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Humidor conversion

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MadFarmer

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I have a wooden chest that I'd like to turn into a humidor. I'm thinking the lid needs a better seal than heavy, but what kind and how to do that I do not know. Any tips or suggestions for this type of project would be very welcome.
 

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deluxestogie

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You can purchase thin cork as an adhesive strip or as a sheet. I would apply that to the lid's closure perimeter. Another alternative, and maybe thinner than the cork, is a self-adhesive, folded PVC strip (marketed as weather stripping).

Perhaps a magnetic cabinet latch could be added in the interior.

Bob
 

Knucklehead

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Here are some photos from my small purchased humidor. The lid lip has the reverse profile of the box where they fit together. It does not have a seal and it doesn’t fit especially tight. The moisture in the humidor would probably last longer with fewer replenishments with a better seal. The lid is just held down by the weight of the lid. I think anything would work that was thin enough to fit between the lid and box like Bobs suggestions.

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tullius

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I have a wooden chest that I'd like to turn into a humidor. I'm thinking the lid needs a better seal than heavy, but what kind and how to do that I do not know. Any tips or suggestions for this type of project would be very welcome.
What's the size of the chest and the species?
 

MadFarmer

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I don't know the species, it was a Christmas gift from a great-uncle 30+ years ago. It's 16"x10"x5". Not very big, but should work fine for me. I've taken it with me every time I've ever moved but never really had a good use for it until now.
 

deluxestogie

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My initial impression was that the interior bottom is a different type of wood, and was going to suggest that you cover it with a thin sheet of plastic (say, cut from a WLT leaf bag), then overlay it with a thin slab or sheet of Spanish cedar or bass wood. But then I noticed that it appears to be a beautiful beach scene, burned into the wood surface.

MadFarmer_humidor_closeup.jpg


Rather than cover it opaquely, you might want to mask off the rest of the interior, then spray just the bottom with a layer of weather-resistant urethane, matte clear coat, and allow that to totally dry--until you can no longer smell it.

That really is an art treasure.

Bob
 

tullius

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I don't know the species, it was a Christmas gift from a great-uncle 30+ years ago. It's 16"x10"x5". Not very big, but should work fine for me. I've taken it with me every time I've ever moved but never really had a good use for it until now.

Agree with @deluxestogie , the art bottom appears to be a totally different species, maybe a thin sheet with the scene burned into it. If it's not glued in and you can lift it out easily without damaging it, I'd take it out, stabilize it and frame it to hang on the wall so it can be seen. This may not be possible.

If it cannot come out without risking damage, I'd get some thin spanish cedar sheet and line the inside bottom of the box and top of the lid. Then, using 1/4 spanish cedar trim around the outside of the box and lid, construct mating lips that project out of the box into the lid to form the seal, much like the humidor that @Knucklehead posted, just cleaner. If things are cut well, you won't have to use glue or brads, and you'll be able to return the box to original condition if you wanted to in the future. The interlocking wood lips interrupting the joint between the box and lid will be your seal. The lid should close with a soft cushioned whoosh when dropped from the open position.

(I assume the chest/wood species as is now has no strong smells inside or anything else that would make it a no-go)
 
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