Zarges aluminum cases

[SignalJoe]

1 hour ago, BEVOSREVENGE said:

@SignalJoe  As you know I am beyond help but also have plenty to share including some you really liked.

I can also take solace in the fact that my hoarding pales in comparison to some of the other folks on this board.

I only point out your sickness because I am compulsively following in your footsteps.  Perhaps we will both end up on the same episode of "Hoarders."  We can celebrate our cable TV debuts by getting together for a smoke!  

[Nino]

My friends and I have been using Zarges boxes for ages here to great results.

Here is a link to my set-up and storing conditions for the Zarges boxes :
 

 

[PhilB]

Those are gorgeous. @nino, they seem to have many models.  What series are those?

[BMWBen]

On 8/2/2017 at 10:31 PM, Mattb82 said:

Do they have any type of smell when new? I've struggled for months getting the smell out of cooladors and a wineador. If these come with no smell or fuss I'm in 

A mix of distilled white vinegar and baking soda has always done the trick for me, mix it and wipe over the interior, let it sit for ~15 mins then rinse and there is no plastic smell at all afterwords 

[PapaDisco]

On 8/4/2017 at 2:23 AM, BEVOSREVENGE said:

I think I have about 6 in each maybe a couple more.  I have not had to recharge or replace yet.  Think I've had them for about 6 months.

Yeah, Bovedas in something with a good seal will last forever.  Check the first 6 months (in case a new box you put in was dry and sucked up the moisture), and if they're still squishy then you can ignore for the next 2-3 years.

Looks like they hold a lot, and the square dimensions are helpful in this regard (as opposed to tupperdores that taper to the bottom).  How many dress boxes of Churchills or cabs of robustos would you estimate one would hold?  Lovely solution for serious LT aging!  

[BEVOSREVENGE]

On 8/7/2017 at 2:08 AM, PapaDisco said:

How many dress boxes of Churchills or cabs of robustos would you estimate one would hold?

I use the model 40836 which has internal dimensions of 21.7" x 21.7" x 22.8".  Although I have not counted boxes, I would guess I have around 130 (mix of dress, SLBs of 25 10 and 50).  One container holds nothing but SLBs and there are a lot in there.  The other is a combination of SLBs and dress boxes.  

Will try to count them up in the near future and report back.

[Ohhey!itskev]

And here I was thinking I was a badass for filling up my one small winador

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

[Cigarjerk]

Hi, I am using several Zarges boxes of the type K470. I am very satisfied with them.  When you receive new boxes there is always a bit oil remaining from production process on the aluminium. I use ethanol/alcohol from a drugstore to clean them. I clean them twice and then I let them open for a week to get the oily smell out of them. It works fine. I love them.

[BatFastard]

G'day good people!

Wondering if anyone can share feedback regarding long term storage in these cases and their overall experience with them?

Thanks!

[Nocoins]

They are excellent, and I owe mine to Nino’s posts. I have stored my boxes in these cases for about a decade now, in a temperature controlled cellar as he did, with Boveda packs and a fan. They are stable as can be, and the cigars stay in perfect condition. 

[Fugu]

I know, Nino loved his. There are way cheaper knock-off versions out there. While, sure, Zarges is the gold standard. They are perfect when you go on expedition to Antarctica, but for simple cigar storage...overkill. And in a temperature non-stabilised storage they aren’t even the best for doing the job.

[jazzboypro]

Apart from the looks (not important in my case due to location) do they do a better job than a marine coolers?

[BatFastard]

5 hours ago, Fugu said:

I know, Nino loved his. There are way cheaper knock-off versions out there. While, sure, Zarges is the gold standard. They are perfect when you go on expedition to Antarctica, but for simple cigar storage...overkill. And in a temperature non-stabilised storage they aren’t even the best for doing the job.

I guess this is ultimately the feedback I was looking for. How does the ambient temperature affect the temperature inside the case? 

[Fugu]

12 hours ago, BatFastard said:

I guess this is ultimately the feedback I was looking for. How does the ambient temperature affect the temperature inside the case? 

Well look, they are made from aluminium sheet and come without any insulation. Plus, aluminium has a comparatively large thermal conductivity. There’s simpler and cheaper options to just achieve a dark and airtight storage... If you’re aiming at going that route, that is - not an actively climate-controlled cabinet or walk-in - then an insulated-box option, like @jazzboypro says, such as a marine cooler / ‘coolerdor’, will be - from a purely functional standpoint - the better solution. Even a simple foam transport box like is being used in the caterer industry will do the job. Those are even food-grade and odour-free. Containers of such insulated type will vastly dampen any possible short-term temperature swings the storage room might be subjected to. And in turn, the humidity issues attached to it. Non-insulated metal boxes demand a comparatively stable storage environment.

[Nocoins]

13 hours ago, jazzboypro said:

Apart from the looks (not important in my case due to location) do they do a better job than a marine coolers?

One thing I considered when I bought my first case was the difference between the internal and external dimensions of marine coolers, which like any coolers, can have considerably smaller internal dimensions due to the insulation. Not so with Zarges cases. As for how the seals compare, I don't know, but I do know that I've never found a dried out Boveda pack in my cases. My cellar barely fluctuates in temperature or humidity, and even as the seasons change, it's very gradual, so the lack of insulation is not important to me.  

[jazzboypro]

7 hours ago, Nocoins said:

One thing I considered when I bought my first case was the difference between the internal and external dimensions of marine coolers, which like any coolers, can have considerably smaller internal dimensions due to the insulation. Not so with Zarges cases. As for how the seals compare, I don't know, but I do know that I've never found a dried out Boveda pack in my cases. My cellar barely fluctuates in temperature or humidity, and even as the seasons change, it's very gradual, so the lack of insulation is not important to me.

Good to know, the lack of insulation might be a concern in my case.

[BatFastard]

Great information from all. Thank you!