Geo-Crafting Corner

[+swizzle]

I'm sure some of you out there have a few pics of your craftiest caches that you'd like to share. I'd like to see some original work, fine work, and some of your craftiest hides. If you'd like to remain anynomous so no one knows what your cache looks like then email me the pics and I'll post them for you under a fake name and location. I had another cacher post one of my evil caches for me in CCC for the same reason. This isn't meant to be a CCC thread. What I'm hoping to see and share with others is how you create your CCC's from start to finish. What materials and methods. Maybe some others can get some inspiration off of this thread and create their own unique containers. I'll be posting my street lamp into a snapping turtle cache as I make it. Right now I'm in the process of gutting it and I'll post some pics as I go. Lets share some good cache making tips and tricks. Swizzle

[+GIDEON-X]

"AVATARS" For All Seasons and Events

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Moving to the Geocaching Topics Forum from the Getting Started Forum.

[+swizzle]

I figured I would put this in the getting started forum because it is the start of a lot of caches. I didn't get to my turtle yet today. I was out trying to place 2 more caches. I got one set but the container on the other was to small for my prefered hidey hole. I'll try to get the rest of his guts out today. Swizzle

[+bittsen]

This isn't built yet but I want opinions on whether or not I should make it.

 

I am going to start with a 3 inch segment of ABS pipe (stop thinking bomb squad RIGHT NOW!) and make it a 2 part container.

The pipe segment will be about 12 inches long. I will put a divider inside the pipe so that it has 8 inches of cache space. The other 4 inches will be for a little bit of electrical fun.

What I want to do is put together a motor, switch, battery combo. The motor will have an offset weight so it "wiggles" when actuated. The switch will be connected to a fake tail so that when someone pulls on the tail it will engage the "wiggling" of the motor.

 

The hidey hole will be an 18inch segment of 4" ABS that will be concealed and secured so it won't move and then the cache will be placed in it's "cave" in a hidey spot.

 

Hopefully the effect will be someone seeing the tail and (correctly) think it's the cache but when they pull on the tail the cache will come "alive".

 

Just something to get the heart going...

 

I will name it something like "Squirrels revenge" or "Chip and Dale's next adventure"

 

What do you all think?

[+swizzle]

This isn't built yet but I want opinions on whether or not I should make it.

 

I am going to start with a 3 inch segment of ABS pipe (stop thinking bomb squad RIGHT NOW!) and make it a 2 part container.

The pipe segment will be about 12 inches long. I will put a divider inside the pipe so that it has 8 inches of cache space. The other 4 inches will be for a little bit of electrical fun.

What I want to do is put together a motor, switch, battery combo. The motor will have an offset weight so it "wiggles" when actuated. The switch will be connected to a fake tail so that when someone pulls on the tail it will engage the "wiggling" of the motor.

 

The hidey hole will be an 18inch segment of 4" ABS that will be concealed and secured so it won't move and then the cache will be placed in it's "cave" in a hidey spot.

 

Hopefully the effect will be someone seeing the tail and (correctly) think it's the cache but when they pull on the tail the cache will come "alive".

 

Just something to get the heart going...

 

I will name it something like "Squirrels revenge" or "Chip and Dale's next adventure"

 

What do you all think?

 

I was thinking something similar without all the bells and whistles. Just a container covered in fake fur. Have a clue like the one I'm using in my "Booger In A Tree Hole" cache "Elbow deep ticklin' squirrel feet is where you'll find me". You could call it the "Rabid Squirrel". which would be funny because squirrels can't get rabies. If you're gonna add some action to it then set up a trail camera with video close to the cache and make the hidey hole obvious. Swizzle

[+kunarion]

when they pull on the tail the cache will come "alive".

I think that's great!

 

There's a local garden/forest here (fenced in) which has power to some areas, and I've been contemplating motorized caches. Lots of possibilities. Some places, you could even rig up a solar charger!

 

If your "chipmunk" were clockwork, you could include instructions at the cache to "be sure to wind it up for the next cacher". It could be very simple rubber-band power (ever see the "rattlesnake eggs" joke?)

