Converting a Cabinet into a Humidor
Because I like DIY projects, I decided to take on the task of converting a cabinet into a humidor. Initially, I was looking for a used cabinet online that I could convert, but I decided to just purchase a cabinet off of Amazon. The first cabinet that I chose was a dark color with frosted glass, and it was about 3 ft tall. I did like that cabinet. However, I just so happened to come across this one, and I immediately felt like it looked like a humidor, so I exchanged it. The description lists this as a 4ft linen cabinet.
Because this was an experiment for me, I did not feel comfortable recording the entire process but I did get enough footage for you to get an idea of what it is I did and below I listed all the steps I took in order to convert this cabinet into a humidor. However, I did not necessarily do all the steps in the order that I present them to you. I put them in the order that things should have been done to make the conversion a lot smoother.
For this conversion, I needed about five and a half boxes of Spanish cedar. Each box contained ten 12x4x1/4 pieces. That was my highest expense. I originally ordered thee boxes and found out quickly that I needed more so I ordered one more box, then I had to order a half box of five.
Because of how the cabinet is made, I purchased two humidifiers, two Bluetooth hygrometers, and two digital hygrometers. The middle shelf is a support shelf and can not be left out of the assembly of the cabinet. I wanted to make sure that the top and bottom received an equal amount of humidity, so I purchased two of each.
I went back and forth about how many shelves I wanted to have. Initially, I was going to have six, then I changed my mind and said eight. However, once I placed the eight, I didn't like how tight it felt, so I changed it back to six. For my shelves, I did not use Spanish Cedar. I picked up some moulding from Home Depot. The front bracket on the shelf is an L-shaped moulding, which was perfect for what I needed to keep the trays from sliding. The side brackets for the shelves are 1 and 1/4 inch moulding. Everything is attached with Gorilla Construction Adhesive. I used Gorilla Glue to repair and reinforce the shelves in a humidor I got for someone a few years ago (some of the shelf brackets were detached when I received it) and it is still holding strong.
I ran across some issues, and one of them was the trays. Most trays come in a width of 12.5-in. However, once I added the cedar panels, it reduced the inside of my cabinet. So I had to find 12-in trays. It was a task, but I finally found some on eBay.
Because the door is recessed into the cabinet, I needed to make sure the cedar didnt extend past the middle shelf. I also had to find a lock that completely attached to the outside of the cabinet.
The majority of the front L-brackets were "floating" so I used some of the left over pieces from when I cut the cedar down to make braces for the shelf brackets. In the back of the cabinet there was some spacing so I used excess cedar for those spaces that doubled as braces for the side shelf brackets.
This particular cabinet had mixed reviews, so during my assembly, I added Gorilla Glue and brackets in order to ensure stability. I also used gray chalk paint so that it would match the rest of my decor. I sealed it with polycrylic.
I wanted to have an outlet inside of the cabinet to plug in my lights and humidifiers. This would cut down on needing multiple free outlets or a power strip outside of the cabinet, not to mention a hole big enough to fit the plugs and having to try and seal it so it doesnt lose humidity or having them all come out the door. I was afraid that the plugs would be too bulky to all fit on one power strip. I was relieved to find out that the humidifiers have a USB plug that could be detached from the bulky wall plug and plugged directly into a USB port. So, I made sure to get the outlet I used in my kitchen cabinet install that has two USB ports and two outlets.
I wanted L.E.D. lights that would turn on when I opened the door. I didn't want to have to turn them on manually. I found a L.E.D. light kit with 6 strips that is Door Control Activated.
The links to everything is below. It seems like a lot, but if you decide to take this project on yourself, remember that a lot of it is optional and you can do it piece by piece over time.
Steps for Building a Custom Humidor
1. Assemble cabinet and drawer. Set the drawer and the door to the side. Do not add handles.
2. Add a thin layer of 100% silicone to all corners and joints.
3. Add Spanish Cedar panels to all inner sides.
4. Add front shelf L-shaped brackets.
-Use smaller pieces as braces under each floating bracket.
5. Add side shelf brackets.
-Add braces under each side piece in corners of cabinet for support.
6. Remove glass from door and store in safe place.
*Steps 7-12 are optional.*
7. *Paint outside of cabinet, door, drawer, and handles.
8. *Apply sealant
9. *Etch/Vinyl glass with personalized message.
10. *Add any needed metal bracket supports to cabinet, door, and drawer.
11. *Add lock.
12. *Add recessed outlet to back of cabinet.
13. Add silicone to the door frame where glass sits.
14. Replace glass.
15. Add lights to the inside of the cabinet.
16. Attach handles back to drawer and door.
17. Attached the door and insert drawer.
18. Add weather stripping around the door.
19. Season cabinet and trays with distilled water.
20. Add trays on top of brackets.
21. Place humidifers.
22. Place your hygrometers. 23. Allow humidor to get to the right humidity and temperature.
-Keeping a temperature of 70°F and an RH of 70%.
24. Add cigars.
*OPTIONAL*
Links to Supplies
4ft Cabinet: https://amzn.to/40q1fv3
3ft Cabinet: https://amzn.to/3LCafcl
Bluetooth Hygrometer 2 pk: https://amzn.to/3JYMfii
Spanish Cedar: https://amzn.to/3TvGg7X
Door Activated LED Lights: https://amzn.to/3nf7xz9
Recessed Power Strip: https://amzn.to/3ZbXLep
Digital Hygrometer 1: https://amzn.to/3n9DFV9
Digital Hygrometer 2: https://amzn.to/407QFsK
Humidifier: https://amzn.to/404A7SE
Combo Lock: https://amzn.to/4069758
Spanish Cedar 12.5" Trays: https://amzn.to/3TyFfMa
Spanish Cedar 12" Trays: https://www.ebay.com/itm/123833510677?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=zykDJJOMRke&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=j7z1ym_lsbu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
LWM204 1-1/4 in. x 1-1/4 in. Hemlock Wood Outside Corner Moulding https://www.homedepot.com/p/Builder-s-Choice-LWM204-1-1-4-in-x-1-1-4-in-Hemlock-Wood-Outside-Corner-Moulding-HDH204/203364680
Oak Screen Moulding https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-4-in-x-3-4-in-Oak-Screen-Molding-HDO142/203364760
Gorilla Construction Adhesive: https://amzn.to/3yXjU5S
100% Silicone: https://amzn.to/3yXOTyy
Flat L Bracket: https://amzn.to/3lqAJmx
L Bracket: https://amzn.to/3JV4J3g
Flat Plate Connector: https://amzn.to/3JDlzlK
Chalk Paint Aged Grey: https://amzn.to/3LH3hmd
Polycrylic: https://amzn.to/3JDo1IS
Weather Stripping: https://amzn.to/40p13ft
Im not a woodworker nor an expert builder. I do this for fun.
And It Is What It Is!
YouTube video https://youtu.be/nAy-KMjk-8I
Comments
Post a Comment