Now that I have a few coolidors going, and starting to buy more and more boxes....What is the proper way to store boxes in the coolidor?

-Do I take the pins out the hinges on the back of the box, and store it topless?

OR..

-Does humidity enter the box regarless of box top(if not airtight)???

I have been sticking sheets of cedar in the boxes and leaving them hanging out to keep the lid of the box slightly open, but it is now getting to be a hassle. All three coolidors read 67-71% humidity, and the cigars in the boxes have 1/2 cello on, 1/2 cello off.....but will the humidity enter the boxes??

I need help. Thank you

Dave

I've always figured that whatever is good enough for the hundred-year-old cigar shop 20 minutes from here, it's good enough for me. I leave all the cello on and close the boxes. Yes, I said cello on and boxes closed, and yes, these babies still smoke. I know you can't believe it, but I know that you, just like I, will soon come to discover that lying awake at night pondering proper humidification methods will only lead to headaches and ulcers. Anyway, enough. These are my methods and I have never had any problems with underhumidified smokes.

Ben

but then, I am unplugged

Dave - Ben may be unplugged but he's on target. The idea is to give the tobacco a controlled environment [proper RH & Temp]. However, I don't think tobacco is as tempermental as wine; hence, folks using coolerdors do well, perhaps almost as well as some of the walk-in storage I've seen. Ideal is to get proper RH/Temp & keep it there for long term storage -- & to have cigars "ready to smoke." You'll note from various postings that some prefer a RH ~65pc. I prefer a max of 75 pc in my longer term storage, but don't sweat it if I go below 70 pc for anything I'm going to smoke in the immediate future. Some folk swear by cello wrappers off, rotating the stock, etc. They may be correct, but my experience is keep alert, but don't sweat the details.

I thank you both for taking the time to help my cigars out, and to save me the time and stress of keeping the boxes open. I have had enough trouble playing box tetris fitting everything...and this helps out a lot! Thank you!

Dave

ROTF LMAO. YUP, box tetris! Sometimes when I add/remove from the innumerable cooleradors, I go more than a little nutz. I've tried diagrams [but then I'll remove half to go into the next stage of the "solera." Some cigars stay in storage a long time, some sleep less -- mix in the newer stix, with older.

Nothing like blowing a day taking everything apart & then trying to fit everything back again!

advice i've received from a gent who has been smoking 50+ years: he keeps his cigars in boxes and then stores them in tupperdors.

he opens the boxes of those he plans to smoke within a few monhts or less and keeps them propped with a stick of ceder.

he closes the boxes of those he doesn't plan to smoke for a few months and/or those he is aging, as well as all of his ISOMs.

he's probably sent me a dozen sticks over the past few months, and each one has been absolutely perfect to smoke -- perfect burn, consistency, you name it. i asked him, and he said that he'd sent a mix (those stored w/lids down and those w/lids up). he stores everything at a very picky 70% and burps his 'dors once a week.

don't know if that helps, but i'm definitely following his tips and storing what i have the same way. only difference is that anything i want to smoke relatively soon goes (single sticks) into the desktop humidor. everything else, including my one and only precious ISOM lol gets stored in a ruppador. 🙂

I use a big sweaterboxador that is actually one of those big plastic things they sell at Wally world for storing Christmas decorations in. It's about 18" X 18" X 48" and I bought plastic trays to store singles in. I didn't stress over cedar trays, because all the boxes I have in there are cedar, and serve the same purpose as a liner. I use a Cigar Oasis active humidifier, and an Oshkosh passive. I use a digital hygrometer that lives at one end, but want to get another for the opposite end. I keep my boxes closed, save for withdrawing gars from them, and keep my gars in the cello. I feel this keeps transient spikes in the RH from opening and closing the Humi from ever having any real effect on my stock. Air and humidity can and will permeate cedar, and cellophane, but it takes a little time, and so before a transient effect can be felt, it has been normalized. As has been pointed out, if its the way old, established tobbaconists have been doing it, why change? I would worry more about over humidifying, than under humidifying, due to the threat of beetles and mold. I try to maintain around 65-70% RH, and the setup described above will hold 66%-68% real steady! What is held steady, is what will be maintained within the boxes. Hope this helps!

Great posts! Boy, just when I think that I can't learn another thing here...you guys come out and show me a thing or two.

I think that I'll get some smaller boxes for the singles rolling around in my sweaterdor (yes, the box that I let dry out...*hangs head in shame*...) too.

I hope that I'll be able to execute bringing my RH back up to par and saving my sticks!

Do you think that a cooler just may be more cigar friendly than a plastic shoe or sweater box??? I mean, I'm talking money here...

To put out a fortune on a large or several large humidors is not what I'm looking to do...however, the possibility that I wrecked at least several hundred dollars of sticks by not maintaining the proper RH is sure an eye opener...

I guess due diligence is key...

Another SNAFU brought to you by Marla

WHo told I bought a large Humidor !!!! "Besides I REALLY need it dear, really" 🙂

I store boxes in my igloodors. I leave the cello on the cigars but always take it off the boxes. From what I've read true cello will be ok left on the boxes, but some of this new stuff is more the stretchy, plastic variety, like the additional insulation you tack over windows during the winter. I've heard stories of leaving it on and since it is not as permeable as cello, condensation can occur within the box itself due to changes in temp. To be on the safe side I always take the outer wrapping of the box off prior to storage. So far haven't had a problem with this method and I've had some cigars stored for years. Just my thoughts.............

BTW, since you need to open the igloodor about weekly to allow for an exchange of air, you may notice that the cello on the cigars become very irregular. This is not to worry about. It is known as "crinkle" among cigar affectionados and is desirable as it is indicative of a well aged cigar..........

Coolidors would IMHO be better, but it's hard to find a cooler the size of my sweaterdor, and when you do, it's cost prohibitive. 😞

^

Just bought a 150 qt cooler for my gars. biggest I've ever seen!!!

Fritz

I use (2) 70 quart coolers, both jam-packed. I feel a little better with 2 than the 150 quart marine cooler in case I get bugs, then only half are exposed. I need another cooler, but refuse to do it.. It will get ugly around here.

I put boxes downstairs in my humidor, no problems and open sticks in the tray in top. The humidity will definitely permeate everything over time, no worries.

yep, what they said. cello off boxes and on most of my gars. coolers, sweater boxes, small tupperware - use em all oh and two real dors.

In the 3 months since I posted this thread....I have had all of my boxes closed-lid, cello-on the cigars....and my cigars burn very evenly.

I also couldn't be happier with "the beads".

This post has been a big help for this newbie. Just bought a 54 qt.coolidor, I keep the cello off the boxes and on the gars. 50/50 is a wonderful invention.

My only problem is I'm buying more than I smoke!