is enough to humidify a humidor that size for well over a month. You put new water in every few weeks whenever it runs out until the crystals turn brownish, and then you just put new crystals in.

Another thing, when you buy a humidor of this kind of price range, i wouldn't trust the hygrometer that comes with them. A good thing to do is to get a good quality digital one in addition and pay more attention to that.

The Western Caliber III that I bought is awesome. I tested it with one of those calibration kits you can buy. You put the hygrometer in the bag and leave it for a day or two and see how close the reading is to the 75.5% that the bag regulates. It only reads intervals (no decimals) and the whole time wavered between 75% and 76% so it was pretty much DEAD on. It also reads temperature too, in Fahrenheit or Celsius. Good little machines.

over the last half dozen years I've gone from a half full 50 count to a full 300+ count 7 drawer cabinet and a full 50 count desktop! (not that I'm complaining )

Holy crap dude, i think this is my future lol.

[SmokeyDave]

As Zig says above, use the solution with anti-fungal agent. Crucially, make sure your humidor is in a place where the temperature is stable 24 hours, not near a radiator or direct sunlight etc, fluctuation in temperature is the big enemy of humidity.

[metbandit1]

Thanks for all the help you've given me a lot of food for thought in this short thread!! Ill need to look into getting the beads etc as well as buying the solution all at the same time.

While really just wanting to get my smoke on!!

Would in a drawer under my bed work for the humi? not near a radiator and out of direct sunlight?

Edit: how do i set up the beads in the humi? Moisture wise etc?

[Nightwingvyse]

Thanks for all the help you've given me a lot of food for thought in this short thread!! Ill need to look into getting the beads etc as well as buying the solution all at the same time.

While really just wanting to get my smoke on!!

Would in a drawer under my bed work for the humi? not near a radiator and out of direct sunlight?

Edit: how do i set up the beads in the humi? Moisture wise etc?

I keep my humidor on my desk in my bedroom. Even though it is next to both a window and a radiator, i put a cloth over them to protect the cigars from any sun that might hit the humidor, and never have the radiator on anyway lol.

As for the beads, you simply put a few of them in the humidifier, not many though, the same amount that you might put of salt over a portion of chips, and put the water in it almost up to the brim. Leave it a while to absorb. If there is still some water left unabsorbed, put a couple more beads in until it is all absorbed. If you put a few too many beads in to begin with, it doesn't matter as the water is absorbed anyway, just between more of them.

Hopefully the humidifier might have one of those nets under the lid to stop small pieces breaking and falling through, but once the water is completely absorbed put it upside down on a towel to drain anything left. Once all the water is safely in the beads for sure, just stick it in the humidor.

[SmokeyDave]

It pays to have more beads than the minimum required, the humidity will find it much harder to climb above what the beads are meant to hold (normally 65% or 70%), having more means that the humidor can return to its natural setting faster after being opened and closed. Handy if you like to keep admiring the collection!

As a reference, when I converted my wine cooler, the calculator on heartfelt beads website said I needed 1 1/2 pounds of beads, I popped 2 pounds in and it held quite well but had the odd fluctuation, so I popped another pound in and it has been rock solid on 70% ever since, even with multiple door openings in a day.

Normally you replace the oasis foam in a humidifier with beads, then wet about 50% of them. If they all end up wet (transparent) then no beads are left to absorb excess moisture if the humidity increases.

There are plenty of threads on here about seasoning humidors and setting up, using beads or boveda pouches and even kitty litter.

It's worth remembering that if you don't season the humidor correctly before adding your smokes you will struggle to maintain humidity even with beads.

[metbandit1]

So much information! Its great! When im back in the UK ill plaace my order for those cigars I posted (apart from the pack of 10) and my humi as well.

The cigars will get smoked straight off.

Ill set the humi up and then once the student loan is accuired ill buy myself my first taster pack!

[spirit_of_will]

If it helps at all I can totally recommend the German humi supplier that was linked to. Great service and they have a regular website if you don't get on with eBay.

[metbandit1]

Thanks will! It would be great if you could link me to the guys fulll website.. I dont know why but websites just seem more legit

Thanks again

[Nightwingvyse]

Thanks will! It would be great if you could link me to the guys fulll website.. I dont know why but websites just seem more legit

Thanks again

http://www.tabak-pietsch.de/

I've never bought anything from them this way, but that's their site.