humidor plans/ideas/suggestions

[gwoodwork]

Can anyone help, Im going to attempt to make a humidor as a gift and I know there is some science to it. I would like to get any ideas or plans or suggestions.

Thanks in advance,

[WhiteBuffalo32]

A big factor to think about is the number-type-size of the cigars the humidor will be home to. I've made a few for friends , usually multileveled with lift out trays, usually each tray is for diferent sized cigars.

Humidy equipement is a must - many places sell the units ( rockler etc) most come with good instructions

Spanish cedar is great for the inside/outside or make the outside out of "unique" wood and use spanish cedar cigar trays or liner

[Joe C]

Check this out....

C.

[Andy Dingley]

you said "gift" If you look at the links above you'll find just how good a commercial humidor you can buy for how little money. It's near impossible to make them as a saleable item - it's a tighter market than furniture!

If you're going to try and make them for sale, you need to move up market away from the desk boxes and go for the big built-ins (so the market gets smaller, outside Manhattan, Hollywood and Cuba) Or else build something _really_ special.

If you're going to build one for yourself, or as a gift, then a good technique is a very simple MDF box, an even simpler inner lining of Spanish Cedar, and most of the work going into smart veneer work on the outside. It's a good project to learn classic veneering techniques on.

If MDF and veneer doesn't appeal, you can of course make a rather more classic outer case and skip the veneer. I've done oak (faux Stickley) and blackened Jacobean oak with split turned spindles and all that 17th century gubbins. Fake as a turkey twizzler, but fun to do. I'm even working on one with stone inlay panels of Cotham marble.

The inner needs to be Spanish Cedar. It doesn't really, but it's the first thing anyone will look for.

Hygrometers and humidifiers are expensive, unless you're buying in wholesale quantities (some are more cheaply bought in a finished humidor!) However you don't really need the hygrometer and you can make your own humidifier. Mine are a small aluminium or copper lid, containing a reservoir of the acrylic polymer crystals and a solution of propylene glycol and water. The polymer can be bought cheaply as cat litter, ultra-absorbent nappies or houseplant "water crystals". Propylene glycol comes from cook shops, as a humectant for moist cookies.