This is posted for diecinque and glongoria who made a request.
Coolers are cheapo Igloos, available at Walmart for $18 and under. Wash them out with baking soda, let them dry in the sun, and then hot glue old cigar box tops to the sides (for your cedar lining).
Bins are also from Walmart and cost 50 cents each ($6 total). You will need 12 of the 6-1/2" x 10-1/2" size.
Next you need 12 21" lengths of 1/2" x 1" hardwood. I think 6 48" pieces cost me around $8. Using either low profile truss screws or hot glue, attach 3 bins side by side to 2 lengths of hardwood.
Now attach felt furniture pads to the top of the bins in line with the wood strips. This increases capacity to 3 sticks high per bin, and allows the wood rails from the bin above to rest on the pads, and not on your sticks.
Lastly, add a digital hygrometer and beads.
With hygrometer, you're around $40 - $45 per cooler. Each bin will hold 21 churchills long ways. You can fit 36 Robs up to 5-1/2" long width wise, or 40+ Coronas. You can also mix sticks going in each direction for maximum storage. Right now I have around 350 to 400 sticks per cooler. I plan on making dividers for the bins to further increase capacity.
Of course you can use this system in larger coolers too. Just grab a pack of the bins from housewares before heading over to the coolers. That way, you can try the bins out to make sure they'll work in the cooler you want.
