+PlantAKiss Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 I am a noob so I only have 5 finds under my belt although I hope 2007 brings many more finds. However, in certain situations, I have poor balance due to an inner ear problem. Normally its not too much of an issue (except for looking like a total idiot occasionally). But I have found it to be a bit of problem when hunting for caches when I need to bend down and then turn my head to look under something. This is usually not a good idea or I could end up in a heap on the ground. lol This weekend I had a lightbulb moment and wondered if it would help if made a special tool. I thought I could take a small mirror and glue it to something (piece of coat hanger??) bent at a 45-degree angle so that I could hold it under things and be able to see without having to twist my head. I think a walking stick might be a good idea too. I know there are things like flashlights and compasses people use as tools for a hunt...but does anyone else have anything they have created and found useful for caching? Does anyone have any suggestions for what I might use to attach a mirror to? Quote Link to comment
+El Diablo Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 A small corkscrew to pull the logs from a micro cahce. When you get ready for a hiking staff let me know. El Diablo Quote Link to comment
Aushiker Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 Does anyone have any suggestions for what I might use to attach a mirror to? G'day You might want to check out your local automotive aftermark retailer as mirrors on extendable arms are a pretty common tool used by mechanics. Regards Andrew Quote Link to comment
+NightPilot Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 Yeah, go to your local auto parts store. There are mirrors on collapsible sticks, for very little money. Quote Link to comment
+olbluesguy Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 This might sound silly,but if you have trouble bending down to look under something try a mirror velcroed to the toe of your boot. you can use a larger mirror than the mechchanics kind mentioned above. Just poke yer foot in there and take a peek. On the other foot you can mount a flashlight the same way. Just keep both in your pocket until you need them. Quote Link to comment
+j_czerwin Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 The auto mechanic mirror on the collapsable stick is great and they can be large mirrors too. Same concept, but with a magnet on the end. Also I have another one with detachable tips with hooks and the like that can be interchanged on the tip. Sometimes instead of the mirror, I will use a digital camera and take a photo and then look on my screen to see what was there -- this is great where I need to write down a # on a multi-cache. Also, the flash will let you see in to dark areas if needed. I bought an extendable pole for painting at the hardware store. This one is metal and fiberglass with a comfortable rubber handle on one end and the screw tip for a broom or paint tools on the other. It is a great 5' walking stick that can extend to almost twice as long. I then have attachements for the tip made by putting a lubricant on the threads, then taking car bondo and gobbing it over the threads, and then attaching anything I want to that. When the bondo cures, just unscrew it off the tip. The pole also makes a nice lever for lifting the bottom edge of those bushy trees or shrubs to look underneath. I originally bought this one to put a magnetic cache back on the 15" high ceiling of a pipe tunnel under a road. I bought a collapsable garbage/trash "claw" thing that fits in my backpack and can fold out to make a nice device for reaching that extra distance to grab something, and also for CITO. A few reliable metal wire coat hangers are always handy to make a tool on the spot. The corkscrew idea posted above is GREAT. I'm getting one tomorrow!! Quote Link to comment
+PlantAKiss Posted December 19, 2006 Author Share Posted December 19, 2006 (edited) Awsome ideas! I didn't know about the car tool. Thank you! I had thought about a dental tool but that's way to small. Camera idea is good too. I can see me now...forgetting to unvelcro the mirror and flashlight off my boot. I'd be quite an attractive sight stumping around the park with a mirror and a flashlight on my shoes. I wonder if someone would mistake my purpose ...as those could be put to some pretty unsavory uses! Thanks for all the ideas! Edited December 19, 2006 by PlantAKiss Quote Link to comment
+EScout Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 PlantAKiss: Although not homemade, I suggest that you get a pair of Trekking poles. Although I do not need them as much as when I had my inner ear problem, I still use them. They are great for hiking up and down steep, irregular terrain, which I do often. (BTW, an inner ear problem can happen suddenly and without warning, probably a virus attacking that part of the ear. No pain, but hearing loss, ringing, and total loss of balance. I could not drive a car for 5 weeks, and it was like learning to walk again. Very bad experience.) Quote Link to comment
+GRANPA ALEX Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 1. Strong magnet on a long string to get way down deep into things. 2. A container to hold at least a gallon of water to float things up to you. 3. Tweezers to pick things out of tight places. 4. A bright flash light to peer into dark places 5. A light, strong geo-stick to drag things out & walk with (broken golf club with a bolt screwed in the end) Quote Link to comment
+media601 Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 This might sound silly,but if you have trouble bending down to look under something try a mirror velcroed to the toe of your boot. I would recommend removing that shoe before going to the mall or you may have some 'splaining to do to security. Quote Link to comment
+olbluesguy Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 This might sound silly,but if you have trouble bending down to look under something try a mirror velcroed to the toe of your boot. I would recommend removing that shoe before going to the mall or you may have some 'splaining to do to security. I did say it would sound silly,but if you made a strap stirup that you could put your foot thru,and it had velcro on the top you could take a larger mirror out of your pocket,attach it to the top of your toe. then you could just poke your foot under a park bench or whatever without bending down. Quote Link to comment
wolfbait Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 With our cache we posted co-ordinates of a bent coat hanger to pull our cache from out of a cannon Quote Link to comment
+PlantAKiss Posted December 20, 2006 Author Share Posted December 20, 2006 Now that's an interesting idea. Coordinates to tools to help grab a cache. Niiiice. Quote Link to comment
57chevy Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 With our cache we posted co-ordinates of a bent coat hanger to pull our cache from out of a cannon That is an awesome idea. Quote Link to comment
+Firefyter00 Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Adjustable livestock Sho-Stik. They adjust from 29" to 50", and are perfect for pulling ammo cans from their hidey holes. They're only ~$15, freight included at Valley Vet. Quote Link to comment
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