Preforms! Has anyone found one with a wet log?

[Influence Waterfowl Calls]

Have you ever found a preform that had a wet log in it?

 

If so, why do you think it leaked?

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

Have you ever found a preform that had a wet log in it?

 

If so, why do you think it leaked?

 

I have not had any issues with the dozen or so I have out there in the wild.

 

I plan on using one for an underwater cache this summer.

[+Robespierre]

You can count on your film canister leaking!!!!!

 

You can count on occasional finders to leave the cache incorrectly. (I have the theory that the first in the group finds it but isn't there when the last to sign stuffs it back).

 

Some people are genetically predisposed to problems and can't re-seal a zip lock....... honest!

 

Almost anything sitting in a snow pile will eventually leak. I'm anxious to see how my new loc 'n' loc has done in 17" of snow. Next finder should tell me now wet the log is.

 

A good ammo can can't be beat, but some of those leak, OR some finders go through them in the rain.

[+baloo&bd]

You can count on your film canister leaking!!!!!

 

You can count on occasional finders to leave the cache incorrectly. (I have the theory that the first in the group finds it but isn't there when the last to sign stuffs it back).

 

Some people are genetically predisposed to problems and can't re-seal a zip lock....... honest!

 

Almost anything sitting in a snow pile will eventually leak. I'm anxious to see how my new loc 'n' loc has done in 17" of snow. Next finder should tell me now wet the log is.

 

A good ammo can can't be beat, but some of those leak, OR some finders go through them in the rain.

 

Was there a comment on preforms buried in there somewhere we missed?

[+gof1]

I think he meant that ANY container can leak, even the preforms.

[+Too Tall John]

I'd imagine that a container whose lid is designed to hold liquid under pressure in should do a pretty good job of holding liquid out, too. Robespierre's point was (I think) that the weak spot for any container is the nut that seals it.

 

Found my first preform a couple weeks ago. I liked it, as micros go. It felt... professional. It's a slick little container.

 

For those who are curious, this site explains what we're talking about and sells them. I think I may have to order some...

Edited April 6, 2008 by Too Tall John

[+JohnTee]

I'll second what Robespierre said. They hold soda and carbonation in as soda bottles, so they are pretty darn water tight. On the other hand, they are as waterproof as the last cacher closes it.

 

I have a bunch of preforms out. Most are suspended or otherwise somewhat protected from the elements and have never been wet inside. One is in a hole at the base of a tree (in a park, I hate micros in the woods!) which fills with water. It HAS leaked; somebody didn't close it up tight. Luckily, it only contained a steel rod with a label for the coordinates for the final; no paper. Another, along a path (GC1403V), just went through a flood with something like 5-6' of running water over it. I was absolutely amazed that it didn't wash away. It even stayed dry inside.

 

Cache On!

 

JohnTee

Edited April 6, 2008 by JohnTee

[+Uplandhuntr]

TTJ,

Thanks for the clarification and helping us noobs out. Those are pretty cool.

 

Uplandhuntr

[+NeoAddict]

So that was that little tube I found the other day.

Nifty.

[Clan Riffster]

Florida could conceivably be considered the damp cache capitol of the USA. High temps + high humidity often leave caches damp inside, regardless of the container type. Around here, preforms do about as well as any other high end container. I've only seen a handful of them with issues. I've wondered if the reason is that the lid is made from a different plastic than the container? Repeatedly opening it and closing it puts the threads in conflict with each other, and the softer thread loses its shape enough to allow ground vapor to enter the cache?

 

Just pondering...

[+TeamGumbo]

Another Florida person here...I think that you could put a *submarine* in the woods, and at least ONE geocacher would close the hatch incorrectly, and the contents would get soaked.

 

For an ammo can, all it takes is a pine needle or two around the rubber grommet to compromise the waterproofness (is that a word?).

[+TeamGumbo]

P.S. All that said, I do want to order some pre-forms and try them.

 

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

P.S. All that said, I do want to order some pre-forms and try them.

 

 

Another online merchant is Steve Spangler Science. They also have Jumbo preforms.

 

I use Krylon's camo spray paint, and it works very well with the plastic. I didn't even prime it - the paint is meant to straight onto plastics.

