I pulled the trigger on a 34-bottle Frigidaire wine cooler. Now I need to decide how to make the best use of it. I'm a 1-2 cigar a week type and enjoy trying new things while keeping a few favorites on hand.


OPTION 1: Full Cigar Conversion
Hopefully Shilala will share his wisdom on this one. Although having the whole fridge for cigars is a lot more stock than I need to have on-hand. I'm one of the few that doesn't mind paying the B&M for a stick or two and enjoying the lounge.

Additions:
- Circulation fans $$
- Shelves (unsure of wood or plastic, not drawers) $$
- 2 lbs of beads minimum $$ (pull 1/2 lb from cooler)


OPTION 2: Cigar & Wine Fridge
Basic thought is to remove the upper wine racks and replace with a sturdy plastic/metal shelf or two that will hold humidors. I already have a 100-ct box that's a blem, and it won't mind being in the fridge. Would probably just need another similar sized box.

Additions:
- Second humidor (have beads to use and hygro) $$
- Shelves (unsure of wood or metal) $$


I don't have all the $$$ trades figured out at this point. Just looking for opinions on what folks might do.
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Unless you can totally isolate the 2, mixing wine and cigars in the same fridge is not a good idea.

Chas
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I guess I would ask how much and what kind of wine you are looking to store. And do you have any alternatives for the wine.

For wood shelves you can order 1/4" x 4 x 36 planks from Woodcraft.com. Just cut these to length for shelves, two pieces per shelf is fine and gives you room between the pieces for air circulation.

Fans- I have two Oust fans in each of my Vino's and honestly I dont think they do a whole lot. I dont really pay much attention to the difference in Rh from top to bottom, I trust the beads to do their thing and my cigars smoke just fine from wherever I pull them. I like the idea of using computer fans mounted in a box or on a piece of wood, but that involves running wires through the vent and setting up a timer.

Beads-Two pounds is more than adequate

No problem putting the humi in the cooler, but unless you have a dual zone cooler storing both might be problematic. Most wines like it cooler that the 65-66 degree range where you would store your smokes. If I had a case of Sterling Oak Cab I would pull the smokes and put them in a cooler after freezing, then use the wine cooler as it was meant. :-)
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I would be storing red wines. Nothing fancy, jus the day to day sort of things.

Chas - is this something of a breathing cigars versus breathing wine bottle concern?
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The cigars and the cedar will give off an aroma the cork will absorb. Short term I don't know, might be OK, but long term I would not consider it. The wine could get tainted.

Chas
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That is interesting to know, never heard it before but sure makes good sense.
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10% off coupon. Can be used for other items as well, not just this wine cooler.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...stln4&drd=drd7
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As long as that's the thermoelectric model - shove your smokes in your humi/box with a few beads and go on about your day.


Not to discount your theory - but - wines are commonly stored in musty dank moldy root cellars, basements, etc etc with no ill effects - so I doubt being stored with a little cedar is going to affect them. Most bottles now days have either a wax or foil seal over them. In addition I would have to guess that the out gassing/venting/evaporation of the wine would be more than enough to overcome any aroma absorption from cedar to cork.


Not directed at anybody - just a general observation - but I think sometimes we tend to over think, over analyze, over complicated this business of keeping cigars.


Ron
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If the consensus is that this is a good cooler for Cigar Storage, I will buy one today. What does everyone think? Is it worth it to save $100 to not use a Vino Temp?
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A caution to some, this is a compressor model, not a thermoelectric. You can tell most compressor type fridges by the distinctive bottom shelf arrangement needed to accomodate the compressor.

However, given my poor luck with thermoelectric (Haier and Emerson) I'm ready for a change.
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It's a compressor model. But Shilala has proven it to be readily adaptable to reliable cigar storage. I'm optimistic he chimes in with his wisdon.

Yeah the wines I typically buy have foil or wax covering the cork. I would really like this to work out for both, even if it means keeping some boxes of baking soda inside the thing.

My basic fear is putting the money and time into the full conversion only to have the thing go junk on me like other wine fridges have done.
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Ehh - just PM him as he might not see the thread.

Have you had compressor models before or just thermoelectric. I've had two thermo's that crapped which happens due to the fans getting dirty and not cooling enough.

Currently I have a 42 bottle compressor model - but I actually keep wine in it and not smokes.


Ron
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Yeah I PM'd Shilala earlier.

Fridge wise I've just had thermoelectrics. The current one isn't working all that well in terms of stability (it changes temperatures itself) so it's causing me headaches.

