Camoflauging(sp?) The Cache

[+Sakiman]

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on the use of camo on a cache. I hid tupperware containers and have discovered I used the wrong paint. Any suggestions on what type to use?

[+the hermit crabs]

  I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on the use of camo on a cache.  I hid tupperware containers and have discovered I used the wrong paint.  Any suggestions on what type to use?

 

There is Krylon Fusion spray paint specifically made for plastic. There is also a Rustoleum primer speciifcally for plastic; it says that you can use regular spray paint over it.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

I use WalMart camo duct tape all the time, on a variety of container types. It is amazing how well things belnd in with tree trunks, rocks, etc with the tape on them.

[+briansnat]

Ditto on the camo tape. The brand that Walmart sells (Duck) is not as shiny as other camo duct tapes I've seen. There is also cloth camo tape, which is even better, but it is more expensive. It can be found most places where hunting supplies are sold. I like to spray a layer of Plasti-kote over the cloth tape to help protect it from the weather. I have one cache that is directly exposed to the weather and the cloth has held up for 2 years thanks to the Plasti-kote.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I have used camo fabric for some of my caches. First I paint the cache olive drab or a flat brown. Then I glue peices the fabric to the container with a hot glue gun.

[rescue557]

I haven't yet tried to cammo my caches. I usually use sticks, bark, and stuff found in the vicinity to cover them in their hiding places.

[+sept1c_tank]

I always have trouble with the spelling, too (as a result I usually just use cammo).

 

The Random House dictionary spells it: camouflage, camouflaging.

 

So I guess the common abridged cammo is incorrect also.

 

Typically, I choose a container with flat, dull colors, and attempt to find a spot where it will blend with it's surroundings, or be completely out of sight.

[+worldtraveler]

One of the best camo jobs I've seen was birch bark glued around a cylindrical quart-size plastic container with a screw-on lid. It was laying between a couple of fallen birch trees and looked just like a birch log.

[+TeamGuisinger]

I've had a hard time finding any of the plastic spray paints in the right color, except black. Plastic containers are best for using tape or a handful of sticks , rocks, and leaves gathered from the immediate area and glued to the container. I recommend using Gorilla glue for anything geocache. It's waterproof, can be painted if needed, and is some of the strongest, most durable stuff out there. Also using natural hiding spots in which your container wont need any camo. Metal containers have turned out the best for me. Paint an ammo can with a light flat color (grey or beige), grab some branches from the trees around your area(this kinda goes into finding a spot before making the cache) and some local weeds also. After your light color is dry, lay a couple of the weeds and branches on one side of the can(dont try to fill up the space with one shot of color, it wont work). Give it a light coat of a light(not bright) green(BTW, all colors MUST be flat, not gloss), but just spray around the branches/weeds, dont fill it all in. Spray from about 12" from the surface so the paint wont be as concentrated, like a dusting of color. Move branches/weeds and repeat. Let this dry and repeat on other 3 sides. Now do the same with a mid green, but dont repeat your branches(overlap the leaves and branches, but dont place it in the exact same spot. Dry, repeat with regular brown. Dry, repeat with forest green. Now use black to darken any light areas that remain, and follow more defined branches to add shadows. Then you can use a beige or grey paint marker to label(orange works well too). I know this seems like a long process, but if you have the right conditions(warm dry weather, or warm dry well ventilated garage) and you use good paint(not the most expensive, but not the cheapest either)(Lowes and Home Depot have huge selections, Odd Lots usually has quite a bit also) you can do an ammo can in an hour or 2. Just remember, it's not supposed to look like it's painted, you can almost set these out in the open if you do them right. I have had one out for over a month in the open, in the middle of public hunting land, and the people looking for it said it blended great. Also, if you think of looking for a log to hollow out, dont use one thats been cut by a saw. I mean, how easy is it to find a piece of firewood lying in a woods that is protected from cutting? Find somewhere that is being logged and look for a log that was broken by a skidder or dozer so it looks more natural than a swacut one. You'd also be surprised how easy it is to hollow out a rock, or to make one for that matter using tile grout. Hope this helped.

[rescue557]

You'd also be surprised how easy it is to hollow out a rock, or to make one for that matter using tile grout. Hope this helped.

How do you hollow out a rock for a purposes of hiding a geocache container?

[+TeamGuisinger]

Drill or die grinder with masonry bit. Right angle grinder with diamond blade. Sandstone is the easiest to work with, but other types of stone can be worked also. The hard part is carrying a rock big enough back to the car. Basically, find the largest natural flat spot on the rock, thats now the bottom. Trace your container with a grease pencil or marker. Drill a hole with a masonry bit as deep as your container(measure your container, measure that length on your drill bit, put masking tape around the bit where the mark is so you know when to stop drilling) Now with the angle grinder, cut slots as deep as it will cut, from one corner to the next longways, continue this every 1/4 to 1/2 inch till you reach the other side(should look like rows of corn). Now stick a screwdriver in between the slots and with a slight prying motion, each slot will break out. Continue this untill you reach the desired depth. Use die grinder to clean up remaining peices or even to label the cache. I know that not everyone has tools, or may not know how to use them, but a die grinder you can pick up a walmart for like 10 bucks if you have a compressor. A Dremel tool will work, but is smaller than a die grinder so will take longer. A right angle grinder can be found most anywhere for 20 bucks and under. You gotta remember, you dont need top quality tools, it's all in the blades/bits. Good masonry bit, about 5 smackers. A good diamond blade for the angle grinder, about 20, maybe 30. BUT, those things will make ALOT of cuts/holes. Kinda like a one time purchase to make 20 rocks. Or use expanding foam(any hardware store, in a can, 5-8dollars)spray a big pile of it on a plastic bag. Once it expands(up to 6 times its original size) and dries, carve your own rock and hiding place in it. Make sure to carve the entire surface to get rid of the shiny skin that forms when it dries. It will be porous just like a real rock, and spray paint it, OR pick up a natural colored ceramic tile grout, mix, and spred it over your foam rock to create weight(recommended) and a realistic feel. Plus in nature, the grout will eventually develop mold/algae from its surroundings which will help it blend in more.

[rescue557]

Or use expanding foam(any hardware store, in a can, 5-8dollars)spray a big pile of it on a plastic bag. Once it expands(up to 6 times its original size) and dries, carve your own rock and hiding place in it. Make sure to carve the entire surface to get rid of the shiny skin that forms when it dries. It will be porous just like a real rock, and spray paint it, OR pick up a natural colored ceramic tile grout, mix, and spred it over your foam rock to create weight(recommended) and a realistic feel. Plus in nature, the grout will eventually develop mold/algae from its surroundings which will help it blend in more.

Thanks, I'll have to try this some time when I have a few extra bucks to spend.

 

I like the idea of making rocks using expanding foam. I've done a similar thing with it to make scenery for my model railroads, but have never considered it for geocaching containers. Thanks for the neato idea! I'll give it a try.

[+ATMA]

We do the cammo paint on metal but for plastic use Super 77 spray glue with cammo fabric. Works good and lasts a long time... so far anyway.