Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this video, I build a custom cigar box and whiskey valet as a retirement gift using curly maple and chestnut. This woodworking project includes designing a travel humidor-style box, adding custom compartments for cigars, a torch, and a cutter, and finishing it with epoxy and engraved details.
This project was for one of my closest friends - who just retired after 29 years as Captain of the Chestnut Ridge Volunteer Fire Company in Baltimore County Maryland..
To celebrate the moment, I built him something worthy of the occasion:
a custom cigar valet designed for good cigars, good whiskey, and good company.
The box is made from curly maple with chestnut accents, finished with a laser-engraved department logo and his name to commemorate his years of service.
But of course… no proper cigar box is complete without a little surprise.
Inside you’ll find custom laser-engraved whiskey flasks made on the WeCreat laser, and a hidden compartment built for the kind of evenings where stories get longer and cigars burn slower.
This build is about craftsmanship, friendship, and celebrating the people who give decades of their life to their community.
Enjoy the build - and if you know someone who’s served like that, raise a glass for them.
00:00 Building a Custom Cigar Box for a Fire Captain’s Retirement
00:35 Designing the Perfect Whiskey + Cigar Gift Box
01:20 How Many Cigars Should Fit in a Travel Humidor?
02:05 Field Trip to the Cigar Shop (Choosing the Right Gear)
03:10 Choosing a Cigar Torch and Cutter for a Custom Humidor Box
04:15 Building the Box: Wood Selection (Maple + Chestnut)
05:10 Cutting Dados and Joinery for a Solid Box Build
06:15 Wood Glue Strategy + Allowing for Wood Movement
07:20 Adding Custom Stripes for Fire Department Tribute
08:10 First Build Regret (What I’d Do Differently)
09:00 Adding Strength with Splines (Miter Joint Reinforcement)
10:05 The Most Stressful Cut (Separating the Lid)
11:00 Personalization Ideas: Engraved Flasks + Meaningful Details
12:10 CNC Tray Design for Cigars, Torch, and Cutter
13:20 Testing Fit and Function (Real-World Use)
14:30 Major Mistake and Panic Moment
15:20 How to Fix a Woodworking Mistake (Resin + Patch)
16:30 Applying Penetrating Epoxy for Strength and Finish
17:20 Final Finish with Carbon Method (Stone-Like Protection)
18:10 The Blizzard Test (Does It Actually Work?)
19:00 Final Reveal: Custom Retirement Cigar Box Build
20:00 Lessons Learned from This Build (What I’d Change)
Tools used in this build:
WeCreat Laser Engraver
Next Wave HD544 CNC
StoneCoat Countertops Woodshop Epoxy
🔧 Subscribe to follow the madness: @the_crafty_studio_official
🎥 New Chaotic Flux episodes every week
_______________________________
Social Media and Contact Info:
Website, merch and plans sales: thecraftystudio.org
📬 Stay connected + behind the scenes
👉 IG: @The_Crafty_Studio_Official
👉 FB/TikTok: @thecraftystudio
👉 Follow the Collaboratory buildout: @thecollaboratorywhitehall
Email:
Scott: scott@thecraftystudio.org
Disclosures: All opinions are my own. Sponsors are acknowledged. Some links in the description are affiliate links that if you click on one of the product links, I'll receive a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
In this video, I build a custom cigar box and whiskey valet as a retirement gift using curly maple and chestnut. This woodworking project includes designing a travel humidor-style box, adding custom compartments for cigars, a torch, and a cutter, and finishing it with epoxy and engraved details.
This project was for one of my closest friends - who just retired after 29 years as Captain of the Chestnut Ridge Volunteer Fire Company in Baltimore County Maryland..
To celebrate the moment, I built him something worthy of the occasion:
a custom cigar valet designed for good cigars, good whiskey, and good company.
The box is made from curly maple with chestnut accents, finished with a laser-engraved department logo and his name to commemorate his years of service.
But of course… no proper cigar box is complete without a little surprise.
Inside you’ll find custom laser-engraved whiskey flasks made on the WeCreat laser, and a hidden compartment built for the kind of evenings where stories get longer and cigars burn slower.
This build is about craftsmanship, friendship, and celebrating the people who give decades of their life to their community.
Enjoy the build - and if you know someone who’s served like that, raise a glass for them.
00:00 Building a Custom Cigar Box for a Fire Captain’s Retirement
00:35 Designing the Perfect Whiskey + Cigar Gift Box
01:20 How Many Cigars Should Fit in a Travel Humidor?
02:05 Field Trip to the Cigar Shop (Choosing the Right Gear)
03:10 Choosing a Cigar Torch and Cutter for a Custom Humidor Box
04:15 Building the Box: Wood Selection (Maple + Chestnut)
05:10 Cutting Dados and Joinery for a Solid Box Build
06:15 Wood Glue Strategy + Allowing for Wood Movement
07:20 Adding Custom Stripes for Fire Department Tribute
08:10 First Build Regret (What I’d Do Differently)
09:00 Adding Strength with Splines (Miter Joint Reinforcement)
10:05 The Most Stressful Cut (Separating the Lid)
11:00 Personalization Ideas: Engraved Flasks + Meaningful Details
12:10 CNC Tray Design for Cigars, Torch, and Cutter
13:20 Testing Fit and Function (Real-World Use)
14:30 Major Mistake and Panic Moment
15:20 How to Fix a Woodworking Mistake (Resin + Patch)
16:30 Applying Penetrating Epoxy for Strength and Finish
17:20 Final Finish with Carbon Method (Stone-Like Protection)
18:10 The Blizzard Test (Does It Actually Work?)
19:00 Final Reveal: Custom Retirement Cigar Box Build
20:00 Lessons Learned from This Build (What I’d Change)
Tools used in this build:
WeCreat Laser Engraver
Next Wave HD544 CNC
StoneCoat Countertops Woodshop Epoxy
🔧 Subscribe to follow the madness: @the_crafty_studio_official
🎥 New Chaotic Flux episodes every week
_______________________________
Social Media and Contact Info:
Website, merch and plans sales: thecraftystudio.org
📬 Stay connected + behind the scenes
👉 IG: @The_Crafty_Studio_Official
👉 FB/TikTok: @thecraftystudio
👉 Follow the Collaboratory buildout: @thecollaboratorywhitehall
Email:
Scott: scott@thecraftystudio.org
Disclosures: All opinions are my own. Sponsors are acknowledged. Some links in the description are affiliate links that if you click on one of the product links, I'll receive a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
