Leaky humidor?

Started by jonas155, 05/11/2020 03:18 PM

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jonas155

Hi there Cigar Geeks!

I got a glass front / glass top humidor. Probably produced by Habanos, originally for use in a store.

Keeping the humidity has proven quite a challenge. I recently got boveda 320 g Boveda packs (72%) and was hoping that sticking 3 packs in there would do the trick. Unfortunately, the humidity will not reach an acceptable level. Instead it hovers around 63-64%. And man do them Boveda packs need to work hard. After under one month they start to stiffen up. I am starting to suspect the damn thing is too leaky. The dollar bill test sure enough indicates a less than tight seal in the front. Also, the glass top and front sits a bit loose and can sort of be shifted around a bit.

Can this be fixed, or is it too much of a hazzle? I would hate to part with it. I love the way it looks in my bookshelf.

Please help me out!

junglepete

First off, I would suggest using a properly calibrated digital hygrometer to get an accurate humidity reading. You could also season the humidor by wiping it down with distilled water. Lastly, filling it up with more cigars would also help rather than just a few.

What is the usual humidity outside of the humidor?

Note, if there truly is not a good seal, you could use some thin weather stripping like you would on a home window or door.

Welcome and good luck.
Guru of Frugality

"It is your decisions, not your conditions that shape your life."  ~Tony Robbins~

BewareDaPenguin

Head on over to the intro page and introduce yourself!!! Nice looking humidor!! Your going to need to verify your seals are tight as well, looks like the drawer pull out? Correct me if I'm wrong? At any rate you may be losing pressure at those contacts points. I'd suggest cleaning them really well, verifying there isn't any debris and also use the locking system for a while, maybe all the time. That type of seal isn't getting the downward force a normal "flip-top" humidor will get from having a heavy lid. Using the lock should help pull the drawer in all the way tight, at least that's where "it's supposed to be" by the manufacture. I'm sure you will get a lot of good suggestions here, Pete also mentioned a great place to start by getting it calibrated, etc to make sure it's accurate 1st off. Good luck! :thumbsup:
"A champion is someone who gets up when he can't." - Jack Dempsey

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Kid Montana

Thats a pretty neat humi.  60-65% RH is just fine.  Levels above 70% just cause mold so I only start worrying once my humidor drops below 60%.  To improve your seal, see if you can't shim the glass a bit.  Also, consider a foam gasket around the door.  You will need two or three days to allow the humidor to out-gas the gasket odors, after you install, but those two fixes should address most of your issues.  Once you get it sealed up properly, it should only need a 320g boveda twice a year or so.


I'd rather have a cigar...

jonas155

Hi and thank you!

The seals are not tight at all. I can actually visibly see the gap on the right and left side of the front "door/hatch". There is currently three 320g Boveda packs in there and I assume if I add more I would be able to get it up to around 65-66%. However, the packs dry out fast. Can already feel how the oldest one I added a month ago is firming up. It is not sustainable.

I have invested in a Boveda Butler and it hardly ever reads higher than 63% in the humidor, despite an accurate calibration. Will get back on the humidity outside once I have a reading.

On closer inspection, I have also found some small holes in the back and bottom of the humidor. The ones in the back are plugged with some kind of wood filling, but the four small holes in the bottom are not filled No idea why they are there. Could I just use masking tape for that?

Weather stripping or foam gasket for the "door/hatch" of the humidor sounds like a good idea. Just worried the glue could give off a smell? Any risk of that?

Cannot use the lock I am afraid since the previous owner had lost the key.

Thank you in advance!

Regards

Jonas

Cfickter

Great looking cabinet
A few comments from my side
I am wondering it this was not originally built as a stand alone humidor but more as a display case to be used inside a larger, walk in humidor.
But I don't see what it cannot be saved.  As for sealing the front door I would recommend a loose cell foam, find either a closed cell foam or thin rubber.  You should be able to get either with a pre-tapped backing so no glue would be necessary. A lot of brick and mortar stores like Lowes or Home Deport sell plastic plugs in various sizes.  Also wood working shops have plenty of options with discs or dial rods you can cut down, they also make mushroom style buttons.

