Refinishing An Old Humidor?

[LazyLightning]

Hi friends,
Is there any special procedure that needs to be done when doing some refinishing on a humidor? My wife knows someone who has one that used to be their dad's, and is just sitting collecting dust. She told her the top and one side are a bit worn, but otherwise fine. I have not seen it yet, and know there are other issues that need to be looked at such as if it has any mold in it, if it has a good seal, etc... If it is something that can be worked with though and she isn't asking some insane price for it, is refinishing it straight forward?(I am thinking a light sanding with progressively higher grit sandpaper and a coat of stain) Is there anything I need to consider/do differently with it being a humidor so I don't ruin it?

Thanks in advance
Chris

BTW-Hope I posted this in the right section, I wasn't sure since it's a resto question.

[piperdown]

Look it over for cracks, how well the lid seals, if it's Spanish cedar lined. Look for evidence of mold or mildew. If it looks decent and doesn't cost that much then I'd go ahead and lightly sand it and apply a quality stain (not the stain/poly mix). Usually 2 coats are enough, then follow up with a coat of poly to protect the finish.
Even if there is no evidence of mold or mildew I'd wipe it out with a neutral grain spirit such as vodka or everclear and let it dry on it's own.

Then check out http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/cigar-accessory-discussion/herf-turf-seasons-humidor-1205.html and follow the instructions. If you have any issues with sealing there are ways to address this (weather stripping) to get a tight seal.

[Nature]

Eric about covered everything. Use caution when sanding. Depending upon the construction, it may be just a thin cosmetic veneer on the exterior. These are easy to sand through if too aggressive, especially on the corners and edges. I would begin with a 220 grit paper and see if that is enough. If not, I wouldn't go below about a 180 or so. Sometimes a few scratches are less of a problem than sanding through the veneer. I wouldn't be too concerned with sanding all the way to bare wood. If you choose a similar color stain, or darker, it should cover most imperfections in the old finish and just a light surface sanding should be enough. How old is this humidor? If it is an antique old time varnish, a different process may be in order.

If there is not a good seal at first, depending upon how dry it is, sometimes the wood will swell with the seasoning process tightening things up.

[omahaorange]

These guys gave some good advice and I can't add much. I would say, depending on the wear you note, if it's not too bad, leave the finish alone. On an older piece of furniture, you can actually lessen the value by cleaning and refinishing. The wear adds character and charm to an older piece. By all means take care of the inside.

[LazyLightning]

Thanks for the advice everyone, she is gonna find out tomorrow how much she wants for it and get a pic so I can see if it's even worth the time and or money.

As far as age, I can't say for sure, hopefully I will have more info on it when she gets to work in the morning.

Again thanks, for the advice
Especially the tip on using everclear to wipe down the inside. I have plenty as I use it for pipe cleaning, so good to know it can be used for this also.

[WNYTONY]

Where does one buy this miracle Everclear ?

[allusred]

Where does one buy this miracle Everclear ?

WNYTONY,
Most Everwher.
*
*
*
Edit: Add on.
It's what the innocent Teenage Girls are drinking, when they're just having "a glass of Orange Juice."
Just don't let the Oldies know.

[piperdown]

Where does one buy this miracle Everclear ?

Liquor stores carry it. It used to be that some States only had the 151 proof, which still works fine. I can get it here at 190 proof.
It's basically a straight grain alcohol with absolutely no flavor whatsoever.

[WNYTONY]

Liquor stores carry it. It used to be that some States only had the 151 proof, which still works fine. I can get it here at 190 proof.
It's basically a straight grain alcohol with absolutely no flavor whatsoever.Thanks for the info. I keep seeing it mentioned for everything from mold to now pipe cleaning. Since I've never seen it and considering some of the folks that mention it LOL I was assuming it was a moonshine or something. Good to know it's a legal product !

[LazyLightning]

Thanks for the info. I keep seeing it mentioned for everything from mold to now pipe cleaning. Since I've never seen it and considering some of the folks that mention it LOL I was assuming it was a moonshine or something. Good to know it's a legal product !

It works amazing on pipes, cuts through the gunk in seconds.

Just be aware if it gets on the outside stain dab it off (don't wipe) asap, it will take stain off quickly if not careful.

[LazyLightning]

Quick update,
It was a Edit 50 count not 100 humidor, and it was in REALLY rough shape. More so then I feel would be worth the time invested. There was a warp in the lid also, which I honestly don't think would hold a seal at all. On top of it all she wanted way to much for it. I could almost buy a brand new one for what she wanted.

Still thanks for the info, I will at least know what to do in the event I ever stumble across one worth the effort.

[jhedrick83]

Quick update,
It was a Edit 50 count not 100 humidor, and it was in REALLY rough shape. More so then I feel would be worth the time invested. There was a warp in the lid also, which I honestly don't think would hold a seal at all. On top of it all she wanted way to much for it. I could almost buy a brand new one for what she wanted.

Still thanks for the info, I will at least know what to do in the event I ever stumble across one worth the effort.

That's a shame. You know, there is also always the option of re-purposing another piece of furniture if you are decently handy. Small cabinets, gun cabinets, small chests/footlockers, etc. I did a Gun cabinet I found on craigslist about 5 years ago. You can get spanish cedar online and if you already know the dimensions you need some places will even cut it to size for you before shipping. That way when you line it yourself you can ensure a good seal too.

[piperdown]

That's a shame. You know, there is also always the option of re-purposing another piece of furniture if you are decently handy. Small cabinets, gun cabinets, small chests/footlockers, etc. I did a Gun cabinet I found on craigslist about 5 years ago. You can get spanish cedar online and if you already know the dimensions you need some places will even cut it to size for you before shipping. That way when you line it yourself you can ensure a good seal too.


Yeah, that's too bad it wasn't taken care of better.
Jesse makes a good point. Craigslist has lots of furniture that can be repurposed into a humidor on the cheap. I've seen quite a few examples. Can't remember who but one of the guys took one of those big china hutches and converted it into a humidor. IIRC he picked it up for $25 because the family was moving and they didn't want to take it with them. It was a solid wood plank cabinet that weighed a ton but was in great shape. Spent about $400 redoing it and it held ~ 30 boxes or so.