Edited August 11, 2009 by kunarion

[+DragonsWest]

Oh you mischeivous cachers.

 

The rubber spider in the hollow tree isn't enough for you?

 

I'm going to include in my standard caching equipment a pair of pliers with 1 metre long grips.

 

I've just cast my next concrete jobby. I'll see how it turns out.

[+bittsen]

Oh you mischeivous cachers.

 

The rubber spider in the hollow tree isn't enough for you?

 

I'm going to include in my standard caching equipment a pair of pliers with 1 metre long grips.

 

I've just cast my next concrete jobby. I'll see how it turns out.

 

Just to help you on the concrete rock thing...

If you use "sand mix" concrete, you can wait for a little while for it to set to a point and then remove it from the mold and carve/shape it better. After its in the perfect shape, coat it with thinset concrete to get rid of the sandyness (not a real word).

[+swizzle]

With your fake rock I also read that before it dries you take a real rock that has some bumps or some type of texture to it and press that all over your fake rock to give it some texture. Swizzle

[+nelson crew]

This isn't built yet but I want opinions on whether or not I should make it.

 

I am going to start with a 3 inch segment of ABS pipe (stop thinking bomb squad RIGHT NOW!) and make it a 2 part container.

The pipe segment will be about 12 inches long. I will put a divider inside the pipe so that it has 8 inches of cache space. The other 4 inches will be for a little bit of electrical fun.

What I want to do is put together a motor, switch, battery combo. The motor will have an offset weight so it "wiggles" when actuated. The switch will be connected to a fake tail so that when someone pulls on the tail it will engage the "wiggling" of the motor.

 

The hidey hole will be an 18inch segment of 4" ABS that will be concealed and secured so it won't move and then the cache will be placed in it's "cave" in a hidey spot.

 

Hopefully the effect will be someone seeing the tail and (correctly) think it's the cache but when they pull on the tail the cache will come "alive".

 

Just something to get the heart going...

 

I will name it something like "Squirrels revenge" or "Chip and Dale's next adventure"

 

What do you all think?

 

The beans, they are cool.

[+Puppy Dawg]

One man's crap is another man's cache...

 

[+kunarion]

One man's crap is another man's cache...

Hey, those are some fine stool samples!

 

I'd like to make a "fire ant mound". Only crazy people go near them.

[+popokiiti]

Those stool samples reminded me of a film canister on the counter at work (a dental office.) On the outside, on a printed label, the words STOOL SAMPLE. I looked at it in shock and horror and was told by the receptionist that I should open it. I did - and out came this tiny stool. A miniature of the kind you sit on. Just one of our patients with a warped sense of humour!!! (Who also makes miniatures of all sorts as a hobby)

[+swizzle]

You should put a little toad on top of those and tell them that they are looking for a toad stool. Swizzle

[+Puppy Dawg]

Yeah! Good one!

[+DragonsWest]

An anonymous lump of concrete. As it continues to dry it will become lighter, but it will have to do that on-site, as this is due in the field as a replacement for a 50sumtin cache in the morning.

 

 

Cast in damp sand, some of which has stuck to it giving it a rather convincing exterior already. A bit of finishing this evening and had to add a bit of reinforcement where it was thin. The embedded container is a plastic coin tube (I have dozens of these a coin dealer gave me ) with a bit of carving at the corners to keep it anchored in the concrete. Tube is about 4.5 cm on a side, 7 cm long and 4 cm diameter hole. These were used to ship American Eagle 1 Oz. silver coins. So should be plenty room for smaller TB or large round GC.

[Clan Riffster]

Cover military markings

 

Add stencil

 

Apply Liquid Nails Roof Repair, spreading it with a plastic knife.

Avoid hinge points, joints and seal points.

Wear rubber gloves and clothes you can throw away if needed.

 

Apply bits of physical camo.

I like to use floral moss, spanish moss and excellsior.

