How I Became a Custom Humidor Builder
I never planned to become a custom humidor builder—until a casual cigar night sparked something unexpected. It was the fall, a few years back. I was hanging out with two friends I rarely see anymore—both loyal cigar guys. We were smoking and joking when I casually mentioned I had never built a humidor before. That offhand comment would end up launching my first video, my business, and eventually the Majesty Woodworks brand.
From Hobby to Something More
At the time, I had already been building custom furniture for years—but strictly through word of mouth. It started with a few pieces for family, then grew into projects for friends of friends. Someone always knew somebody who needed something. I had been thinking about making it official for a while and already had the name picked out. Majesty Woodworks wasn’t just a random idea—it was in my back pocket, waiting for the right moment. At that point, I didn’t know it yet, but that moment would come through building my first custom humidor.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that my path toward becoming a custom humidor builder was already unfolding.
A Humidor Wasn’t on the Menu
During that cigar night, when I casually mentioned I had never built a humidor, my buddy DaCoda didn’t hesitate. He looked at me and said, “You should build one for me.” It wasn’t a formal commission—just a friendly nudge tossed into the mix. I laughed, said “Sure,” and we moved on to other things. To me, it felt like one of those half-serious ideas people toss out mid-conversation. But for DaCoda, it stuck.
That humidor conversation with DaCoda wasn’t part of some grand business plan—it was just a random comment in passing. But he didn’t forget. A few months later, we crossed paths again and he hit me with, “How about that humidor?” I laughed, mostly because I had completely blown it off. At the time, I didn’t think he was serious—and honestly, I had been buried in other projects.
Still, I told him I’d build it. We talked briefly about what he might want, but even he didn’t have a clear vision. The only direction he gave me was “dark wood and silver accents.” That was enough to get the wheels turning—and unknowingly kick off my journey as a custom humidor builder.
What began as a small-scale side gig in Machesney Park and Rockford soon expanded into full custom furniture builds. Today, I also serve nearby cities like Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee, and Green Bay—bringing handcrafted designs to discerning clients throughout the Midwest.
Turning Ideas Into Action
I’ve built hundreds of boxes over the years—drawers, cabinets, table bases, casework. When you build custom furniture, box construction becomes second nature. But this humidor felt different. Smaller scale. Tighter tolerances. A different kind of precision.
As a custom humidor builder, I had been itching to do a walnut project with aluminum details—something clean, modern, and a little unexpected. This was the perfect excuse. I pictured a dark walnut box with custom aluminum mitre splines. I even made the decision to mill the lid pulls from aluminum—sleek and low-profile, but with a handcrafted edge. Every aluminum detail was milled by hand in the shop, down to the exact fit and finish.
I headed to my hardwood supplier and started digging through their walnut stock. One board jumped out immediately—deep color, beautiful grain, perfect for bookmatching the lid. I brought it home and began milling everything by hand. Every face was jointed and planed to exact thickness. No shortcuts and no pre-milled stock. Just raw boards, a jointer, planer, and a clear vision.
That bookmatched lid, though—an absolute nightmare. The walnut was highly figured and refused to cooperate. I’d get it flat, and by morning, it would twist again. So I went old-school. I hand-planed it flat, only to have it move again hours later. I resurfaced it by hand at least seven or eight times before it finally held. By the time it stayed put, I had just enough material left to finish the lid. It was close—too close—but it worked.
Capturing the Build
Somewhere along the way, I decided to film the build. Not for content. Definitely not for clicks. Just so DaCoda could see I was finally working on his humidor. I shot a few short clips with my phone—nothing fancy—and focused on the parts I thought he’d appreciate. The joinery, the grain alignment, and the hand work.
Once I finished building the box, I asked my daughter to help with editing. She knew her way around video better than I did, and together we stitched the clips into something watchable. It wasn’t polished, but it told the story.
I uploaded the finished video to YouTube—on my personal channel at the time—and sent DaCoda the link a day or two before I delivered the humidor. That was my first ever upload.
Custom humidor build process — from rough lumber to final delivery.
