Ashtray travelbug?

[+Hrethgir]

I had an idea for a bigger TB the other day while thinking about a trip to Amsterdam I was unable to make many years ago due to timing issues. And my idea was to make an ashtray TB with it's ultimate goal to make it to Amsterdam . Now, my question is, does anyone think this might be something inappropriate or something? I already made the ashtray, just a formed piece of Plexiglass, and as soon as the TBs arrive, I'm going to etch the number into the the bottom of the ashtray, and maybe even paint it (all plastic this way, no metal, so no problem with airport security), but I thought I should double check with other people before setting this thing loose. This would be my first trackable, by the way. Thanks in advance!

[+BlueDeuce]

It's fine.

 

The only concern I have is not attaching the tag. Not everyone is going to spot that it's a TB. Some might think it's just swag and possibly a piece of trash in their eyes and toss it into the nearest bin.

 

I would suggest adding the dogtag.

[+Hrethgir]

It's fine.

 

The only concern I have is not attaching the tag. Not everyone is going to spot that it's a TB. Some might think it's just swag and possibly a piece of trash in their eyes and toss it into the nearest bin.

 

I would suggest adding the dogtag.

 

That's a good point. It's clear palstic, but I do plan on making the number stand out, but I'll rethink that and see what I can come up with.

[+The Blorenges]

Instead of drilling a hole and attaching the TB tag with a chain, or whatever, can you superglue the whole TB tag into the base of the ashtray? It would be neater than having it dangling around, but would also make it more obvious as a TB than just having the etched tracking number.

 

MrsB

[+HedgeMage]

Absolutely not!

• Drug paraphernalia is specifically prohibited by the GC rules.
  
• This is not something I would want my 6yo son to find in a cache.
  
• If someone used it, and someone like me with a chemical sensitivity found it in a cache, it could cause a serious attack. My son knows how to use my cell phone and/or radio to call for help in an emergency, but I hope he's never put in that position.
  

[+Eartha]

Absolutely not!

• Drug paraphernalia is specifically prohibited by the GC rules.
  
• This is not something I would want my 6yo son to find in a cache.
  
• If someone used it, and someone like me with a chemical sensitivity found it in a cache, it could cause a serious attack. My son knows how to use my cell phone and/or radio to call for help in an emergency, but I hope he's never put in that position.
  

 

How is an unused, hand made ashtray considered "drug paraphernalia"?

 

You should be looking in the cache first, before you let your son handle anything it.

 

There are worse things to touch in caches than a piece of Plexiglass. Mold would be a much bigger concern to me than plastic. I doubt someone would actually use the ash tray. They would know it's a travel bug.

[+Hrethgir]

Those are some things I was thinking about, actually. I wasn't sure how parents would feel about their child finding an ashtray. And it would be going out as new and unused, but I obviously can't keep it that way once it gets into the wild. And I don't condone smoking anything (I personally don't smoke anything), I came up with this idea as it seemed a kind of fitting and humorous trackable considering it's destination.

 

Anyways, keep the opinions coming so I can decide which way I'll go with this. Still leaning heavily towards sending it out (especially since I already made the tray), but I do want input, as I know smoking can be a touchy subject to people.

[+Chi-Town Cacher]

Well, you say keep the opinions coming so I'll give you my 2 cents. I don't see it as a problem at all as far as a small child finding it. It's not like your talking about porn or something else that our childrens eyes should be sheltered from. It's something that all kids are familar with already. I understand the humor of the TB, but maybe what you could do also is have a secondary mission of encouraging parents to talk to their children about smoking and other drug uses the children face. Even if you leave it exactly as you've described it with no secondary educational mission I'd still say send it on it's way and enjoy watching it's travels.

 

As far as it being functional as a TB and surviving better I think the idea of superglueing the TB tag to it makes a lot of sense. Otherwise I'd say you'd need to have it marked very clearly or somebody will mistake it for swag. Good luck!

[+The Blorenges]

I agree with Michigan Cacheman.

 

I'd also like to see your handcrafted ashtray - Could you post a picture of it, please?

