New cache designs

[+vetteguy05]

I am making a pine cone cache, you know take a pine cone, make a hole in the end and glue a bison tube inside. Everytime I put it out I go back a few days later to check on it, and the pine cone has closed up. Does anyone know how to keep a pine cone from closing up when its outside?

I read online to bake them at 200 degrees to get rid of all the sap, but after 2 bakings its still is not staying open. I live around seattle, so I wonder if its all the moisture that may be causing this. Can someone help me please!

[+carleenp]

I wonder if you coat it with polyurethane if that would do the trick? It would block moisture and also act as an adhesive of sorts to hold it open. Anyway, it is just a guess, I haven't actually tried it.

[+The Blorenges]

Hmmm... just made one myself, large cone which at the moment is open. I soaked it in a wood preservative then thoroughly dried it out then used a PVA glue slightly watered down around the base of the 'leaves' to make sure they are secure, again let it dry. Only thing I haven't done is put it outside yet.. now wondering whether it will close up to. Oh well, only one way to find out. I'll let you know tomorrow morning!

 

Chris

MrB

[+joranda]

The pinecone I made did the same thing. I just set mine at the base of the tree which made it harder to find since most look on the tree branches anyways.

[+Segerguy]

Coat it with Thompson Water Seal, that will help it stay open.

[Clan Riffster]

The ones I've found didn't have that problem. Some used unopened pinecones, drilled & filled with bison tubes. Others peeled the "leaves" off an existing pinecone, gluing them to a new central core.