More Than Just a Box
DaCoda isn’t the emotional type. But when I delivered him the masterpiece, it was clear he appreciated it. He said a few words—nothing over the top—but his reaction told me everything I needed to know. Within a few hours, I got a picture message. DaCoda had already set up the humidor, and had it on display in his home.
That could’ve been the end of it. One project for a friend, and then on to the next friend or family member who needed a custom piece. The video I posted on my personal YouTube channel, though, started getting views—more than I expected. Messages rolled in. People weren’t just commenting; they were asking how they could commission a custom humidor.
That single build brought in a wave of custom humidor inquiries. Suddenly, I was getting messages from across the country—people in Seattle, Las Vegas, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Fort Worth asking how to commission their own custom humidors. What started out as a custom furniture side gig had now evolved into a full-time business focused on bespoke furnishings and heirloom cigar boxes.
The Birth of Majesty Woodworks
As the inquiries kept coming in, I realized it was time to go all in. I filed for my D/B/A, launched the Majesty Woodworks brand, and started building out the full platform—YouTube, website, social media, everything. That original humidor video laid the groundwork for everything that followed.
Eventually, I reposted the video to the new Majesty Woodworks YouTube channel. It didn’t go viral, but it didn’t need to. It brought in serious clients—people who appreciated craftsmanship and wanted something built just for them.
The YouTube Setback
Earlier this year, YouTube wrongfully terminated my channel without warning or explanation. At the time, I had been consistently uploading videos to support my work as a custom furniture maker—project walkthroughs, build highlights, and behind-the-scenes clips. Overnight, everything disappeared.
The loss hit hard. I had poured time and energy into growing that channel. The channel wasn’t huge by any imagination. Still, I didn’t stop building. I fulfilled orders, filmed what I could, and stayed focused on my clients. Behind the scenes, though, it was a different story.
I spent countless hours battling YouTube and navigating a broken support system. It wasn’t just frustrating—it was exhausting. After months of pressure, YouTube finally admitted their mistake and reinstated the channel.
The damage was real—but it never stopped me from doing what I love. The work never paused, and neither did I.
One Humidor. A Thousand Doors
That one conversation over cigars turned into something much bigger. Today, I work with clients across the country to create handcrafted, heirloom-quality cigar boxes and humidors—built to order, built to last, and backed by the same craftsmanship that started it all. I have built a number of humidors since then, and my custom Humidor Collection has a pretty impressive sample.
What began as a one-off favor has become something far more meaningful—an ongoing pursuit of quality, detail, and legacy. And I’m just getting started.
The humidor might’ve sparked the journey, but the road took a few unexpected turns. Stay tuned—I’ll be sharing the full story soon about how I lost my YouTube channel, why it mattered, and what it took to get it back.
While I started as a custom furniture builder in Illinois, the journey is far from local now. I’m actively expanding into cities like New York, Miami, Tampa, Dallas, Los Angeles, Honolulu, and Phoenix—bringing heirloom-quality humidors to clients who value craftsmanship and character over mass production.
While you think about how to fill your humidor, check out Rudy’s Cigars in Loves Park, Illinois. Such a quaint environment with great people.
Disclaimer: Names of individuals mentioned on this page have been changed for privacy.
Comments (6)
Hi Chris,
Thanks for putting together all the information on your web site, us mere mortal woodworking wannabes really appreciate it! I’ve been dabbling in the craft for a number of years now, but only as a hobbyists and hope to do more if I ever retire; sort of looking at it as practice now, constantly learning to get better and eventually becoming good at it. Resources like your web site really help with education and inspiration. I found this story about getting into the humidor building particularly intriguing as it is very similar to my story… a night of comradery, a few drinks and someone breaking out some cigars. The conversation eventually turned towards my woodworking hobby and the question “Can you build me a humidor?” from a good friend. The results came out pretty good and I too, added humidors into my repertoire of offerings Don’t make too many these days, haven’t gotten to the point of having a web site and taking custom orders like you, but still play around a little. Biggest question I have right now is in looking to do a larger humidor for a friend from Hawaii, he wants it made of Koa so I’m looking at the prospect of doing some veneer over 1/2″ HDF (High Density Fiberboard rather then MDF) and wanted to see if you had any thoughts/tips/tricks other than saying you don’t like doing that! I prefer the solid wood construction for the carcass, but Koa just too expensive and I’m concerned about stability in a larger box. I have enough Koa I’ve brought back from Hawaii I think I can do a 1/8″ veneer over the HDF and the whole thing. Would love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks,
Bill Current
PB&J Creations
Colorado Springs, CO
Hi Bill,
Thank you for the kind words. I really appreciate you taking the time to write that. Fun fact: I used to live in Colorado Springs.