 

Let cure outside, out of direct sunlight, for at least 3 days.

[+DragonsWest]

Nice work. That should keep it in the field should a muggle trip over it.

[+swizzle]

You should do the geocaching symbol (The big G with the X inside it) in light moss and then surround the rest in a patchwork of different, darker mosses. I think that would look really cool. Swizzle

[+Spl1nt3rC3ll]

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Bui...ty_Camera_Safe/

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Ultimate_Geocache/

 

Still need to find a good place for the first link, the second link went toe to toe with a wood chipper, and lost.

 

Also, I named the second link "Ultimate Geocache" because, at the time, I thought it was an original idea.

Edited August 14, 2009 by Spl1nt3rC3ll

[+kunarion]

With my luck, a cop would walk by just as I'm pulling the "security camera" off the wall. Probably the same guy who saw me wearing a strand of Mardi Gras beads and sneaking out of the woods, a few days ago.

 

named the second link "Ultimate Geocache" because, at the time, I thought it was an original idea.

 

Most of my original ideas seem to be common. I haven't seen it all.

 

Worse, some of my ideas are commonly hated. I was considering a fake "lamp post skirt" (fits over the real one or just around a post), and hide a cache under it. Did you know that such hides are tedious and unpopular? So that plan is cancelled. I wonder if there's a thread to warn me away from that kind of thing.

 

I'm taking combinations of interesting existing ideas, making them a little better, and even learning about the kind of glue to use.

Edited August 14, 2009 by kunarion

[+keehotee]

 

[+swizzle]

I always love the fake logs. I have a hollowed out branch in my Edinburg Park Multi. There's a spoiler pic if anyone want's to check it out. Swizzle

[+nelson crew]

...snip for space...

 

As someone thoroughly uncreative I wanted to thank you for this post. I have bookmarked it and will be referencing it in the very near future.

[+swizzle]

...snip for space...

 

As someone thoroughly uncreative I wanted to thank you for this post. I have bookmarked it and will be referencing it in the very near future.

 

Awesome. Your more then welcome. I'm gonna start work on an ammo can mural tonight that I should be placing this weekend. I'll definately post pics before I place it. Swizzle

[+gailbraithe]

 

 

This is a rock cache I constructed, one in a series of experiments. I quite like it, though I worry it's too delicate and light. It's constructed from a 3" inch round plastic container with screw on lid, reinforced with a rubber gasket, and then camouflaged with a 5" x 5" Styrofoam cube. I cut off the corners and made irregular chops into the cube, then glued pieces back on to give a more natural shape. After priming the whole cache with a flat black, I applied a coat of Krylon's Make It Stone. I followed that up with a heavy duty matte acryllic sealer to protect the paint job from the elements.

 

The log book is a 4.5" x 3.25" composition book cut in half (band saw or hobby saw) and reinforced with duct tape. 160 pages, with room for eight signatures per page, though I'm hoping people will feel encouraged to fill the whole page with a note or a quote.

 

Instructions on constructing a mini-pen can be found here.

Edited August 15, 2009 by gailbraithe

[+swizzle]

I just wanted to get this posted before the brewha takes over my keyboard. This is my geomural on a 50cal. ammo can. I know not the best looking thing in the world but I think its better then just finding another ammo can in the woods. Not that there's anything wrong with ammo cans. I just feel that more people should try something different with their hides. This one is going to a woodcarving place where they specialize in bears and fish and birds and well... a whole lot of stuff can be carved out of wood with a chainsaw. I hope you like the pics and better yet I hope it helps you to see the side of an ammo can as a blank page just begging for some kind of artistic expression. Swizzle

 

 

 

 

[+swizzle]

This is a rock cache I constructed, one in a series of experiments. I quite like it, though I worry it's too delicate and light. It's constructed from a 3" inch round plastic container with screw on lid, reinforced with a rubber gasket, and then camouflaged with a 5" x 5" Styrofoam cube. I cut off the corners and made irregular chops into the cube, then glued pieces back on to give a more natural shape. After priming the whole cache with a flat black, I applied a coat of Krylon's Make It Stone. I followed that up with a heavy duty matte acryllic sealer to protect the paint job from the elements.

