"please explain. if the cigars are kept in ceder boxes, what is the purpose of ceder shelves, appearance?"
http://www.cigarbid.com/auction/forum/forum.cfm?action=list&forumID=7&messageDisplay=0000000031667 

Rick, you asked this question on the thread above... I moved it to it's own thread because it is IMO a very important question for others (newbies) and all to understand in caring for their cigars.. and can be brought up on a search for later refrence.. some of this is copy and paste from a well known cigar information source...

Spanish cedar liner is a big plus. It serves three functions:
First it acts as an additional buffering agent since the wood is absorbent and regulates at 60%-70% along with your cigars.

Secondly, it helps to discourage beetle infestations from moving around from cigar to cigar. Beetles and other pests dislike the bitter flavor of Spanish Cedar.

And finally, it imparts a slightly spicy flavor to your cigars as they age. This taste is appreciated by most smokers.
If you do not like this flavor note do not hesitate to not have a Spanish Cedar lining - it is not essential. However, western cedar, red cedar, and/or aromatic cedar are NOT suitable substitutes for Spanish cedar. These woods will ruin the flavor of your cigars.

Humidor's Function:
Cigars are hygroscopic in nature. In lay terms, this means that they will over time dry out when in a dry climate or absorb moisture in a humid one. And they will continue to do so until their own moisture content matches that of the ambient climate around them.
A damp cigar will not burn properly. Not only will it be difficult to keep lit, but also difficult to draw on. The smoke may become too dense leaving the smoker with a sour taste and a rank aroma. Also, over moist cigars will commonly split their wrappers.
A dry cigar will burn too hot. Without the proper level of moisture, the combustion temperature of your cigar will be too high and the smoke will be hot and acrid against your palate. The smoke may become overly aggressive and you will lose many of the subtle nuances of flavor that a properly humidified cigar would of given you. Also, dry cigars will lead eventually to the early evaporation of their essential oils and reduce their overall flavor and aroma.
Typically for the most enjoyable smoking, a cigar should contain approximately 12 -14% of its total weight in moisture. This corresponds to 60 - 70% relative humidity. Relative Humidity (RH) is a measurement of the amount of moisture in the atmosphere compared with that of complete saturation regardless of the temperature.
The primary criteria in the proper storage of cigars is to achieve a stable and ideal relative humidity within this 60% - 70% RH range. The secondary, but also important requirements are to store them at temperatures below 75 degrees Fahrenheit and in a darkened environment. Doing these three simple things will allow your cigars to not only be stored well, but also age well resulting in cigars that will draw easily, burn steadily, and share their optimum flavor and nuances with your palate.

IMHO, without using Spanish Cedar in your humidor, know matter it being an ammo can or a home made igloodor', fridgedor', or cooler.. without lining it with the Spanish Cedar and "Every Time" you open it your balance in controling the correct climate will change, I honestly believe that without the Spanish Cedar in this area... the more it will change and the faster it will change also... having or adding the Cedar to something or plastic will allow the whole area to maintain a stable environment and will reduce the fluxuations in temperature and relative humidity that one is trying to achieve for proper aging of their cigars... the larger the humidor "open area" the more you will lose/change out every time you open it... only having closed lid boxes of cigars in your humidor you lesson much of the change inside for these cigars, but at the same time your cigars are not getting a circulation of the stable climate in which they need for proper aging and the larger cabinet type humidors Spanish Cedar IMO is needed to maintain this better stable environment...

Hog

BTW this may have needed to be posted on Cigars and Related, but I'm not sure Rick surfs that side of the forum??

another location for good information on the whats and what nots...

http://www.humidor-guide.com/humidor-spanish-cedar-1-1.php3 

Hog

Hog this is just what I needed to see. Now on to the question that I'm likely to get nailed for a 'newbie' dead horse issue... Will our cigars get the flavor benefit of spansih cedar with the cello on?

"Will our cigars get the flavor benefit of spansih cedar with the cello on?"
Frickin nother deadhorse poster LMAO!!!
mikenix, yes even with cello on your cigars will be able to breath/mix the aroma's from your humidor...

check out the link I posted there above also...

BTW Welcome to the CBid forums!!!!

Hog

So again the confusion exists

QUOTE ..only having closed lid boxes of cigars in your humidor you lesson much of the change inside for these cigars, but at the same time your cigars are not getting a circulation of the stable climate in which they need for proper aging ..QUOTE



so is it better to store boxes open ... or closed



yeah .... yeah ..... I know cello on or off .... >8^p

mklein, check out the website I posted above.. this will give you insite into your question...

I think it's all in personal prefrence.. with a Cabinet Humidor with boxes of your favorite cigars inclosed... it would be up to the individual rather they would want to breach each box of cigars while they've got their cabinet open and checking things out... myself? I would be breaching the boxes to give them a breif breath of fresh air and at the same time checking out how they (cigars) are looking and holding up?? even if I had not read or known about the above information... I'd be checking up on my cigars just like they are one of my kids LOL...

just my .02 cents

Hog

BTW at the same time with a cabinet humi or even a made up igloodor' with Spanish Cedar lining the cabinet would minimize the loss of Stabilization rather one not lined and having just plasic liner inside... for however long of time you have them open to the "fresh air" outside they're accustomed conditions!!!

Hog

This is really a good tutor. Maybe somebody can get Cbid to put in a "Cigar 101" post site under --Select a Board-- for the newbes. John

Good info hog, thanks for the post.

more on the Info...
Building a Humidor:
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00069.asp 

Hog

pasted from a thread on Cigars & Related earlier from Slim.... to bad we don't have a highlight feature here...

Hog

I had this problem when I was smoking gars off of the Natural line. Hope this helps.

Connecticut "shade" tobacco is so called because it is grown under large tents that protect the leaves from the sun. Grown in direct sunlight, the leaf would be coarse and tough.

But by shading it, effectively the sunlight is filtered, yielding a thinner, more elastic leaf that cures to a lighter, even color. Today, shade-grown Connecticut wrapper leaf is one of the world's most expensive agricultural commodities. Since the wrapper provides a major portion of a cigar's taste, what is it about this region that makes this leaf so sought after?

For one, it's gorgeous. Aesthetically, the sight of the silky, smooth, thin and elastic look of Connecticut shade wrappers is beyond compare. Another is the even burn. The thin, elastic nature of this leaf offers a smooth, slow and even burn and gives a cigar balance.

Wrappers That split are typically caused by cigars which have experienced cycles of being over-humidified and then under-humidified.

It is the end result of the cigar's wrapper being stretched by the expanding filler when moist and the subsequent shrinkage when it dries. Basically they are just like "stretch marks."

These are very common in vintage cigars even if kept within ideal conditions. Over time the continuous shifting of a couple of points of %RH will result in wrinkles.

(((((Also, this is not that uncommon in cooledors since the humidity tends to shoot up and down drastically with opening and closing. Unlike a wooden humidor, a cooler's plastic is unable to retain an ambient RH. The longer a cigar has been stored the more likely wrinkles and splitting are to occur.)))))

Wrappers will become more brittle as the wrinkling continues to occur and may eventually lead to cracking and splitting.