Sounds like a great project. Frankly, I’m a little surprised your friend from Hawaii wants Koa. I guess I assumed us mainlanders would want Koa, and Hawaiians would want the stuff we have here. Funny how that works.
So, on to the advice. I’m going to speak in general terms here because there are too many variables to cover. Also, keep in mind that I’m probably going to say a few things that some people disagree with. These are just my thoughts and my practices. You mentioned your friend “from” Hawaii. Not sure if this is the right direction or not, but I’m going to provide my thoughts based on your friend actually living there currently since the climates are massively different. I apologize in advance if that is the wrong assumption.
In general, I love the idea of a nice thick veneer like 1/8”. It’s beefy enough that you can treat it like “wood,” and not “veneer.” Veneering requires a totally different skill set (and typically some additional tools) than traditional woodworking. And to some degree, it’s more difficult to finesse. It’s pretty obvious that I rag on veneer a fair bit. But truth be told, I actually like veneer. There are so many possibilities with using veneer: marquetry, tons of species of burl veneer that are just stunning, etc. My biggest gripe about veneer is how big furniture manufacturers slap it on some overpriced piece of “furniture,” and market it “solid hardwood”. Yup, that 1/64” is real solid!! I digress.
Sorry, went off on a tangent there. 1/8” veneer = yes, do it. But do it cautiously since you’re shipping from a dry climate to a humid climate. More on that later.
On to the HDF. That’s a big NO in my book. The risk versus reward is just way too high. There is really a lot to say here so bear with me.
Obviously you know that HDF is much denser and harder than MDF. Sure, it might seem like an advantage, but it presents specific challenges in humidor construction:
1) It is much more brittle than MDF. Therefore, it is a lot more prone to chipping when you machine it. Plus, it will be mean to your tools.
2) Density: Because of its density, glue simply won’t penetrate as deeply. I think it goes without saying that there are a ton of risks there.
3) Weight: There is no real benefit to adding more weight than what you will already have. The only potential benefit I see would be helping to keep the Post Office running when you pay for shipping to Hawaii.
4) Moisture: It offers no additional moisture resistance. In fact, it will be more difficult to balance with a veneer.
5) If moisture penetrates the edges, it will likely swell more aggressively than MDF. That can obviously lead to catastrophic failure of the veneer layers.
In short, 1/2” MDF would be plenty sufficient with a 1/8” Koa veneer. Just don’t forget to save enough stock for edge banding.
I mill all my humidor carcasses to 5/8”, so you’re right there with the 1/2” MDF + 1/8” Koa. I’ve found that 5/8” makes it beefy enough that it doesn’t look dainty and fragile, and keeps it visually balanced enough so it doesn’t look too chunky. I see a lot of boxes constructed from 3/4” stock. I cringe a bit when I see that, but I’d be lying if I said I’ve never done it (we have to crawl before we can walk.)
Like I said, there is way too much to cover. But a couple quick things to close:
1) Hinge screws: before you screw into the MDF or HDF, drill pilot holes, and dab a drop of CA glue in the hole. This will help the threads stay intact so they don’t strip.
2) Earlier, I mentioned to be cautious with the 1/8” veneer. Since you’re shipping to Hawaii, if there is an area in your home that is more humid than other rooms, I say it might be best to store the wood in that area when you’re not working on it. That will kind of pre-prep the wood for acclimating to the Hawaiian environment. Any “risks” of doing that would be negligible, and I only see benefits in doing that. If anyone tells you otherwise….well, I’ll keep the rest of that comment to myself.
