"Already the wood is swelling" thats what she said, "i can feel how tight it is" and thats what she said 😂 great video man. the sponge worked great i had zero luck with the shot glass too.
Thank you for this video. I recently received my first humidor as a gift and didn't trust my self to follow the written directions, but watching your video made the whole process seem very easy. I am now 72 hours away from having my collection in my new humidor. Thanks again!
I have followed these set-up instructions since starting cigar smoking about a year. The instructions are excellent. I use paradigm humidifiers instead of the humidifiers that came with my humidor....I always get about 68-70% humidity.
Great video! I bought that exact humidor from famous smoke shop and I received it today. Your video will definitely help me set it up, and I am very excited to store my collection!
Thank you very much for helping me set up my very first humidor. I got it for Christmas and I just seasoned it today with your help. Again thank you very much.
My pleasure mskcmore65. Enjoy and be sure to keep an eye on your temp and humidity and your cigars will smoke great. For more tips, cigar tasting guides, and more articles on everything cigars, please visit our site at www.cigaradvisor.com.
I have the same humidor shown here. Two of them actually. Great way to keep a eye on your humidity as you don't have to open it all the time, just take a peek from time to time and you can not only see the humidity, but can spot any problems with your cigars starting up.
Yes. I still have that humidor and currently using Boveda packs. The original humidifier eventually went bad. But I'm thinking about just sticking a crystal humidifier up under the glass since I can't find a humidifier that fits in the housing that came with the box. Thanks for the comment. G-~
Hi Gary yes many times it is impossible to find the original on many things we buy. Some cigars stores have a much better selection of Items then others. I have always used the Black Plastic cases that came with my humidor. The humidor you show here are lovely. I have two and they have been good to me. It is nice to be able to peek in and see the humidity rather than have to lift the lid all the time. Rick
Great video, I never thought of using a sponge resting inside to prepare a box for cigars. but its a great idea. I currently own 2 boxes. One is about 150 cigar size and the other is about 500 cigar size. I haven't used the larger one in a while, im definitely going to use your sponge method to get that one up and running again. Happy Smoking !! Fellow Cigar Aficionado
Great. And thanks for the + comment. I forget now where I learned this; it may have been from a colleague in the business, but it really does work great. BTW, I did the video a week ago and still haven't put in the cigars. The longer I leave it, the more moisture the walls suck-up, but I plan on putting in the cigars tomorrow night.
Great instructional video. I'm a newb. I've just bought a new box for my boyfriend's 30th birthday. I knew I could count on RU-vid for a humidor installation video. =)
Thanks for the vid fit was real helpful just a quick question how will i know that the humidor is ready for my cigars? what do i do if my hydrometer doesn't read 85 after the 3rd day
hey i really apreciate your time in answering in my questions, i only have 1 more, afetr 1 day with the sponge the temp. is 80 degrees and the rh% is 90, should i take the sponge out if this is my readings after only 1 day ? thanks much
Hey great content Gary you might find this interesting or strange or crazy but I’m not a fan of humidors I just think of them as a money grab for cigar companies.. Iv been smoking cigars for almost 30 years and I’ve never used or owned an actual humidor and I actually prefer not too… here’s just a little background.. my grandfather was an electrical engineer for Penn electric by profession but a cigar enthusiast and maker by hobby and he had a great love for cigars and the passion for making cigars.. in the late 40s he was a retired US army veteran and a huge fan of Churchill, this is what got him into smoking cigars and making cigars as a young adult.. coming out of the war he also had a small farm in central Pennsylvania where he grew fermented aged and rolled his own cigars for 5 decades until his death… he had an old wooden box with a modified glass bottle attached to the inside for adding spirits or water etc.. it was dark red cedar lined on the inside but the box itself was mahogany oak and maple and it had beveled interior edge to make it air tight.. he would always say that humidors were just a marketing trick created by the cigar industry to force cigar smokers into buying higher priced humidifier products.. a manipulation tactic used on a vulnerable market in the early twentieth century and then an even bigger marketing push after the great depression as people were in fear of losing what little they had left.. cigars have been a dominant staple in society for centuries and have been a sign of wealth and luxury for most cigar smokers but at a relatively reasonable price point.. i used that old box for over a decade or so in my early years of cigar smoking and needless to say it did indeed keep my cigars from drying out or molding and keeps a RH of around 