But once all is sealed I would do as Pete suggested and get a Bovida wipe to wipe the inside down
Guru Master of the Minions

Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms should be a convenience store, not a department of our government!

Gunga galunga ... gunga, gunga-lagunga." - Carl Spackler

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Brlesq

Quotejonas155 - 5/12/2020  6:46 AM

Weather stripping or foam gasket for the "door/hatch" of the humidor sounds like a good idea. Just worried the glue could give off a smell? Any risk of that?

You can find self-adhesive weather stripping (Urethane/Rubber Foam Tape), so there is no odor.
Bruce
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jonas155

Hi again guys!

Thanks a million for all the help.

The humidity outside the humidor appears to be in the vicinity of 48%.

I will head to the local hardware store first thing tomorrow. I will try and find some cell foam or rubber with pre-tapped backing (self-adhesive). Is there any chance you could send a link to a similar product, just so I know what I am looking for? There appears to be a gazillion different types. And also, this might be a stupid question, but where is the best place to attach it? On the hatch/door itself or the inside of the humidor where it closes?

Regards

Jonas

Cfickter

Quotejonas155 - 5/12/2020  3:29 PM  Hi again guys!   Thanks a million for all the help.   The humidity outside the humidor appears to be in the vicinity of 48%.  I will head to the local hardware store first thing tomorrow. I will try and find some cell foam or rubber with pre-tapped backing (self-adhesive). Is there any chance you could send a link to a similar product, just so I know what I am looking for? There appears to be a gazillion different types. And also, this might be a stupid question, but where is the best place to attach it? On the hatch/door itself or the inside of the humidor where it closes?  Regards  Jonas

Can you send a picture with the door opened?

My guess would be to put it on the inside frame, if the door closes against some sort of frame work.  Not sure what you have available in Sweden but here is what I would look at.  it is 1/4" / 6.35 mm thick.  It is a little wider than I would think you need at 1/2 inch / 12.7 mm, so cut it in half.  I would also only apply one strip across the top and test the closure to make sure it does not interfere with it staying close. 
https://www.lowes.com/pd/M-D-17-ft-x-1-2-in-Gray-PVC-Foam-Window-Weatherstrip/1002465328  

Guru Master of the Minions

Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms should be a convenience store, not a department of our government!

Gunga galunga ... gunga, gunga-lagunga." - Carl Spackler

Education is important, cigars are importanter!

I like long walks, especially when they're taken by people who annoy me





jonas155

Hi again,

This is what the humidor looks like with the door open.

I will see what they have in the hardware store.

Regards

Jonas

Cfickter

Wow, I can your issues now.  I would have thought there might have been an inside framing that the door closed against and not just that small stop above the hinge.   Putting the weather stripping around and not interfere with the operation of the hinge and drawer will be a challenge. Need more thinking
Guru Master of the Minions

Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms should be a convenience store, not a department of our government!

Gunga galunga ... gunga, gunga-lagunga." - Carl Spackler

Education is important, cigars are importanter!

I like long walks, especially when they're taken by people who annoy me





jonas155

Hi again,

Thanks for the help.

Yes, I know. It is difficult to know how to fix this leak.

However, as seen from the attached picture there is a bit of framing in the bottom, perhaps I could remove the door and place an adheasive strip all the way around. There should be enough space to allow for a strip with a width that does not interfere with the lock or the hinges. Sounds plausible?

Regards

Jonas :cry:

Shukpaw

Sweet humidor.  You have already gotten some great advice.  I would like to reiterate that low 60s is a perfectly fine.  I like being right at 65%, 65 degrees, but a couple numbers variance from that doesn't bother me.  If you are unable to seal it and you still feel like you are not getting the humidity you want you might want to consider one of the small electric humidifiers out there.  A little pricey, but should solve your problem.  I have a larger humidor that doesn't have a lip on the lid.  1.5 cubic feet electronic humidor later and it works great.
I'm right 98% of the time.  Who cares about the other 3%?

jonas155

Thanks for the advice!

Still have not solved the issue. Might consider the humidifier. Any ideas of what is an okay one to chose?

Regards

Jonas


   
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