[+GeePierceS]

I use Krylon's camo spray paint, and it works very well with the plastic. I didn't even prime it - the paint is meant to straight onto plastics.

 

if you want spray paint to stick really well to plastic, wipe it down with a rag dampened in acetone first. this will take the glaze off the plastic, and leave it a bit cloudy. let the acetone evaporate before painting and don't touch the surface after wiping. do this outdoors, and figure on disposing the rag afterwards just to be safe. acetone is relatively harmless as solvents go (women use it to remove nail polish, after all) but theres no point in breathing the fumes. its also very flammable, but burns at a fairly low temperature (releasing toxic gases!)

 

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

I use Krylon's camo spray paint, and it works very well with the plastic. I didn't even prime it - the paint is meant to straight onto plastics.

 

if you want spray paint to stick really well to plastic, wipe it down with a rag dampened in acetone first. this will take the glaze off the plastic, and leave it a bit cloudy. let the acetone evaporate before painting and don't touch the surface after wiping. do this outdoors, and figure on disposing the rag afterwards just to be safe. acetone is relatively harmless as solvents go (women use it to remove nail polish, after all) but theres no point in breathing the fumes. its also very flammable, but burns at a fairly low temperature (releasing toxic gases!)

 

 

The one thing I forgot to mention is I sand the whole thing before painting with fine sandpaper (120 grit or finer). It roughens up the plastic to help with paint adhesion.

[Influence Waterfowl Calls]

I know I am going to use them! I just don't know how evil I will be with them!

[+Too Tall John]

Ordered some yesterday. Can't wait!

 

[+Corp Of Discovery]

Been using them as my sig item for a little over 4 years now.

 

Robespierre is correct in that any container is only as good as the the last person to find it has sealed it.

 

That being said, I've yet to see one fail. I found one in a fencepost filled with water and the log was bone dry. They are very strong and I've often said that you could probably drive a car over one and it wouldn't be affected...someone once told me that they actually did that and it survived just fine. I've had to replace a lid on one one time- it got gnawed up by a weed whacker. The rest of the container had nary a scratch on it and, as the damaged area was on the threads rather than the top/seal area, the inside and log was still dry and in great shape.

[+CYBret]

CoD needs to come back down to Central IlliNOISE and drop a few more sig items off.

 

If you guys get a chance, let me know how these work out for you. I just put them together last night.

 

Thanks!

 

Bret

[+Zolgar]

If I start placing enough caches to be worth while, I may order some of those.

 

They look dadgum good for micros. though I'm not much of a fan of micros so won't place a lot. But they would make good stages for a multi.

[+Too Tall John]

CoD needs to come back down to Central IlliNOISE and drop a few more sig items off.

 

If you guys get a chance, let me know how these work out for you. I just put them together last night.

 

Thanks!

 

Bret

Those look good, Bret. I haven't gotten my preforms yet, but I'm guessing the margins are set up to fit right in?

 

One typo, though:

 

Where it says "THIS IS A GEOCACHING" shouldn't it say "THIS IS A GEOCACHE"?

 

[+CYBret]

CoD needs to come back down to Central IlliNOISE and drop a few more sig items off.

 

If you guys get a chance, let me know how these work out for you. I just put them together last night.

 

Thanks!

 

Bret

Those look good, Bret. I haven't gotten my preforms yet, but I'm guessing the margins are set up to fit right in?

 

One typo, though:

 

Where it says "THIS IS A GEOCACHING" shouldn't it say "THIS IS A GEOCACHE"?

 

 

Whooops! Good catch! That's what I get for working on stuff at night!

 

Thanks!

[+9Key]

I have several of them out in the wild and haven't had one fail yet. I camo tape them generally - have only painted one so far. If you buy them in bulk you can get them for around $1 each which a great price for a high quality cache container.

[knowschad]

Have you ever found a preform that had a wet log in it?

 

If so, why do you think it leaked?

 

Any cache can contain a wet log if its found in a rainstorm by cachers that aren't careful enough to keep it dry. Even condensation can cause a damp log if its opened in hot, humid weather, and then the temperature drops enough to squeeze the moisture out of the air.

[+paleolith]

A good ammo can can't be beat, but some of those leak, OR some finders go through them in the rain.

OR someone leaves a bottle of hand sanitizer in it, and the bottle leaks.

 

Edward