Rebuilding an Ice box into a humidor

S

Scud

Hairy Knuckle Dragger
I've seen a few of the conversions and my only concern is lining the unit. The ice box I'm looking at is in great shape, but I will need to rebuild the guts and am wondering if a wood, other than spanish cedar, can be used as a lining. The ice box is expensive and don't know if I want to double the price if only spanish cedar can be used. It's a big unit...4 feet wide, 2 feet deep, 4 1/2 feet tall with 4 doors and a space on the bottom where the water would drain to for the humidification unit. :tu My wife saw it and thinks it would be great, as long as it's not too expensive.
 
The only other wood I have heard is good is mahogany, but I don't know if that is correct from my own experience. As for the Spanish Cedar, try ebay. I got a bunch of it there and was quite satisfied, at about half the price my local exotic woods dealer wanted at the time. But beware, what I hear is that Spanish Cedar prices have recently shot up, due to a tax that will probably affect mahogany just as much.

Of course. almost as good but nowhere near as luxurious as Spanish Cedar is get it pretty close to airtight and stock it with plenty of beads.
 
I recommend the Spanish cedar. Don't short change yourself. At the end you're run into problems and won't be happy.
 
I converted one over a year ago and gutted the box. It had galvanized steel covering a cardboard insulation. I had to do this because water had got behind the steel over the years and caused a funk/smell and lite mold.

It cost under $300 for the wood to line the box but I could not be happier. It holds humidity, seals like a drum and really looks nice.

PM me if you have any questions or want me to email pictures. I do not want to thread jack.
 
Just remember to wear a dust mask when sanding the cedar because everything still smells like cedar from the last project I did. :ss

Check out the thinner stuff but I would go Spanish cedar.

Chas
 
I have been looking into building a large humidor. You can use Mahogany. However, it does not have the Tobacco Bug Repeling Aroma of the Spanish Cedar. Here is a good link.

Humi : has a lot of good info on wood you can use. Good luck. Post some pics too. :tu
 
I agree, use a laminate. Some oak or maybe plywood with a cedar lining.

...and Simplified's humi is awesome. I ended up losing the auction for the one I wanted to build.
 
I did a smaller unit then you are looking at. I know you can buy spanish cedar veneer plywood. I used 3/8" tongue & groove spanish cedar, only because I got a great deal on it.

If you have questions about the build PM me and I'll see if I can help.
 
Mtmouse said:
I did a smaller unit then you are looking at. I know you can buy spanish cedar veneer plywood. I used 3/8" tongue & groove spanish cedar, only because I got a great deal on it.

If you have questions about the build PM me and I'll see if I can help.
Click to expand...

Very nice work!
 
Mtmouse said:
I did a smaller unit then you are looking at. I know you can buy spanish cedar veneer plywood. I used 3/8" tongue & groove spanish cedar, only because I got a great deal on it.

If you have questions about the build PM me and I'll see if I can help.
Click to expand...


Tim, I've loved your conversion since you began the project. :tu

Joeybear/Scud
 
ChasDen said:
Just remember to wear a dust mask when sanding the cedar because everything still smells like cedar from the last project I did.

Chas
Click to expand...


I also saw something written up somewhere about the dust of Spanish cedar being an irritant that you should never breathe in. I would follow that advice, and use a mask when cutting it or drilling it.
 
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