 

The log book is a 4.5" x 3.25" composition book cut in half (band saw or hobby saw) and reinforced with duct tape. 160 pages, with room for eight signatures per page, though I'm hoping people will feel encouraged to fill the whole page with a note or a quote.

 

Instructions on constructing a mini-pen can be found here.

 

That rock came out pretty good. I had one that I made out of a beach washed piece of dock foam . It was about 2 foot round. I spent a lot of time cutting out the cavity for a 30cal and painted and repainted it about 10 times. I placed it round about fall and by spring it was busted up into a bunch of different pieces and the paint was rubbing off. I think I did a few things wrong. Number 1. Using old foam, 2 not sealing the paint like you did and number 3 using an oversized piece to hide a 30 cal. If I had a smaller cacher and sealed it then maybe it'd look as good as yours does and actually lasted a while. I still have to check out that instructable on a mini pen. That looks cool. I was cutting the notebooks down myself but with so many different geologs on the web I just print out my own now. I just make sure there's enough room for 100 or so signatures (around here about 2 years worth of signatures). I'd rather have them put a signature on the paper and log their experience online. Ever try to write a nice log in a notebook in a cloud of mosquito's? Nice work. Swizzle

[+Puppy Dawg]

I'd like to make a "fire ant mound". Only crazy people go near them.

It's not a fire ant mound, but I have a 'yellowjacket nest' out in the wild somewhere...

[+swizzle]

I'd like to make a "fire ant mound". Only crazy people go near them.

It's not a fire ant mound, but I have a 'yellowjacket nest' out in the wild somewhere...

 

Cool, must be a good hide. I see it has 3 DNF's so far since August 14th. Swizzle

[+Puppy Dawg]

Here's my yellowjacket nest:

[+swizzle]

Here's my yellowjacket nest:

 

Looks like a brain with a lot of grey matter. Its got the basic shape a design down that's for sure. I'm not sure if they are different by location but the ones I find around here are lighter grey. i've thought about using a real hive after the tenants have been evicted of course. I don't think to many people would want to grab it though. I'd call that one slightly evil. Really evil if you're allergic to bees. Swizzle

[+swizzle]

Here's one I threw together yesterday. I bought the bolt and the metal tube/sleeve thingy at lowes for less the $2. I then used my grinder to grind the bolt down so that it would be small enough to slide inside the tube. When I got it close I cut the bolt down to about 1/4 of an inch. Still a little to big to slide into the tube I ground it down very slow until it wouldn't push in but with a little encouragement (hammer) it is firmly seated. I then sealed it around the sleeve with some superglue (probably should've used some JB) and put a few drops inside to help seal it from the inside out. For the scroll log I used an eraser, (to hold the toothpick and help seal out water), toothpick, tape, and 2 nano logs that I printed and cut out as one. So I basically have a double wide nano scroll log. Taped to a toothpick and rolled up and slid into the tube. I think it'll work. I hope so. Swizzle

 

 

 

[+kunarion]

It's not a fire ant mound, but I have a 'yellowjacket nest' out in the wild somewhere...

If that's low-foaming insulation, you could make mud dauber nests. Those are groups of parallel tubes that wasps hatch in. They're all over the place around here, even in covered picnic areas. People tend to break the nests or clean them off the walls, so that would be a cache maintenance issue. I guess a yellow-jacket nest could end up smelling like Raid, depending on placement.

Edited August 16, 2009 by kunarion

[+Steve&GeoCarolyn]

 

Apply bits of physical camo.

I like to use floral moss, spanish moss and excellsior.

 

 

I also thank you for the demo.

 

How well do those things hold up in the wet swampy (or partial swampy) areas? We see things revert to nature at an alarming pace here. So we are wondering whether the moss would just turn to compost within a few months.