Depending upon what I can find out about converting the Frigidaire unit will determine it's application. Granted right now I don't have the immediate need for cooled cigar storage, but I anticipate the need in the next three to six months or so.
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There's a whole conversion thread over at the old place.
You need a couple fans and at least 40 ounces of beads.

Drawers and stuff...
http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/genera...r-drawers.html

How to make a fan (it's not how I did mine, but it would work fine.)
http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/genera...rks-great.html

I make double fans now. Just made one for my frigidaire on the back porch. Keeps the drinks ice cold.
You just have to aim the fan at the back of the unit because the whole back of the unit is the evaporator and that's where condensation occurs.
The fan dries away the condensation and sends it back to the beads, otherwise you end up with drippage and stuff.
And you ABSOLUTELY have to plug the drain.
If you need more pics of how I did mine, or whatever, just give me a shout.
Boobar has one of them, I sold it to him awhile back. You could ask how it's working out for him.
Mine is at 70F and 66%RH right this moment and I've never added or removed a drop of water from it since I built it. :-)
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Hey Scott. Thanks.

Where/How do the wires get routed out of the fridge?

You have any thoughts one way or the other on Option 2?
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On mine, there's a rubber grommet up in the top right back. I routed my wiring through that grommet.
You could alsp use the drain hole and silicone it.
My thoughts on number two pretty much amount to "why in the world would you do that?" :-)
Get Chuck to make you a couple double depth drawers and use the wine racks that come with the unit for your wine.
I don't know why you'd want to drink 68 or 70 degree wine, but if it's just for storage and you'll chill your wine somewhere else, that's cool. :-)
Hope this helps!!! :-)
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If there's anything I ever read on a cigar board that was the God honest truth, that was it right there. :-)

The whole act of keeping humidity and temperature in a sealed vessel is about as complicated as ordering fast food, as well.
I think guys get scared because there is such a HUGE amount of misinformation out there, and a lot from well respected members who are just trying to help the best they can, and it makes things very confusing.
And just like you said, it's not a critical observation at all, just general.
It upsets me cause it really makes it hard on good guys who just wanna have fun. :-)

I can remember the old days when I had to go to the library and actually get books. I'd read ten books and all ten would tell a different method for doing the same thing. It was awful.
Now, at least a guy can go ask the guy who did it, and get it right from the horse. I use the internet constantly for just that purpose.
My friend used to say "you don't ask a banker about advice on a haircut, you ask a barber."
I ask guys questions here all the time. When I need answers on stuff that we don't collectively know, I go find the guy somewhere else who knows and ask him.
It's a good way to go. :-)

If you need anything at all, Russ, just give me a shout.
Lean on Chuck, too. He can make you beautiful drawers that will compliment your wine beautifully. :-)
A couple double deep black fronted drawers with glass tops and chrome handles above your wine would look absolutely gorgeous in that Frigidaire. :-)
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I won't hold honesty against anyone. :-)

I guess I just wanted to have the current humidor be usable versus sitting and collecting dust. I can deal with the Rubbermaid cooler.

I will have to ponder the wine more as I typically keep the wines around 57°F right now for serving. Although most reds serve well at 65°F to 68°F so I might not notice.
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You could use the wine cooler as intended for wine, and put your cigars in a rubbermaid container with beads.
A humi won't work if you put it in there at a low temp. The fridge will dry it out like a popcorn fart because you'll have to leave the drain open.
The fridge will run at or under 40%RH and without an excellent airtight seal, no wooden humi will withstand that for long. Especially if it's not incredibly well made. They're not designed or intended to sit in a refrigerator. It's not what they're for, so that's reason enough not to do it.
It's a long story as to why, but it's not a good idea.
A rubbermaid container would work great, but it'd look ghetto.

Mind ya, I'm coming at you from a $500 budget, which would make a damn good looking piece of equipment that you can look at with pride and smile.
But that's the way I like my stuff.
I don't know you well enough to know what would make you happy, so all I can do is tell you what I'd do.
The reason I suggested you lean on Chuck is because he's got the same sort of perspective on "what looks nice" as I do. He's incredibly anal and wears a tinfoil hat, but he's a craftsman of the highest order and he'll do ya right.

The long story short is that you can keep wine in a cigar fridge that's converted to a humidor, but you can't keep cigars in a wine fridge that's a wine fridge (unless you can make absolutely 100% sure that the humi you put in there will hold, and as I mentioned earlier, a wood one is highly unlikely to withstand the atmosphere, whereas a rubbermaid container would.)
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:-) :-) :-)

THEN WHY CANT THEY GET MY FRIGGING BURGER RIGHT ?????? :-)

Chas

PS Thanks for the rec's
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