 

MrsB

[7rxc]

Those are some things I was thinking about, actually. I wasn't sure how parents would feel about their child finding an ashtray. And it would be going out as new and unused, but I obviously can't keep it that way once it gets into the wild. And I don't condone smoking anything (I personally don't smoke anything), I came up with this idea as it seemed a kind of fitting and humorous trackable considering it's destination.

 

Anyways, keep the opinions coming so I can decide which way I'll go with this. Still leaning heavily towards sending it out (especially since I already made the tray), but I do want input, as I know smoking can be a touchy subject to people.

 

It's been years since I've seen an actual ashtray... most have been renamed as coasters or candydishes...

 

If you call it a candy dish (as maker) then that is what it IS. As for the ID as a tag. Why not try the route that the automobile (and other vehicles) cachers do... a decal or something that has the TB image without the tag... If it's a one off item , and you bought a TAG... or bought a decal from a dealer, it shouldn't be a problem... TPTB allow some non commercial usage of these graphics.

 

As for the person with the chemical sensitivity, I'm highly sympathetic, my caching partner has something similar ( to perfumes etc.) but life goes on. She educates people that she and others prefer they don't, but so many products contain scents, not to mention plants, animals etc. Same for peanut butter and the like.

 

Point is that one cannot demand that the rest of the world accomodate them... just ask. It must be quite hard avoiding all the places that thoughtless people dump their cigarette butts, in parking lots, park areas, trash cans, floors etc. Come to think of it, educating people about the existence of ashtrays and receptacles

might be a good mission after all! And candy isn't so good for kids either... is it.

 

Doug

[+Eartha]

If the child asks "What's that Daddy?" You simply say "That's to help stamp out smoking, my dear, and to prevent littering and forest fires!"

[+Hrethgir]

That "no smoking" thing actually gives me an idea, and same with attaching the dogtag. I think I'll try heating up the bottom of the ashtray and pressing the tag into the bottom, so it's kind of molded into the plastic ('ll add Super Glue too, just to make sure it's in there good), then it's easy to see, and out of the way in case someone does use it, so the TB won't get damaged. As for the no smoking learning thing, that's not a bad idea, so I think I'll paint it like I was talking about, but I'll do the red circle with the cross hatch through it in translucent red on the bottom under the dogtag, so it's more of a no smoking ashtray. And I'll try to get a picture of it, might not turn out so well right now, it's just clear plastic, might be hard to see, but after it's finished (should get the dogtags soon), I'll definitely post a finished shot. Any other input is welcome, too!

[+mfamilee]

I'm not seeing a problem here... it's simply an ashtray. It's not like it's a pack of cigarettes.

 

Although, I personally wouldn't mind finding a pack as high as the prices are now days.

[+Hrethgir]

OK, here's about as good a picture as I could get, it's hard taking a picture of clear plastic! This is just the blank canvas for now, waiting for the TB to show up so I can add it in, and then once I know how that will go in, then I can get a paint scheme going. But for a buck or two, I'm pretty happy with it so far!

 

 

 

Started with a piece of .080 thick 8" x 10" piece of Plexiglas from Lowe's for $1.58, used a bad CD and a Sharpie to draw the circle onto it (that one piece of plastic was enough for two of these with some extra left), cut it out with my Dremel tool and a wheel cutter, then smoothed off and beveled the edges with a sanding drum on the Dremel, then hand sanded the edge nice and smooth. Then used a heatgun to heat it till it was pliable, then formed it over a candy dish I got at Goodwill for $1. Taped some crimp-on eye connectors onto the dish so I knew where to make the ripples, then just worked it by hand, while wearing leather work gloves, of course! Went from the 8x10 sheet of Plexi to 2 finished bowls in probably 30-45 minutes, although one of them could use a little more work to get the curves right. Still, cheap and easy, and actually pretty fun, I think I'm going to start making signature swag using this stuff, especially if I can find a place that has colored Plexi!

[+wildernesswanda]

OK, here's about as good a picture as I could get, it's hard taking a picture of clear plastic! This is just the blank canvas for now, waiting for the TB to show up so I can add it in, and then once I know how that will go in, then I can get a paint scheme going. But for a buck or two, I'm pretty happy with it so far!