3) As you’re finessing the seal, keep in mind that if you feel you got the perfect seal, it will likely be way too tight once it reaches the islands. Yes, a tight seal can be good. But if the recipient can’t get the box open, that’s a problem.
Hope this helps! Have a blast with the build!
Lol, helps to hit the reload button to check for new messages!!
Thank you Chris for all the information (and opinions… always great to hear from someone else that thinks for themselves, even tho it may contradict the ‘norm’) it certainly helps but also sparks so many more questions!
My friend was born and raised in Hawaii and still lives there, what they call a ‘local’ and they tend to be very traditional. And beyond being traditional, I think Koa is also one of the most beautiful woods to work with. It’s a little finicky at times and likes to chip out, but that’s why sharp tools are a must. Also, you mention the climates and yes, very different! To your point 3: one of my first humidors went to a very humid climate and essentially seized itself shut when it expanded. Had to have it shipped back here so I could loosen it up a bit!
Interesting take of the HDF, but kinda making me think what I have is not truly HDF but maybe just a better quality MDF? I already have it and have used it before and it is not any more brittle than the MDF and I can’t really say I notice a difference in weight, either one is heavy IMO. It’s either the HDF or suppose I could use 1/2″ Baltic birch since I have several sheets of that laying around. What do you think of using BB for the carcass with Koa 1/8″ veneer? I plan to use a lock miter joint for the corner miters but will also add some dovetail splines more for aesthetics than anything.
What glue do you recommend for adhering the veneer? The actual veneer glue, contact cement or just regular titebond 3? I worry the glue will have too much moisture and may cause swelling when gluing it on… it that a real concern or am I just being paranoid?
As to your points: 1: I generally do the CA glue in the holes for all my hinges, regardless of the wood. I also swap out the screws for longer ones when I can.
2: no real ability to pre-prep the woods here… it’s about 15% humidity no matter where you go! We might get to 50% when it rains, but moisture has been real scarce this year!
3: as mentioned before, yes, getting the seal can be tricky as I have to leave it a little loose here and hope it’ll tighten up and be be too loose when it gets to the final destination.
Thanks again for all the help, great ‘chatting’ with you!
Bill C.
Hey Bill, you’re very welcome! Always happy to help when I can.
So, should you use MDF or Baltic Birch? I’d say that is more of a personal preference as they each have their own pros and cons. Keep in mind that a “water-proof” MDF is also manufactured. It’s more moisture resistant than anything, but that certainly helps in some ways. Let’s talk about MDF first.
Pros:
1) Super flat which is great for accepting veneer;
2) Dense and heavy – this could be a pro or a con, depending on your goals;
3) Very cheap to purchase;
4) Overall, it cuts pretty nicely;
5) Relatively predictable with a “set it and forget it” piece.
Cons:
1) No true structural integrity;
2) Zero screw strength (that’s why I suggested using CA glue in the tapped pilot holes in my last response.). This could obviously be problematic;
3) It’s a combination of man-glitter and glue so in a humid environment, it very well could swell.
4) If you’re going for craftsmanship, luxury, or even bragging rights, MDF doesn’t really scream “high-end”. Sure, it has its time and place. I’ll leave that one alone, lest I be chastised by the MDF gods for such blasphemy.
Now, on to Baltic Birch.
Pros:
1) Real, actual wood;
2) Laminations run perpendicular to one another, which increases stability (but we all have purchased some plywood that is warped worse than a potato chip);
3) Substantially lighter than MDF which balances out well with 1/8” thick veneer
4) Screws actually hold;
5) Durability
Cons:
1) Cost in some places is borderline unreasonable;
2) Supply – it’s easier to find some exotic hardwoods than it is to find Baltic Birch.
Bottom line: If I were in your shoes, I would much rather use Baltic birch than MDF.
