setting up a cache.

[+smstext]

Hi all, after a great weekend geocaching, we as a family decided it be great to give something back and create some caches ourselves. I have read the rules on what isnt allowed in the boxes. however my questions are:

 

1. what sort of things do people start the box off with? (obviously notebook and pencil)

2. How many items?

3. How much do you spend per cache?

4. Where to get the geocaching stickers for it?

5. the geocaching card explaining it all, is it purchasable or is it a case of printing it off and finding a laminator?

5. and lastly where do you go to get the stuff for a cache?

 

I have noticed quite a few caches have camo bags, surely thats expensive?

 

many thanks in adavance.

[+keehotee]

Welcome to geocaching, and the forum.

 

In all honesty...

 

1. Start thinking now about your first cache. But.....

2. Find a few more first to get a better view of where/how and what to include.

 

Your first cache will be all the better for it

 

Cost of a cache can vary. I've spent up to £50 on very special hides - but also as little as, well, nothing for a trail of micros.

You don't need any stickers on your cache - and in some cases you'll ruin the effect of any camo if you do add a sticker. The stickers could end up being the most expensive part of your hide, so don't feel you have to add them.

You can download and print off stash notes to put into a cache. They're not compulsary (nothing is - apart from a log of some description) - but they are good practice.

Cache containers can be made from any watertight container. Some are sturdier than others (ammo boxes) - but the majority of reasonably sized containers nowadays are loc'n'loc type food containers. You can get these in any supermarket.

And lastly - you can make a camo bag for about 50p - but there are far nicer alternatives to putting your cache in a bag

Edited August 3, 2009 by keehotee

[+MartyBartfast]

Hello, and welcome.

 

I would second what Keehotee said about finding a few before placing one, however to answer some of your specific questions:

 

1. Think about who you think will be visiting the cache, if there are likely to be kids then gel pens, highlighters, 'jewelry', toy cars, playmobile characters etc. If it's at the top of a mountain so likely to be mostly adults, then keyrings, spare batteries, USB keys, etc. Note that there's a list of undesirables, e.g. nothing that you wouldn't want a 5 year old to find so no matches/lighters/knives or other sharp objects. Also nothing edible, or candles as they can attract vermin.

 

2. As many as you can fit in, or enough to make sure it doesn't look too empty

 

3. That depends on your budget I guess.

 

4&5 there are several online caching shops, have a look at the pinned topic as I think there are some details there, otherwise do a google search.

 

5 (the second 5!) I get stuff from the 99p shop or 1£ shop, charity shops, etc.

 

The camo bags can be bought from the caching shops, but I bought 2m of fabric for a few quid and have made my own, it only takes minutes and I've got a few years worth of material left!

 

Enjoy yourself.

[+Gushoneybun]

Hi all, after a great weekend geocaching, we as a family decided it be great to give something back and create some caches ourselves. I have read the rules on what isnt allowed in the boxes. however my questions are:

 

1. what sort of things do people start the box off with? (obviously notebook and pencil)

2. How many items?

3. How much do you spend per cache?

4. Where to get the geocaching stickers for it?

5. the geocaching card explaining it all, is it purchasable or is it a case of printing it off and finding a laminator?

5. and lastly where do you go to get the stuff for a cache?

 

I have noticed quite a few caches have camo bags, surely thats expensive?

 

many thanks in adavance.

 

 

Welcome to caching and the forums you made it here pretty quick

 

 

Its good to see your enthusiasim but better to take it slowly. If you place caches in the wrong place you will forever be either replacing them or end up archiving them. A well placed cache will reward you with lots of interesting logs well into the future, plus it will not need constant maintenace, obviously you need to check up on it from time to time.

 

 

In answer to your questions the best place to start is the pinned topic Resources for Geocachers in the UK and Ireland up above, started by Graculus.

 

 

In MY opinion:

 

1) We use a variety of small childrens toys.

 

2) Within reason as many as the container will take allowing a little room for TB's/coins and repacking. Its easy to slot everything in sat in the living room not quite so when you are stood on a hill side in the rain.

 

3) Hard one, we spend around £20 for about 8 caches.