 

Carolyn

Edited August 16, 2009 by Steve&GeoCarolyn

[+kunarion]

we are wondering whether the moss would just turn to compost within a few months.

Carolyn,

If you're looking for something that doesn't wilt, you can get artificial mulch. It comes in a couple of colors, and there's a pine straw version, and "wood chips", all made of rubber.

Edited August 16, 2009 by kunarion

[+Steve&GeoCarolyn]

we are wondering whether the moss would just turn to compost within a few months.

Carolyn,

If you're looking for something that doesn't wilt, you can get artificial mulch. It comes in a couple of colors, and there's a pine straw version, and "wood chips", all made of rubber.

 

That sounds pretty cool! Where do you find it?

 

Carolyn

[Clan Riffster]

How well do those things hold up in the wet swampy (or partial swampy) areas?

It's a maintenance issue. Over time, the bits of moss snap off at or near the roof repair caulk.

I swap out a new one for the old one every couple years, then reapply caulk/moss to the old one.

Recycling at its best. This can was pulled after about 26 months in the field:

[+Steve&GeoCarolyn]

How well do those things hold up in the wet swampy (or partial swampy) areas?

It's a maintenance issue. Over time, the bits of moss snap off at or near the roof repair caulk.

I swap out a new one for the old one every couple years, then reapply caulk/moss to the old one.

Recycling at its best. This can was pulled after about 26 months in the field:

 

Thank you! That doesn't seem bad at all for 26 months and I'm sure that as voracious as the environment here is, the swamps you traverse are probably even more so. So, I will soon be paying a trip to our local craft store so that I too can have a mossy ammo box.

 

 

Carolyn

[+kunarion]

This can was pulled after about 26 months in the field

That one still looks fine to me!

 

That sounds pretty cool! Where do you find it?

 

Carolyn

I bought a roll of 4-inch wide brown fake "pine straw" at Lowes, a few weeks ago. It's for landscapers. You can shred it (rip it into clumps), or use it as-is. Attach a long jagged strip to a small container, lean it against a tree, and it blends pretty well. I think it would stick to the roof repair adhesive, so you could cover your ammo can with that, if natural material rots too quickly.

Edited August 16, 2009 by kunarion

[Clan Riffster]

I bought a roll of 4-inch wide brown fake "pine straw" at Lowes, a few weeks ago.

Hmmm... I think a trip to Lowes is in order!

Does the "straw" all lay in the same direction, or is it randomized, like you'd find in the wild?

[Clan Riffster]

I will soon be paying a trip to our local craft store so that I too can have a mossy ammo box.

Whoo Hoo!! Another convert to my nefarious plot!

Carolyn, two thing I noticed I neglected in my tutorial:

 

1 ) Prepping the medium.

I use a heavy duty pair of crafting scissors to chop up the Spanish moss and the excelsior into roughly 1" bits.

The floral moss just gets shredded by hand into about 1" bits.

These get stored in gallon ziplocks. When I am ready to apply, I've got the open ziplocks next to me in a tub.

I just reach down and pluck out which ever stuff I want for that section of the ammo can.

 

2 ) Adhesion.

After you create your "pattern", you need to firmly press the medium into the caulk.

That's the messiest part, and where the rubber gloves come in the most handy.

After you do a few cans, your project area will be covered in stray bits of medium. I save this for small jobs.

[+kunarion]

Does the "straw" all lay in the same direction, or is it randomized, like you'd find in the wild?

It's random bits, including little shavings and bark. It's rather shiny (always looks "wet"), which can be good or bad depending on location. Here I glued a large mat of rubber mulch to the lid of a small lock-n-lock, and put on its side, among tree roots. My next step would be to rip it to fit (you can do that on-site).

 

EDIT: The stuff takes a little camo paint just fine, which reduces shininess. Hadn't tried it til just now, since it's rubber, and I thought it wouldn't paint well. I have tried various glues, and it seems fine with Goop or whatever you want. If you want to have a lot of overhang, back it up with something to reinforce it, otherwise it can rip.

 

Here it's glued to a small lock-n-lock, and those are pretty easy to hide anyway.

