treedweller

This is the best I've managed so far:

sending nothing but love? just guessing.

For white metals like tin, lead, zinc, pewter, a camping stove works fine. I've been using a plain cookpot from the thrift store. Of course, you can do better, but this is what I have on hand. treedweller

What a relief to have someone to dispel the "geek" image associated with geocaching! Maybe LT. Data will get involved next (he probably has GPSr built into his circuitry). treedweller

AL also doesn't melt very well after it's been turned into a can--thin sheets oxidize badly and you get a bunch of slag. k

I thought lead in sinkers and shotgun shells was outlawed? Maybe just a Michigan thing? At any rate...do not melt lead containing materials, especially if you have kids. The residue is nearly impossible to clean and the person doing the melting will breathe in the vapors. I'll stop now, I am an environmental consultant who deals w/ lead poisoned kids. Sorry I don't think it's just a MI thing, but it definitely is not a TX thing (no big shock there to anyone who knows anything about our environmental record). I looked in several stores that sell fishing gear and none had lead-free weights (or shot, AFAICT). I am trying to find an alternative, as I am sensitive to concerns about lead. I've been doing my casting outdoors on the camping stove in a thrift-store pot (never to see another purpose) and have no kids about. I am still a little concerned about dropping off lead-containing tokens in geocaches, though I hope the kiddies aren't pulling things out of caches and sticking them in their mouths, lead or no. Can someone in a lead-free state give me pricing range for fish weights (I've been getting "bank weights" and "egg sinkers" in 8 oz. or 16 oz. sizes for cheapest metal possible)? Maybe I just need to face facts and admit this is a spendy sig item, and abandon it or shell out for ingots of tin or lead-free pewter. treedweller

I've been experimenting with this and have a couple of bits of info: A. tin fishing weights are not readily available in Texas--they all have a "contains lead" warning in the stores I've checked. Having said that, the lead-containing ones work fairly well to melt and cast. Bout $2/pound. B. I haven't tried it yet, but was recommended the casting investment method--basically you make a plaster mold. Product suggested was "Satin Cast" available most cheaply (based on a brief internet search) from www.sfjssantafe.com (33 lbs for about 30 bux). there seems to be a 2 kg size, but the only place I saw it offered had a $25 minimum, so I went with the bigger size here. will try soon and let you know how it works. If you have a jeweler's supply nearby, you might be able to walk in and buy it. things I've tried and eliminated: clay replica pressed into sand (clay cupped when it dried, then broke when I pressed it into the sand. sand was distorted when I poured in the metal). relief image carved into wood (moisture boiled out of wood through metal, creating air pockets). I've looked for soapstone, but haven't found a source unless I want to buy a LOT. Also, I can carve wood but have no idea how stone carving compares. I'd like to see more info about this--any old threads out there that anyone remembers (I'll do the search if I can get some hints of what to look for)? treedweller

bump

check ou this thread currently in another forum: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=91912 treedweller

Ok, I apologize for my killjoy post. I found myself regretting it even before seeing the replies because I know from other discussion sites how this kind of thing gets rehashed to the point of inducing groans in the regulars. And I am aware of CITO and realize most cachers are responsible. (I have been trying to catch up on history by reading old threads, but there is a lot to get through here and I haven't seen this stuff brought up yet). Still, I think the tone of this thread implies that (some) others don't take any of it seriously. Again, I see the sarcasm and I hate to be one of "those" people who can't take a joke as a joke. But the response from the OP's cited author is an example of what I was trying to point out: outsiders are going to see it differently from insiders. Sure, it's fun to bag on someone who disagrees with "us", but this thread strayed well into another realm that I found a bit nauseating. And, getting back into that "other" topic, I am dedicated to "leave no trace" outdoor activity, but I have caught myself crossing lines I was not comfortable with as I searched an ever-widening area for a redirect (that I later learned was missing). I think this is the biggest down side to the game and it bears repeating even if we are all sick of hearing it. Again, sorry to stumble my way into your conversation. I'll be a little more careful about how and when I enter a thread in future. treedweller

Hmmm . . . I'm new to this and maybe I am suffering from a lack of historical perspective, but I'm surprised to see you (almost) all so completely unsympathetic to this argument. Yes, it's unfair to blame geocachers exclusively for environmental degradation. Yes, people playing the game by the rules are sensitive to the concerns. But don't we have an obligation to discuss and minimize the potential for damage to sensitive areas? I know I am concerned about some of my own activities. Even though I haven't made it out of the city yet for cache hunting, I've been in the city in some fairly sensitive areas, turning over every rock in sight in hopes of finding that one is a fake with a tube inserted. Recently, I discovered several newts in the process. Newts are sensitive and may be injured by willy-nilly rock turning. As someone who has been an advocate for protecting and preserving natural spaces all my life, I can see where this can easily go down a wrong path. Caches hidden near trails may lead to cutting switchbacks and exacerbating erosion. Caches hidden in trees can lead to broken branches that lead to long-term decay and weakness. Cache hunters who mockingly joke about bringing along lawn mowers imply that there is no reason to worry about any of this. Yes, I see the sarcasm, but with it I see an implication that there's no way "we" are doing anything wrong, and "they" should just shut up and get over it. I'm not saying we should ban geocaching, but why not take this opportuninty to discuss the ugly side of the game and work on ways to avoid creating more ill will in future? Oh, and I am a vegetarian--so I guess you can just dismiss me if you don't like what I have to say. treedweller

For covering my activities in urban settings, I have used the old "talking on the cell phone" trick. obnoxious, perhaps, but non-suspicious. As for "muggles," I cringed when I first realized it was a part of the caching culture, but assumed I'd have to roll with it since it was obviously an established term. Now that I know others dislike it, maybe I'll desist in its use. treedweller

I will be traveling from Austin, TX to NY, NY in mid-March. If anyone would like me to carry a TB to Central Park or somewhere else in NY, let me know. Oh, and I suppose the inverse is true: let me know where in NYC a TB is (prefer Central Park) and I can bring it back to TX. I should note I'm pretty new to all this--sorry if this is a breach of etiquette or if I'm missing something. Treedweller