Glue for Humidor

[Roy Hatch]

I am building a humidor of cherry that will be lined with Spanish Cedar. Another thread suggested that the cedar lining could be held in place with bit of polyurethane glue due to the high humidity maintained within. This makes sense. Should I also use poly glue on the mitred corners of the box and the frame & panel lid? This will be my first humidor and I certainly don't want the hear that it has come apart.
Roy

[Chris Barton]

Hi Roy,

I have made several humidors and my construction techniques are no different than normal. If you cedar lining is meant to be fixed into a permanent position and it's long grain to long grain you can use all the gule you want, if it is a cross grain situation use glue only in the center. PVA is a fine choice for this glue application.

While the ideal humidity for cigars is a little higher than what most house interiors are (70% vs 50%) I have never seen damage to a humidor from wood movement. Mostly because in box construction it is normal for the grain to run in the same directions at the joints and because the pieces of wood are relatively small.

[Charlie Plesums]

I was taught that the spanish cedar was supposed to be held in the box by fit alone... miter the corners and slide them in place; the sides hold the bottom in.

Nice idea until it comes to the cedar in the lid...I used poly for that, but I expect any glue would work.

[Lars Thomas]

I certainly wouldn't mess with poly glues for a humidor.

On the humidors I've made, I just made the lining friction fit with just enough glue to keep it quietly in place. I line both the top and bottom. Mitering the sides to a 'snap' fit hold everything in tight. I also overlap the cedar with whatever the box is made from (so it creates a seal).

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=19701

[Roy Hatch]

Chris & Charley,
Thanks for the quick reply. I'm not sure where my mind was when I expressed concern about the humidity in a humidor. The humidor is for my son who lives on Virginia's eastern shore, so he is about 5 miles from the Chesapeake Bay and 5 miles the other way to the ocean. The only time the humidity drops is when the heat or A/C is on. I suppose yellow glue will be fine.
Roy

[Charlie Plesums]

...The humidor is for my son who lives on Virginia's eastern shore, so he is about 5 miles from the Chesapeake Bay and 5 miles the other way to the ocean. The only time the humidity drops is when the heat or A/C is on...

You may have an issue with humidors in general... They generally are set up to add humidity to bring the level up (I am not a cigar person, but I believe the target is in the 70% range). If the average humidity is above that, there is nothing to take the humidity down to 70%, and by having a closed box you may be making a culture for molds etc... a way of destroying cigars.

Before spending a lot of time building a humidor, I would probably explore the cigar shops in the eastern shore to see if there is an issue - if they have to take special steps to store the "priceless inventory" in the high humidity environment.

[Bob Johnson2]

I've mitered the corners of the cedar sides, if you get a tight fit they'll hold in the top. I do put a little bit of Titebond III in a line down the middles of each peice as I do the final fit. Leaves it to contract and expand as it wants while still holding it a bit. It's been a year and no problems so far.

[Don Baer]

You may have an issue with humidors in general... They generally are set up to add humidity to bring the level up (I am not a cigar person, but I believe the target is in the 70% range). If the average humidity is above that, there is nothing to take the humidity down to 70%, and by having a closed box you may be making a culture for molds etc... a way of destroying cigars.

I am a cigar person and can tell you the the target humidity and temp are both 70. 70% Hum and 70 degrees.
The mold that forms on Cigars is actually a very desirous thing. If you see a cigar with the light coating of white powder on it then send it to me.

[Roy Hatch]

Charlie,
My son has been keeping his cigars in an old wooden box made of pine and it is not sealed well. (I don't know how much he pays for cigars, and probably don't want to know.) In the area where he lives I think you would find cigars at the local filling station or at the tackle shop. My guess is the cigars are bought on the internet.
Roy