Edited August 16, 2009 by kunarion

[+Steve&GeoCarolyn]

Whoo Hoo!! Another convert to my nefarious plot!

 

I should warn you that while I am willing to join your nefarious cult of Mossy Ammo Can Creators (MACC), I draw the line at cuddling with pythons or poking alligators. Even cultists have limits.

 

Carolyn, two thing I noticed I neglected in my tutorial:

 

1 ) Prepping the medium.

I use a heavy duty pair of crafting scissors to chop up the Spanish moss and the excelsior into roughly 1" bits.

The floral moss just gets shredded by hand into about 1" bits.

These get stored in gallon ziplocks. When I am ready to apply, I've got the open ziplocks next to me in a tub.

I just reach down and pluck out which ever stuff I want for that section of the ammo can.

 

2 ) Adhesion.

After you create your "pattern", you need to firmly press the medium into the caulk.

That's the messiest part, and where the rubber gloves come in the most handy.

After you do a few cans, your project area will be covered in stray bits of medium. I save this for small jobs.

 

Thank you for the additional information. I have now gone to Lowes and picked up Spanish moss and various other things. I will still need to get the green moss and I'm thinking of adding some local dried bark, twigs, and leaves to the mix.

 

Carolyn

[+Steve&GeoCarolyn]

Does the "straw" all lay in the same direction, or is it randomized, like you'd find in the wild?

It's random bits, including little shavings and bark. It's rather shiny (always looks "wet"), which can be good or bad depending on location. Here I glued a large mat of rubber mulch to the lid of a small lock-n-lock, and put on its side, among tree roots. My next step would be to rip it to fit (you can do that on-site).

 

EDIT: The stuff takes a little camo paint just fine, which reduces shininess. Hadn't tried it til just now, since it's rubber, and I thought it wouldn't paint well. I have tried various glues, and it seems fine with Goop or whatever you want. If you want to have a lot of overhang, back it up with something to reinforce it, otherwise it can rip.

 

Here it's glued to a small lock-n-lock, and those are pretty easy to hide anyway.

 

That looks great, Kunarion! I can think of a number of places the shininess would work here. However, my Lowes store is clearly defective since they didn't have this stuff. I shall have to look elsewhere. Thanks for sharing this.

 

Carolyn

[+swizzle]

It's not much but I decided to throw together some quick and dirty instructions on how I made a cheap waterproof micro. To start I went to my local dollar store and they had these up by the counter. I know not every dollar store will have these so if yours doesn't then this is gonna cost you more.

 

 

Peel off the sticker and sand it down good to get all of the shiney off of it.

 

 

I was suprized at how nicely 1/2" plastic conduit slides right in. $0.92 at Home Depot. I just cut it so that it slides down into the neck just a little.

 

 

Then just make yourself a scroll log and a cache pencil. If you put in to many sheets of paper they will be hard to pull out. The next thing I'm going to try is to make a ring out of the conduit instead of a tube and see if it makes it easier or not. I have one of these underwater in the field and its still nice and dry. I've also tested this inside a jar of water. I filled it with toilet paper and had my 6 year old put the top on and then I let it sit completely submerged upside down for a week. These containers will work just as good as anything with a rubber O ring. But as with any container they will only stay dry if the last cacher puts the top back on right. Which in this cache should be rather simple. Swizzle

 

Edited to add more: I cut about a 1 inch ring and that seems to work much better. Swizzle

Edited August 20, 2009 by swizzle

[+Spl1nt3rC3ll]

 

Instructions on constructing a mini-pen can be found here.

 

Hail, fellow iBlonian!

[+DragonsWest]

Did another hasty concrete cache on Monday and drove around with it setting in the back seat of the car. By 7 PM it was relatively well set and ready for placement. Sorry no picture.

 

This variation involved a Water Bottle Top cache, similar to the Soda Bottle Top micros - I use the top from 1 Gallon water bottles and find they work quite well. I'll have some pictures, how I make them, up later.