 

 

 

Started with a piece of .080 thick 8" x 10" piece of Plexiglas from Lowe's for $1.58, used a bad CD and a Sharpie to draw the circle onto it (that one piece of plastic was enough for two of these with some extra left), cut it out with my Dremel tool and a wheel cutter, then smoothed off and beveled the edges with a sanding drum on the Dremel, then hand sanded the edge nice and smooth. Then used a heatgun to heat it till it was pliable, then formed it over a candy dish I got at Goodwill for $1. Taped some crimp-on eye connectors onto the dish so I knew where to make the ripples, then just worked it by hand, while wearing leather work gloves, of course! Went from the 8x10 sheet of Plexi to 2 finished bowls in probably 30-45 minutes, although one of them could use a little more work to get the curves right. Still, cheap and easy, and actually pretty fun, I think I'm going to start making signature swag using this stuff, especially if I can find a place that has colored Plexi!

 

Hmmmm.... Looks like it could be a candy dish, too. I guess it could be whatever you wanted it to be. Doesn't have to be an ashtray. I'd glue the TB to the bottom so you can see it through the top.

[+Hrethgir]

 

Hmmmm.... Looks like it could be a candy dish, too. I guess it could be whatever you wanted it to be. Doesn't have to be an ashtray. I'd glue the TB to the bottom so you can see it through the top.

 

Could be anything else, sure, but it doesn't really make sense to send a candy dish to Amsterdam! I have a similar dish I made way back in junior high, and the wife keeps safety pins and hair rubber bands and stuff in it, and I also made a bigger one trying different sizes (a CD sized disk seems like the perfect size, by the way), and I'm using that one to hold my keys, so I have several dishes just like this in use in my place, and nobody here even smokes! And yeah, I'm going to try to heat up the bottom and press it into the bottom of the dish and then glue it in place, then I'll get to painting and see what it turns out looking like.

[+WRASTRO]

OK, here's about as good a picture as I could get, it's hard taking a picture of clear plastic! This is just the blank canvas for now, waiting for the TB to show up so I can add it in, and then once I know how that will go in, then I can get a paint scheme going. But for a buck or two, I'm pretty happy with it so far!

 

 

 

Started with a piece of .080 thick 8" x 10" piece of Plexiglas from Lowe's for $1.58, used a bad CD and a Sharpie to draw the circle onto it (that one piece of plastic was enough for two of these with some extra left), cut it out with my Dremel tool and a wheel cutter, then smoothed off and beveled the edges with a sanding drum on the Dremel, then hand sanded the edge nice and smooth. Then used a heatgun to heat it till it was pliable, then formed it over a candy dish I got at Goodwill for $1. Taped some crimp-on eye connectors onto the dish so I knew where to make the ripples, then just worked it by hand, while wearing leather work gloves, of course! Went from the 8x10 sheet of Plexi to 2 finished bowls in probably 30-45 minutes, although one of them could use a little more work to get the curves right. Still, cheap and easy, and actually pretty fun, I think I'm going to start making signature swag using this stuff, especially if I can find a place that has colored Plexi!

Around here they call things that look like that Dale Chihuly art and it goes for big bucks.

[+jtthjones]

I like the dish. I really don't see a problem with an ashtray. I have two small kids and i wouldn't mind them finding this.

[modernman]

Personally I think it looks pretty cool. If you're concerned about kids seeing an ashtray just don't call it an ashtray. I think it's cool that you're considering the effect this may have on children but I doubt you're going to influence anyone to start smoking.

[+Hrethgir]

OK, TB is all finished and ready to release into the wild, just gotta find the right cache.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=1992746

 

Got the No Smoking logo on the bottom, and a couple links to sites showing the risks of smoking, one about tobacco, and one about weed, since it's trying to get to Amsterdam.

[+The Blorenges]

Very neatly done! I hope it has a good journey.

 

I went to Amsterdam for the first time a couple of years ago and we logged Amsterdam Urban 1 which we later discovered to be the first cache placed in Netherlands and also the oldest, still active, micro.

 

MrsB

[+Hrethgir]

Well, it got launched today, so new we see what happens! Also launched another one at the same time with it, and that one has a goal of getting to the Subaru factory in Japan. No small bug goals for me, LOL!