Painting Caches

[+dino-irl]

I've tried a couple of different techniques to paint plastic boxes but I'm looking for a few pointers. So far I have:

 

1. Painted the box with standard hard gloss and varnished over the GC.com sticky label. This has worked well but it's messy and time-consuming. Also the paint takes ages to dry.

 

2. Sprayed the box with spray paint designed for spraying cars (in a small touch-up can from a car spares shop). Looks great, dries quickly and it's speedy. Only thing is it has a tendency to flake off and I've no idea how well it'll last "in the wild".

 

Anybody got any tips they've developed?

[+Windsocker]

Try an acid etching primer that works very well on plastic

[markandlynn]

Green duct tape with patches of black.

[+Munkeh]

sand the box so you get a rough surface, it will help the paint key

[+third-degree-witch]

Buy an Ammo can....cheaper in the long run,Already painted for you to

[+The Blorenges]

I'm trying things out at the moment.... have lightly sanded surface of the plastic box and painted it in camouflage colours using unthinned acrylic paint. It seems to have dried well...now I'm just wondering whether to spray it all over with some sort of fixitive. On the USA Forum I noticed that someone said they put a spray-on glue all over their cache, then "rolled it in the dirt" . Another sticks twigs and dried grass/lichen all over his..... Mrs B

 

(cache!)

[+Globetrotter.uk]

One of my caches is made from a plastic box covered in No Nails glue then covered in mud and leaves. After a few days drying it was set up. I have had a few fail to finds

[Nediam]

Best way to paint plastic is to "rough up" the surface with some fairly fine sand paper. Then use a plastic primer paint and give it a few coats. Then use a very fine "wet and dry" sand paper to lightly go over the primer. Then use a top coat, preferably one designed for plastic, and give it several layers of paint with a certain amount of time between coats. Let it dry thoroughly for at least 24 hours, then use the very fine "wet and dry" to go over the top coat a bit. Then finally give it a couple of coats of lacquer and leave to dry for about a week!

 

You may find it useful to spray the inside of the box aswell.

 

To be honest painting tupperware is a bit of a waste of time as it will chip, crack and fall off regardless. The plastic is just too flexible.

 

The best camouflaged ones I've seen are as "markandlynn" say.....duct tape it! It's cheap, quick and easy. The waterproof tape will last quite a while and you can get it in all sorts of colours green, black, brown etc.

[+JollyJax]

Buy an Ammo can....cheaper in the long run,Already painted for you to

Great boxes hey TDW .. but lets not forget to remove the words about how many and what sized ammo used to be in here ... some folks get twitchy about these things and its takes little time to mask the words ... perhaps with the GC label

[+The Blorenges]

Best way to paint plastic is to "rough up" the surface with some fairly fine sand paper. Then use a plastic primer paint and give it a few coats. Then use a very fine "wet and dry" sand paper to lightly go over the primer. Then use a top coat, preferably one designed for plastic, and give it several layers of paint with a certain amount of time between coats. Let it dry thoroughly for at least 24 hours, then use the very fine "wet and dry" to go over the top coat a bit. Then finally give it a couple of coats of lacquer and leave to dry for about a week!

 

Blimey. nediam! What patience! Do you by any chance work for the "special effects" dept on TV? I'm afraid I don't have that degree of dedication... Your caches must be worthy of exhibition at Tate Modern

I think I'll stick with my quick paint job and resign myself to having to do a touch-up every year Mrs B

[markandlynn]

Hey found this on ebay looks just the job.

[+The Hokesters]

Ammo boxes. No contest

[+The Blorenges]

Hey found this on ebay looks just the job.

.....Looks good. I'll get some for when my poorly-applied paint flakes off in a year or so Mrs B

[+Learned Gerbil]

One of the main principles of camoflage is the use of irregular patterns to break up regular shapes or flat surfaces. Based on my experience of small plastic containers, a lot of flaked off paint helps break up the shape and is far more difficult to see than any man made camoflage. In other words, don't worry if the paint starts to look tatty, it may actualy help hide the object.