As far as the lock mitre, I personally wouldn’t. I have seen so many lock mitres that aren’t particularly “tight.” And if it isn’t a dead nuts perfect lock joint, you will see some gaps/crevices once you go to cut off the lid. Now, things are a little different since you’ll presumably be edge banding everything. So in theory, if there are any gaps, they should be covered. Structurally, lock mitres with any kind of reinforcement splines would be perfectly sufficient. This is just something to keep in mind and dependent upon your work flow.
On to the glue. I may catch some flack for saying this. But in the interest of not getting overly technical, I’ll say the main difference between veneer adhesive and PVA glues like Titebond is thickness and open time. Veneer adhesive is intentionally thick to prevent glue from seeping through the thin veneer. In your case with 1/8” thick stock, I would use Titebond III. I almost exclusively use Titebond III over Titebond I. The cost difference is negligible, and I just don’t know why a woodworker or custom builder wouldn’t use it over Titebond I.
You really shouldn’t have to worry about the humidor warping. Veneer warping, however, is a valid concern. But there are ways to avoid warping.
1) Don’t use a gallon of glue.
2) Minimize open time on the actual veneer. Start by spreading glue on the humidor itself, then just before you’re ready to apply the veneer, the add a super thin layer of glue to the veneer.
3) Use some sort of notch trowel or scraper to spread the glue. This helps ensure even spread.
4) Focus more on “pressing” rather than “clamping.” I’m not saying go buy a vacuum press…not at all. Rather, have some oversized pieces of plywood that more than cover each face you are veneering, and clamp those on top of the veneer with cauls…immediately. Here is why: The big two things you should watch for are air pockets or bubbles in the middle pf the veneer, and edges curling due to the wet glue. So you want to compress that veneer, as quickly and evenly as possible, against the substrate. And yes, 1/8″ thick veneer can still get bubbles. Less noticeable than thinner veneer, but they still happen. If you tap on the different parts of the veneer, you will hear the sound difference between bubbled areas and good contact areas. Don’t ask me how I know.
I’d love to tell you not to overanalyze this project. But let’s be serious, when we strive for perfection, we kind of have to. There are so many factors to consider, and nuances you don’t learn about until that first “oops.” Just make sure you think the workflow through, and don’t rush execution. And at the end of the day, this is a gift for a friend…a gift you put a lot of thought, effort, and resources into. Even if it doesn’t turn out exactly how you want it to, I’m sure your friend will be thrilled to have it.
Once again, thank you so much for your thoughts and perspectives Chris! Although, I must say, it’s almost feeling a little creepy how some of your musings are the exact same ‘against the grain’ thinking I do! like MDF is not the perfect solution to everything???!! What, are you crazy??!! I hate it… only reason I’m considering it is because 1) it’s very stable and 2) I already have it! I’ve also got the 1/2″ BB already but around here, it isn’t that hard to find. I’m actually leaning towards making one of each if I can stretch the Koa veneer that far. Then I can send him the better one and keep the other one for myself.
Yes, the lock miters take a little dialing in but I get them pretty tight with not much in the way of gaps and as you picked up on, I’ll be edge banding the surfaces anyway.
Interesting your comment about the veneer glues being thicker, the Titebond Cold Veneer glue our Woodcraft sells is very thin and runny, one of the reasons I don’t like it. I’ve found that is tends to make the veneers curl and warp and I think it’s because it’s so runny, too much moisture so I’ve just been using the Titebond III these days for pretty much everything.
I’ve got a decent system with some large cauls for doing glue ups and it works well for veneering where I can place a larger piece of melamine on both sides and crank down the cauls evenly to provide the pressure without having to use a lot of force. I’ve got a old vacuum pump I may try to resurrect and create a vacuum press bur right now, that seems like a lot of effort!
As far as overanalyzing… that’s already been done. I’ve made quite a few humidors before so have the overall process down, but previously, they’ve all been with 3/4″ carcasses (yes, I know you like the 5/8″ thickness but, hey, why waste the wood!) and the Spanish cedar lining. This will be the first time trying the veneering route. It’ll still be a bit before I get started, still trying to finish a round of jewelry boxes first, then gotta clean up the shop a little, it’s a disaster! I’ll keep you posted when I get going.
one final question… have you ever used Sapele for a humidor lining rather than Spanish Cedar? I had a conversation with a pretty smart cigar aficionado who was saying he actually preferred a humidor without Spanish Cedar as it does change the flavor ever so slightly. Being that they are technically both from the Mahogany family, they should both act similarly with the humidification… any thoughts or experience?