 

4) There are a number of sellers here in the UK

 

5) You can print it from the link on the right hand side of the hide and seek a cache page: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/

 

The second 5) Supermarkets, toy shops Morrisons garden centres etc etc. You end up wandering around in shops looking at things saying oh this will be handy for caching and buying loads of small toys.

[+Mustards]

Hi and welcome,

We are quite new to the game and we have found some free things on the net to put into caches, you can get the from here http://geocacher-u.com/component/option,co...rds/Itemid,109/, they have sheets of puzzels and colouring books all caching related. We have some good feedback with regards to these.

Keep on caching

[+Preseli]

Party favours from your local supermarket make good trinkets for swaps, as do all those bits you have in the drawer from things like Christmas crackers - I have put books (tagged on Bookcrossing.com first) into caches, and am thinking of putting in some of the smaller childrens' books we have left around the place now that Neath Kid is much older.

 

As for the actual cache box... Tesco are selling clip lock boxes half price at the moment...

 

On another thread here that is popular at the moment Birdman is advocating Peach Jars (about 1Kg in size), have tried it... you get the goodness of the fruit and a free container that is watertight to make a cache... win win

 

Plastic tubs like this can be rubbed down with sand paper, painted with a plastic primer (spray), then painted any colour you choose - very effective! You can also get stone effect paint... All very effective and cunning! LOL

 

Camo bags, ammo boxes from your local army surplus store, Web-Tex do a 3 part Stow Bag set, these are excellent cammo bags, just the right size for a tupperware. These can be found in good camping and military shops. The retail for about £5 to £7.50. they make the cache very difficult to see LOL

 

A Google search on making a geocache will yield amazing tips and tricks - have a look on YouTube search for geocache or geocaching and you will gets lot of tutorial videos about making and setting caches

 

Good luck, enjoy and have fun!

 

Em

[+keehotee]

 

 

[+smstext]

many thanks, we have done 15 now only 4 of them were not found and of them four we knew one had been vandalized as the card was scattered down the nearby shaft (and yes reported promplty too).

 

How do i make my own camo bag for 50p? i was going to buy some spray paint and spray each tupperware tub in green and black to camouflage it, but if its easy enough to make my own camo then im all ears!!!

[+Water-Rats]

Making a camo bag couldn't be easier. Go to your local fabric store and look for the camo material. You might get lucky and find off cuts. Buy some cord and a toggle thingy.

Cut fabric to size required, sew up, job done

 

Happy caching

[+Preseli]

I also chuck in a small trophy for FTF - this is something a local cacher here in South Wales does for most of his caches, it is a nice touch I feel and I try to do the same!

 

Pack of four from Mr Tesco = £1

 

Add a label to the trophy saying 'FTF - Cache name'

[+MartyBartfast]

I covered my last one with a little sheet of cammo netting ...

 

Strawberry netting from the Garden centre can be used in the same way too.

[+gazooks]

I use camo gaffer tape to decorate my lock 'n' locks - very effective.

[+smstext]

thanks again, ive looked at some of the geocaching links and whats in the stores, one even does the nik naks to go inside like keyring torches etc. Im sure by the weekend i will have the ideas and places in mind sorted and by the weekend after myself and my daughter will go out and place them.

 

Did however get some camo bags for £1.50 plus 50p ish p&p

[+Sadgit1971]

 

Did however get some camo bags for £1.50 plus 50p ish p&p

 

where did you get them that cheap? I've looked for some I want to setup and could only find camo bags for about £7!!!

 

Cheers

Mark

[+The Blorenges]

 

Did however get some camo bags for £1.50 plus 50p ish p&p

 

where did you get them that cheap? I've looked for some I want to setup and could only find camo bags for about £7!!!

 

Cheers

Mark

 

Try : here

 

MrsB

[+Original A1]

Good luck. I've just set my first one and went to one of the various geoshopping sites to purchase some of the materials, and downloaded the geocaching info to put in it.

 

In 3 days I've had 5 visitors, and all seems to be fine... so far!

 

Have fun, but remember to take your time to ensure it's exactly how you and others would best want it to be.

 

[+HazelS]

I would also advocate putting the cache in place, and then leaving it a couple of days.... then go back to it using your GPS - you'll soon see how accurate your coords are...

 

Leaving it a few days allows for changes in weather etc... plus of course you get to see if they are easily muggleable.......

[+Teacosies]

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