64% even in hot weather or cold weather situations like here in Pennsylvania where seasonal weather patterns change daily.. So I guess what I’m saying is that humidors are not a necessity at all for the preservation of cigars .. they are a necessity only because someone else says they are.. case in point, a tupperdor cost at most $25 + the cost of a few Boveda packs and they work absolutely amazingly for storing hundreds of cigars for periods of decades without having to worry about any major issues or problems, problems that most brand name humidors have and will continue to have in the future. i used that old box of my grandfathers for a long time before I gave it away to my cousin for his own new found love for cigars and it is still very much as good as it was 80+ years ago when my grandfather made it. now Myself with the introduction of the Perdomo wooden boxes I have 7 old wooden Perdomo boxes that hold 50 cigars each with one boveda 69RH pack in each box and Iv never had bugs or mold or any other issues with my cigars drying out… in fact it works great for my cigars and same for the people hundreds of years before the modern humidor was invented.. in fact before the modern desk top humidors were even invented by Zeno davidoff ( major cigar manufacturer)people would store their cigar in standard wooden boxes with a damp cloth at the bottom this method has worked and works as well or better than the modern humidors… I guess my question is why do cigar sellers and manufacturers try so hard to convince customers and swear up and down that you have to have a humidor to store cigars properly or you’re not doing it right? Who makes these rules and why are so many people judged by others for how they store their own cigars especially when the older ways have been proven to work better than newer humidors
Thanks Gary, I just received my very first humidor today, with 10 cigars, kind of on the lower end, but, she will work, it didn't come with a hydrometer though, so, I need to obtain one. Are you in the Philly area, I noticed an accent when you said water, Ha. Happy cigaring!!
thank you for your video. It really helped me to set up my humudor. After the set up procedure and lets say after one month, how do you maintain the % of 67-70% of humudity? thanks in advance.
I've put the way sponge in a microwave 30-60sec.. wringing it out. Putting it in the humidor on a Ziploc. I've used 2 sponges to speed up the humidity process. After seasoning the humidor. I put humidor solution in too.
@kos22us No problem. 80 degrees is really warm, but you still need time to let the cedar absorb as much moisture as possible. Don't worry about a 90% rh, because once you do remove the sponge it will go down. I would still give it 48 hrs. And do not put the cigars in there unless the RH is comfortably under 70. At 80 degrees you will need a lower RH, but you also risk mold, etc. Try to get the temp down to at most, 75 degrees, even if you have to move the humidor to another spot in the house.
@kos22us Yes, when the box is seasoning. After you remove the sponge, etc. it will go down. Make sure it's closer to 70% before you put the cigars in. Then, try to get it to the RH% that you prefer. It's something you just figure out how to control over time.
@fanuvgod1 Good question and one I get most often. It's really up to you, but I remove my cigars from the cellophane. They just seem to taste better and age-up nicer. That said, I do keep cellos on some of the most expensive cigars. It's not worth losing a good wrapper over. So I don't get too long-winded here, take 6 cigars - same box - unwrap 3. In one month, smoke one of the un-celloed and compare it to the celloed. Do this for three months, and taste the cigars for yourself.
@YourMessiah666 That's great. Glad it helped. Just one thing I should've mentioned in the video: make sure you rinse out the sponge well of any bubbles (in distilled water) before you soak it leave and it on the baggie. G~
I followed these steps last night and started seeing a change in the hygrometer % right away. Except for when I woke up, it was still in the same spot (just over 50%). Think I should soak the sponge in distilled water again or even soak the humidifier again? Not sure why it wont go past 50%. I know it hasnt even been one day so maybe I just need to have more patience with it. :) Thank you.
@Josh4145 @Josh4145 Hi. I've done this method a number of times and it's worked like a charm. It's one of the reasons I did the video. The empirical evidence was clear. It could be the thickness of the walls. Maybe they need more time. Also, the humidifier you're using is key. It should be large enough to do the job and of good quality, preferably crystals, but I've had good success with traditional green foam. I think the safest way to go is let the box sit for 5 days.
I did exactly what you adviced in the video, after 24h it was 70%. So i removed the sponge and after one hour my humidor drops back to +/- 50 to 60%.. Do i need to keep the sponge another 24h's in the humidor?
I followed this w/o any wiping and with two sponges. My humidity was 75% after two days. Yesterday I opened it to put in about 25 cigars and now the humidity wont go over 55%. I put in a hot, fresh sponge today...hopefully that take care of it. Any suggestions on what else to do?
