Curing Chamber...simple or complex?

[Arbitrage]

So, I have been harvesting leaves for a few weeks now and hanging to color cure. So far, everything is going well. My original plan, after color curing was to just put the leaves outa site/mind for a year and let them cure naturally. However, my neighbor happened to mention to me that he had an apartment sized freezer he was giving away from free. The thought entered my mind to take advantage of this and assemble a curing chamber.

From what I have seen, the simplest way would to just use a crock pot in there to bring up temp and humidity. A more complex way would be to have a heat source such as a ceramic heater and a separate humidity source with a digital control unit to dial the variables to ~125F and ~70% humidity. Not sure if I want to go to all that work however.

So, if I just use a crock pot and target temperature primarily, my question is, can I get close to an appropriate humidity level and how important is it to hit these ideal numbers? Could I risk ruining the entire batch? Thanks...thoughts and experiences are appreciated.

 

[deluxestogie]

Belated welcome to the forum, @Arbitrage. You may wish to scan through the topics in our Index of Key Forum Threads, linked in the menu bar.

Color-curing is usually performed in ambient temps and ambient humidity, until the leaf is well colored (brown). Kilning (123-128°F x 4 to 6 weeks) is then used to accelerate the subsequent aging process.

Could I risk ruining the entire batch?

Always a risk with any method.

As for kilning with just a Crockpot containing water, and controlled by temp alone, that usually works well. Below 123°, you risk vegetative mold growth. Above about 130° you can end up with leaf that has a slightly burnt aroma.

For flue-cured tobacco, read the content linked in our Index of Key Forum Threads.

Bob

 

[PressuredLeaf]

To me the easiest way is a heat source (like your crock pot) and an ultrasonic humidifier. Then add in a heat controller and humidity controller and you will have a very nice chamber.

You could probably get away with just a crock pot, but if humidity gets too high you risk ruining everything with mold. Going slightly over on the heating is less of a concern, but to much humidity at the wrong temp turns your curing chamber into mold Goldilocks zone.

Investing in separate heating and humidity controllers is worth it IMO.

https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Max-1200W-Temperature-Controller-Greenhouse/dp/B01HXM5UAC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=P3ELAR43L60M&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kT9TW6r4XGYRi4iasaw_UkOEYRZJo66lmfZWmaqCyk4pX6Av4ubsmB0ABc8qPpNdlNW--YwkKyZhEbRZFHBG-_Ltt3AqXl_v4mkffqMXXsQcLZenIDUs__MFLYfU8vn5THiJ46urL90Ukio7KBTxszI7w_MZk0NoAb9yqaIMu8uIe7HWivDTO84WQLHJzCp_eRaVKBhR3fPFiDWbigOcog.kNYDs62GtKGXCDGP6ET-b6WxGTUC_eD2Gc4_N4x_Duw&dib_tag=se&keywords=heat+controller&qid=1753725661&sprefix=heat+controller%2Caps%2C176&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Humidity-Controller-Inkbird-Humidistat-Pre-wired/dp/B01J1E5LWM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=PQCVRQQ9PYI5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fk39Wwf1MUDXg4Oz9O299TkoCy2_z2Dfr-zkqD5EOfDbaJJA8_BVdzeZQE4uQsy9cUzOhoZnDUz84pawehftzGyqL5G72p2FO5Lh5FKN7IBulD3zZjVZ1tDa4C-OXjtjrjHJif2MH8bQqn-1rHmI18bjtCfXxSbtMvtLMBY0y2XyN7YjCMbrd7OKHIO_2SnzI8icfQo4tkP71Po5p8CNPg.6VgrjolmZKZkg4qMNCJSRsK-lOzupYxNFU8zfQWPj9s&dib_tag=se&keywords=humidity+controller&qid=1753725705&sprefix=humidity+controller%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-3

I have had both these inkbird units for years and they work very well.


Oh, you should probably get a small fan too to keep the air homogeneous and circulating.

 

[Arbitrage]

OK...thanks for the feedback. What do y'all think of this shopping list? Keep in mind these are Canadian dollar prices.

 

[adamziegler]

My first kiln had a pond grade ultrasonic mist maker to keep humidity up. I learned several years ago that I can get the RH high enough without it. I'm not tryin to disuade you from getting it, but if your water source is warm it can also keep humidity high.

 

[vktr]

I just bought an Inkbird ITC-308 thermostat and an Exo Terra Heat Mat for heating, seemingly it can produce 50+C. Not a big deal, just above a hundred of Canadian bucks and these things can be used for other purposes as well. The prospected container is a plastic Coleman cooler, it's rather small but I'll start with that. Humidity control will be manual, I'll put some wet kitchen towels in and a hygrometer. We'll see how it goes. Edit: ventilation: I won't close the lid completely because of the wire going in plus I'll be checking it regularly by opening the lid. Hope it makes sense.

 

[Hemlock]

So, I have been harvesting leaves for a few weeks now and hanging to color cure. So far, everything is going well. My original plan, after color curing was to just put the leaves outa site/mind for a year and let them cure naturally. However, my neighbor happened to mention to me that he had an apartment sized freezer he was giving away from free. The thought entered my mind to take advantage of this and assemble a curing chamber.

