Go ahead and add the beads, skip the puck for now. Let it sit with your hygrometer for a few days. If it stabilizes you are good to go. Just add your smokes. Humidity may spike for few days after adding cigars, but the beads should stabilize things. Be sure that only about 2/3 of you beads are clear so they can absorb any excess humidity. :-)
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For those of you who use beads -

I picked up some HF 65% beads last week and threw them into my humidor. I was using PG solution prior to this.

Long story short, 2 days later my humidity was at 59%. Thinking perhaps it was my digital hygro that is built into the humidor (no calibration) I went out and bought another digi and calibrated it. It read 60%.

Took out the beads, put back in my PG and over the next day or so it went back up to 68% which is where it was typically staying....

Question is, what do you think in regards to the beads? Perhaps I have a error and received the 60% instead? I did some looking and noticed that I do have a gap in my seal... But why was the PG holding steady?

Over the weekend I went out and bought some aquarium sealant and sealed off around the hygro, glass top and around the seal of the humi with saran wrap to stop it from catching on both sides of the lid, left it open for two days to let the smell leave and now in the middle of re-seasoning.

Trying to debate if I should fire off an email sooner than later to HF industries saying the beads are registering 60% or, if the better portion of you feel it is because of the leaking.

Thoughts?

In regards to the seasoning w/ wipe down. I did this a couple months ago when I received the humidor (directions told me to) and had no ill effects. This time though I decided to not wipe down and just place the bowl in the humi....

My tupperdor though is set up and holding steady. I do not think it has left 70-71% since they went in on Friday!

Final point I want to make is/question - ever since I started buying cigars for keeping them I have picked up OCD... I check them regularly hahaha.. I looked at one last night - at 70% humidity, should you hear a slight crunching noise? I know at 60% I could hear it, and personally I didn't like the taste/burn, but could have been the cigar as well... I have a second one I am wanting to try to see what the difference is in 60% vs 70%, but to me it tasted like burning leaves at 59-60%
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I assume that the crunching noise is when you are smoking the cigar or rolling it in your hand. Ordinarily, I would say that the cigar is dry, but unless I held the cigar I could not say for certain. If the cigar was in your tupperdor (I am assuming since you said 70%) for a short time, then I would say that the cigar was dry and has not had enough time to absorb the right level of humidity.

For the beads, it is possible (maybe even likely) that the humidor is too dry. The PG solution is likely keeping the air 'wet' but the beads are passive, so likely the true reading of your humidor is coming through.

Place a shot glass of distilled water in the humidor and see how things go for a week or more. If you have room to use a wider vessel, use that. Using a sponge is also good, but you have to be careful that it doesn't have any mold, cleaners, etc. in it.

You can also do a salt test like you do for calibration. Put the salt and water solution in a tupperware container with a hygrometer. Wait 24 hours for all to stabilize. Now add the beads and see what happens. You should see the humidity trying to move to the set point of the beads. Check every hour or two for at least 6-10 hours and run the test for at least 24 hours. If the humidity is diving way low, then you may have gotten beads with the wrong set point and thus should contact the vendor to see about instructions for resetting the point.
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The salt test will not damage the beads in any way?
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No. You are not putting the salt on the beads, merely placing them in a container with water saturated salt. The salt mixture should be at 70% after a while (can take a day or so). Personally, I would put the mixture in a sealed container in the evening and begin testing in the morning.
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Another question regarding seasoning

Reseasoned my humidor over the last 8 days and have a reading of 69% which it has stayed at for two days now.

Is this considered seasoned even though it has not broke 70%?

I am in ontario so it is not the most humid area at the moment. Last week I think it was sitting at about 35% when I had the lid open on the humidor to let the sealant cure.
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There is no difference between 69 & 70% in this situation, imo. Sounds like it's steady and ready to load up so go for it!
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Looked this morning with another hygrometer place at the bottom of my humi and it is reading 65%.... Not a big humidor (50ct and only like 4" deep)

I am going to confirm the hygrometer and salt test it for a third time this evening.
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I am getting a bit frustrated now with this seasoning thing.

I am blaming it on some leaks which angers me that much more that such a pos was sold to me after specifically explaining what I was after.

Took out the water and within 4 hrs it is down to about 62%.

This is after 9 days of re-seasoning and was reading 69-70% for the last two days.

This weekend I am going to seal all joints inside and outside with the sealant and also pick up some foam gasket for around the edge. Then do the seasoning all over again.

Angers me when I spend 150.00 for a piece of crap 50ct humidor, when if mentioned easily would have spent another 50.00 for no hassle. How much does a decent one cost online? Would be interested now in a 100-200 count. I may just go that route and use a cooler for the time being....

/end rant.
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IMHO Painters tape is better than foam tape for the edge.
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For sealing the seams make sure you get odorless food grade silicone, you can usually find it at wood working places, home depot, lowes, etc.,
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Aquarium grade silicone will also work and might be easier to find.
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Hopefully, you can fix your humidor. It's possible the humidor sealed pretty well when built/assembled. When humidity was added maybe things moved/changed.

In the event that you want something a little higher quality, you may want to contact waxingmoon. He routinely posts pics of his humidors. Just scroll through the accessories forum for his posts or check out his website for more. No idea what they cost and I don't have one. I just know quality when I see it. :-)

http://www.waxingmoonhumidors.com/
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http://www.waxingmoonhumidors.com/

also (athough they are cabinets and not small desktops):

http://www.aristocrathumidors.com/
http://www.avallohumidors.com/
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Aristocrat makes desktop humidors as well.
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Update - I went out and tried the painters tape and now have a solid seal (so it seams- pun intended)

Now have to use two hands to open it, but I don't think I have to worry about a leak anymore!! Hehe

I'm thinking after a month or so it will compress a bit and will get easier to open.

Wish I went with the painters tape from day 1. Took me a solid 40 minutes to cut and sand the silicone bead out I made to seal it.
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Question about this procedure ... 7-14 days is a big window.. What is the criteria for being done within that time frame.. For example, after 7 days if the humidity is above xx%? Or something like that
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It's not an exact science. give it 10 days. Make sure you have calibrated your hygrometer. After 10 days, go ahead and load her up. RH will drop due to the cigars sucking up some moisture.

What method will you be using to maintain your desired RH?
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That's what I was thinking.. Shoot for the middle... I've already hit 79% humidity. I have a caliber 4r that is right on the money.. This is a new humidor.. My previous humidor I seasoned to 70% and let it hold for 24 hours.. No problems with it but just wanted to try this method.

I will be using 70% beads from CHeaphumidors.
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As long as you are happy with 70% RH, you're good to go.

Many, like me, prefer 63-65%. All that matters is if you are happy with how your cigars are smoking.
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