Thanks for the info sir! I have a dumb newbie question: so I should wait until the gauge is at 65%. what if I leave it for a longer duration and the gauge goes to, let say, 85%, are you supposed to do something to reduce it? if so, how?
@TheBellocazzo If you're referring to the green foam type, the FIRST time you charge it, drown it in distilled water or a combination of distilled water and 50/50 for half an hour. This guarantees it's saturated. Once all the excess water is drained, put it into the box. You have to have a well-calibrated hygrometer. When the RH gets down to 65%, add a little extra distilled water to the humidifier. It could be days, weeks, or months depending on the integrity of your humidor.
do you remove the sponge when the % reaches 65-70? also I just used water for the Humi, not the 50/50 solution like mentioned, does this mean i'll have to refill it
@rkowed Absolutely. You want to trap that moist air in their for as long a possible. Don't forget to full charge the humidifier, too, which gives you a sort of 2-sponge effect. Try to keep the box closed for a week. The walls will really soak up all the sponge moisture, which will help season your humidor that much better in the long run. G~
@kos22us Yes, You should include everything you plan to use in the box. I use polyglycol, but not when setting up the box. That woud be used only in the humidifier. I didn't use it in this video, but I would probably add it to the humidifier once it was due for recharging.
Do I still need to calibrate my Hygrometer with the salt test? Or would this step outlined here by you already calibrates the hygrometer? I noticed that you just let the hygrometer stay put there & charge up by itself. Thank you.
hi, when you leave the wet sponge in for 3 days do you put the tray and dividers in there as well or just the box and the sponge ? no mention of the glycol solution, you dont use it ? thanks ... Jack, PA
@Josh4145 Hey, thanks. I appreciate it. I think I may want to do this video again when Famous moves to its new location. I thought I did mention it, but I know I've written about it, and the key is, try to leave the sponge in as long as possible. Two days minimum. The more the spanish cedar absorbs the moisture, the better it will season You can also add a little 50/50 solution to the sponge mix.
@FamousSmokeShop Thanks, I checked the analog vs my calibrated digital and its off by 22%!! Wow...So it was 77%. I opened it up a bit and removed the sponge so should be at 70% soon. Thanks for the info.
Another question. The temperature is at a constant 70. But I have been seasoning it for 24 hours. Also I have some cubans I got from Cuba and I dint want them to dry out will they last a week? Thx.
@FamousSmokeShop thanks alot! i think i will find wooden chest insted now! i appreciate your help alot! i found one on the internet, but how can i asure myself that its 100% close?
Mine has done that its at 84% so what do I do now do I leave nothing in the humidor to allow it to fall or do I take the distiller water sponge out and replace it with my humidifier ? Someone help please ?
@dcfc182 Thanks for the comment. I believe that the distilled drinking water also has minerals in it, whereas the steam distilled water used for irons, etc. does not. G~
@GoDfReY59 That's great. I would like to do another of these with perhaps a few more details, but so far this video's gotten a lot of eyeballs. All I know is, this technique has worked best for me.
@KruNae That's why I specify to make sure the sponge isn't dripping and the bag helps prevent the leakage. But whatever works. Thanks for the comments. G~
@tobacconist56 Your point is well taken. However, the wood is highly absorbent and I think I noted that you shouldn't overdo it., Actually, I usually wet the walls as a last resort. Moreover, I can only speak for myself, as I have had no problems with my humidors. Most likely because this is something I would normally do only once, not on a regular basis. That said, you are correct in making others aware that water and wood don't always get a long. Thank you.
@rkowed Sure. Keep them in a baggie inside a tupperware-type container. That will seal in all the moisture while you wait for your humidor. Check them though, because the cigars could get soft. leave the baggie open, or if the cigars are already in cellos just put them in the container as-is. Keep the container on top of your humidor. G~
Sombody help, i got my first humidor and i wiped it down with distilled water not knowing it would warp it but if you wipe it down with water will it absolutley 100% of the time warp?
Hey I'm a beginner and i bought this small Humidor from Amazon and i need to know, is it the same procedure? Do i have to buy a humidifier? And an agrometer? Second question, i bought 10 Romeo Y Julietta No.1 In tubes, do I need to put them in a humidor anyway?