[+The Blorenges]

Thanks, Gerbil - that's encouraging! Mrs B

[+dino-irl]

Wow, didn't expect so many responses. I think I'll try the duct tape option next time and maybe the primer/sanding preparation technique before painting on another and see which is best ie. fastest

 

Cheers guys

[+Pharisee]

Wow, didn't expect so many responses. I think I'll try the duct tape option next time and maybe the primer/sanding preparation technique before painting on another and see which is best ie. fastest

 

Cheers guys

Remember to clean the box of grease and dust, too. Wipe it over with a cloth soaked in lighter fuel or cellulose thinners and allow it to dry just prior to applying the paint.... Don't do this by candlelight !!!

[+Simply Paul]

Painting caches? Well, I tend to work in water-colours, but I have done a few oil studies, working within a still-life sensibility.

 

SP

[Nediam]

Blimey. nediam!  What patience!  Do you by any chance work for the "special effects" dept on TV?  I'm afraid I don't have that degree of dedication... Your caches must be worthy of exhibition at Tate Modern 

I think I'll stick with my quick paint job and resign myself to having to do a touch-up every year      Mrs B

 

Nah! My two are metal micros which paint up quite easily

 

Having said that, the lacquer I got is naff! So looks like it's back to the duct tape

Edited October 18, 2005 by nediam

[Nediam]

Painting caches? Well, I tend to work in water-colours, but I have done a few oil studies, working within a still-life sensibility.

 

SP

There's always one!

Edited October 17, 2005 by nediam

[+The Hokesters]

And it's usually our Pimply Saul friend

[+Frodo13]

Here in the states there is an aerosol paint specifically for plastic made by Krylon called Fusion. Our mega stores and hardware stores carry several colors (or colours) and the cost is around $5.00 US. I have used the paint with great success, I am not sure if it is available outside the states. Before finding this product I followed much of the advice listed above with the best results coming from scratching the surface and multiple applications.

Edited October 18, 2005 by Frodo13

[+Mad H@ter]

Buy an Ammo can....cheaper in the long run,Already painted for you to

Great boxes hey TDW .. but lets not forget to remove the words about how many and what sized ammo used to be in here ... some folks get twitchy about these things and its takes little time to mask the words ... perhaps with the GC label

Abso blooming lutly

 

Very important to cover up such markings, particularly with the terrorist threat being as it is. I did spot one with all its markings hidden within the danger area of an MoD range

[+Gralorn]

I sprayed my cache boxes in a disrupted pattern with green and brown enamel paint and they looked the Bee's Knee's but the paint is now starting to flake off the lock type plastic boxes, so like many other geocachers in this area I have simply placed the caches into Camo Bags, works a treat and saves so much time. Concealment of Camo Bags is excellent also. I purchased mine from the Camp Shop in Breacon (On line) as recommended by The Wombles. The Camp shop calls them Stash sacks and they come in small, medium and large.

[+The Blorenges]

I have sewn camo bags in the past, carefully tailor-made, fitted to the dimensions of the sandwich box, to give a streamlined appearance, covering any unsightly "clip-bulges" ... I've been having a go at the paint option to see if it's any quicker/easier.........Mrs B

[+dino-irl]

...like many other geocachers in this area I have simply placed the caches into Camo Bags, works a treat and saves so much time.

I've never seen the Camo bags as they tend not to be used over here. What kind of material are they made from? I assume they're not waterproof or else we're back to the placcie bags arguement again

[+The Hokesters]

If you really must use plastic - how about this Camo Tape or this Camo Wrap.

Edited October 18, 2005 by The Hokesters

[+dino-irl]

Two great links but have you seen their postage costs!!!!!!!

 

£5 in the UK is bad enough but £10.57 for NI is taking the piss!

Edited October 18, 2005 by dino-irl

[+Pharisee]

...like many other geocachers in this area I have simply placed the caches into Camo Bags, works a treat and saves so much time.

I've never seen the Camo bags as they tend not to be used over here. What kind of material are they made from? I assume they're not waterproof or else we're back to the placcie bags arguement again

The ones I use aren't waterproof in the literal sense of the word but they are made from a waterproof DPM material. My local Army Surplus shop calls them 'Bergen Liners' and they come in a pack of 3 (?)... One very large one and two smaller ones. I generally chop and tailor them to suit whatever box I'm attempting to conceal.

[+The Blorenges]

...and the ones I do are made from "Rip-Stop" nylon camo (tasteful shades of greens and brown!) from a local hobby/handicraft shop, about £3.99 a metre. I use Velcro tape for the closure. Mrs B

[+Gralorn]

The Bag gets my vote !