Thanks,
Bill C.
Ha! Yeah, I really don’t like MDF, but it has its time and place. If I use it, it’s primarily for shop implements. I hear the term “industry standard” an awful lot as it relates to uses of MDF. Quite frankly, the “industry standard” sucks a lot of the time and I want to make it better. “Industry standard”, in many cases, became industry standard for profit over quality. The caveat is that some “industry standards” are actually best practices. Differentiating between the two is tough sometimes.
Consider yourself lucky that you have Baltic birch suppliers around you (or maybe I’m just unlucky). For my town being nicknamed “The Forest City”, I have 1 supplier within reasonable driving distance where I can get Baltic birch. And check this out: In 2020, I could go to my supplier and get a sheet of 3/4” Baltic birch for $54.00. Going to the same supplier today, it costs me $119.79. More than double the cost from 6 years ago!!!
A little side tangent: I want all the casual readers here to take note of this. If you’re wondering why custom woodwork costs so much more than going to a big box furniture store, this is among the reasons. Custom furniture builders are not getting rich by charging $10k for a dining table. Lets put this into perspective. Say it takes them 8 weeks to build, that’s a pretty modest $60k a year salary. But don’t forget that the build took $1k-2k in materials, the cost of overhead, and 60-70 hour work weeks. And oops, your bandsaw blade just snapped…or oops, your $200 table saw blade just caught a piece of metal buried in a 200 year old tree. When you consider all the things that actually happen in a shop, it really puts things into perspective. That’s not exactly what I’d call “rich.“
Anyway, off my soap box. If you’re able to build matching humidors with MDF and Baltic birch side by side, that would be a phenomenal real-time learning experience and an even better use case test. Do it!!
To answer your question, no, I have never used sapele as the interior lining for a humidor. I’ve actually never heard of anyone doing that. I have, however, seen mahogany used in place of of Spanish cedar although I’ve never done that either. Before I go into why, I’ll simply say that I will make whatever the client wants, even if that means a sapele liner. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t provide some insight before they made their final decision.
Sure, Spanish cedar has a particular scent. Some people love it, some hate it. But there is so much more to Spanish cedar than the smell:
1) Spanish cedar is hydroscopic. That’s a fancy way of saying that it absorbs and releases moisture as needed. It’s a natural moisture regulator whereas sapele is not. In my opinion, that is a “must” in a humidor;
2) Bug repellant: Well, more of a beetle repellant…tobacco beetle to be precise. The natural oils that give Spanish cedar its special scent ward off tobacco beetles. That is something sapele can’t offer in a humidor;
3) Antimicrobial: Again, the oils. Spanish cedar’s oils make it naturally antimicrobial. And since humidors require an environment that is ideal for fungus growth, the Spanish cedar is the ideal choice to fight that. Again, something sapele can’t offer as a humidor liner.
Now here’s the catch: Sapele is both rot-resistant (antimicrobial) and a bug repellent just like Spanish cedar. What makes them different, specifically for humidor liner, is the oils that do all the hard work are deep inside the dense, interlocked grain of Sapele. They’re not at the surface. Spanish cedar, however, is open grained and soft so the oils sit closer to the surface and do the job in a much more active way. And I should note that the density of sapele is exactly what prevents it from being hydroscopic like Spanish cedar. Although I don’t have personal experience using sapele for the humidor liner, I would say that the technicals show they absolutely will not NOT act similarly for humidification. If you haven’t already, check out my wood species database and compare the tech specs of Spanish cedar and sapele (and mahogany).
So, the cigar aficionado you talked to isn’t wrong. If he doesn’t enjoy the flavor that Spanish cedar adds, he has his humidification dialed in, and no issues with mildew or bugs, then who am I to judge?