@loopba Sounds like you didnt let it go long enough. Should be at leat 85% before removing the sponge. Also, be sure your hygro is properly calibrated. Remember, the longer you leave in the sponge, the more H2O is absorbed, which will help in the long run. G~
Hi. thanks for the video. Real Informative. I got a question which I hope you can help with. After the hydrometer hits 70 and sponge is taken out so that the cigar can be inserted, wouldnt the humidity would be released and be affected after the box is opened? how do we best tackle this?
Hey, Kah! I work with Gary over at Famous and Cigar Advisor so i'm going to answer for him. Typically when you add cigars to your humidor, the humidity overall will go up, down, or stay the same. If it goes down to around 68, it won't be a problem. If it goes up however, take dry Spanish Cedar blocks and add them to the humidor. They will absorb excess water and when you take them out after a week or so, the humidity should drop a bit. Hopefully this helps!
the humidifier is supposed to keep the moist just fine, the large sponge is just there to saturate the humidor. its one way to start it, the other way is to moist the whole humidor but as he said he doesnt like that way
A lot of dish sponges like that are made with some soap already in the sponge. That's why when you rung it out, it foamed up. I'm not sure what the effects of that would be on the cigars.
By the way good video good info. Seems like no matter how well you explain it people ask stupid questions that you clearly State in the video. Good video
Sorry for the late reply. I'm sure your smokes are safely tucked away in your humidor by now. But to answer your question, they can be kept in a ziploc bag until they're ready to transfer. G~
@jjysoserious Frankly, the only thing you really have to do is soak up the humidifier with wetting solution. Then do the sponge part of the procedure. The painting of distilled water is only if the wood is very dry, the lid closes to fast, or the walls just won't absorb moisture. You should be fine. And yes, you need both, an hygrometer and a humidifier. Most better humidors come with both.
You seem like you can answer my question. I have dried out cigars which have been sitting in my unattended to humidifier for about 20 years. The are dry but not cracked. Can I rehydrate them? Thanks. Fred
Hi Fred. Thanks for writing. That's a tough one. I would say that after 20 years, even if they're not cracked, they may be hard as sticks and therefore un-smokeable. Once the oils dry up in the tobaccos, even if you were able to revive the cigars, they would have a lousy flavor, or very little flavor at that. You can try rehydrating a couple of them just to see if it's possible, but I'd be surprised if they come back to their cigar shop state. Hope that helped. G-~
Great Vid... I'm curious... why didn't you put the wet sponge in a small bowl, instead of a baggie? is water from a Brita pitcher ok or the same as distilled water?
Brita water is not the same as distilled. Distilled water is steam that has been cooled, so it has removed ALL the impurities. Your Brita water is fine for drinking, but not 100% free of impurities.
If the RH is 84% and remains so, or has remained so for a couple of days, you're ready. Once you put in the cigars, the RH should come down. Or take out the sponge, wait til the box settles to about 75% and put them in. Keep an eye on the RH by checking every couple of days. Enjoy!
What does mildew look like. I have grayish stains on the wood, even after following similar steps to you. How do I get rid of those stains? Is the box a total loss?
Thank you for this - I followed the steps and noticed within a few hours the needle was 65/66 ... so does this mean i still wait 3 days before stocking it?
Thank you. Yes, you want to make sure the humidor is well saturated with moisture and if left the sponge in there it should be higher than 66. You may need to recalibrate your hygrometer. Nice work!
Once you notice the RH dipping down below the 65% range is usually a sign that the humidifier needs recharging. I would also use 50/50 solution from Xikar or other, because the polyglycol staves off mold. Don't use ONLY distilled every time. G--~
@phibersunos You may be right. I know some sponges come with soap. I even wrote follow-up comment that said to make sure your sponge is not pre-soaped. However, my humidor is working perfectly, so no harm no foul. Thanks, G~
I just got a 125 Churchill count humidor... it has an adhesive magnet (which doesnt work) so I bought industrial strength velcro for the humidifier for now, but where do you suggest in place the humidifier in the humidor? Also, (the directions that came with the humidor are HORRIBLE) and I confusedly/mistakenly adjusted the hygrometer manually... was this a catastrophic mistake or will the hygrometer adjust manually? Thanks
?So sorry for the late reply. Most of these videos have moved to the CigarAdvisorMagazine RU-vid page. Humidifier should always go in the center under the lid, unless it's a glass top model.