From what I have seen, the simplest way would to just use a crock pot in there to bring up temp and humidity. A more complex way would be to have a heat source such as a ceramic heater and a separate humidity source with a digital control unit to dial the variables to ~125F and ~70% humidity. Not sure if I want to go to all that work however.

So, if I just use a crock pot and target temperature primarily, my question is, can I get close to an appropriate humidity level and how important is it to hit these ideal numbers? Could I risk ruining the entire batch? Thanks...thoughts and experiences are appreciated.

What varietals are you growing? If you are trying get yellow flue cured results with Virginia, you could do yellowing with crock pot and temp controller. Humidity control will be trial and error lid adjustment and/or cracking the freezer door a hair.

I'm having luck fine tuning my setup which is a small chest freezer. Capacity not huge but have created some perfect (and not so perfect) leaves. Still haven't tackled the 2 foot long biggest leaves on my Virginia Gold though.

 

[Arbitrage]

What varietals are you growing? If you are trying get yellow flue cured results with Virginia, you could do yellowing with crock pot and temp controller. Humidity control will be trial and error lid adjustment and/or cracking the freezer door a hair.

I'm having luck fine tuning my setup which is a small chest freezer. Capacity not huge but have created some perfect (and not so perfect) leaves. Still haven't tackled the 2 foot long biggest leaves on my Virginia Gold though.

I am growing Virginia Bright Leaf, Burley Harrow Velvet and Maryland Catterton. My only goal is to bring them up to 125 degrees and 70% humidity for 4-6 weeks. I have read a little bit about flue curing...165 degrees if I am correct? Are there advantages to flue curing?

 

[deluxestogie]

Are there advantages to flue curing?

Read more about flue-curing. For bright leaf, as is found in cigarettes and in many pipe blends, you have to flue-cure the primed, green leaf. If you simply air-cure a Virginia variety, it more closely resembles most other air-cured leaf. Regardless, for air-cured leaf, don't kiln it until it has fully color-cured in ambient conditions.

Bob

 

[Arbitrage]

Read more about flue-curing. For bright leaf, as is found in cigarettes and in many pipe blends, you have to flue-cure the primed, green leaf. If you simply air-cure a Virginia variety, it more closely resembles most other air-cured leaf. Regardless, for air-cured leaf, don't kiln it until it has fully color-cured in ambient conditions.

Bob

OK, thanks for the intel. Yes, regardless of what I do, they will be well color cured first. Nice big strings of leaves hanging in the barn already!

 

[deluxestogie]

You cannot flue-cure leaf that has already been color-cured. Flue-curing begins with green leaf, and the flue-curing process intentionally prevents it from color-curing.

There are discussions of this in links found in our Index of Key Forum Threads.

Bob

 

[Arbitrage]

You cannot flue-cure leaf that has already been color-cured. Flue-curing begins with green leaf, and the flue-curing process intentionally prevents it from color-curing.

There are discussions of this in links found in our Index of Key Forum Threads.

Bob

ah...I see! Given this is year one for me I am bound to make some mistakes. So, if I hear you correctly, now that I am color curing the virginia's, they will end up being less distinct/not reaching their full potential. Considering a week ago I wasn't planning on doing any method of fermenting/curing I will be happy with what I get.
I asked GROK to briefly describe flue curing to me and this is what it spit out. At this point, this is beyond my ability / time availability so for now I will be happy. The very fact alone that I am growing tobacco has caused so many conversations with friends/family/co-workers...it has been a lot of fun.

 

[deluxestogie]

GROK is incorrect. All of the correct information is on this forum. All you have to do is actually read it.

Bob

 

[Arbitrage]

GROK is incorrect. All of the correct information is on this forum. All you have to do is actually read it.

Bob

thanks...will do.

 

[vktr]

I just bought an Inkbird ITC-308 thermostat and an Exo Terra Heat Mat for heating, seemingly it can produce 50+C

Exo Terra Heat Mat stuck at 31.4C. Ordered this instead, 100W vs 16W, this should work. The thermostat is cool BTW.

 

[vktr]

A ventilation question: should I place a small fan inside the chamber to distribute the heat within, or make a hole in it for the fan to blow the hot air out or outside air in?

 

[Knucklehead]

A ventilation question: should I place a small fan inside the chamber to distribute the heat within, or make a hole in it for the fan to blow the hot air out or outside air in?

A circulating fan is fine for kilning. For flue curing, which starts with green leaf, you will need a vent for the excess moisture.

 

[vktr]

Exo Terra Heat Mat stuck at 31.4C. Ordered this instead, 100W vs 16W, this should work.

That was good but didn't last long... The question is: how to protect the plastic cord connected to a heat bulb socket from the temperatures generated by the said bulb?

 

[deluxestogie]

Design Engineering Cool Tube Extreme - 1.25in ID x 36in - Silver - Rigid Heat Protection for Wires, Lines and Cables

Bob

 

[vktr]

Arbitrage, sorry for hijacking your thread but there's no point of opening a new one. This is my setup. All is good except for humidity, I have to sprinkle the leaves a couple of times a day because they get very dry. The paper towels in the water bowl are not enough. Next will try sponges to increase water trickling into the air. Any other suggestions? I've found out it's tricky to maintain humidity in a small box.