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"Named" signature items used by U.K. cachers.


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Urm, I actually got mine as blank wooden discs from Hobbycraft then used a soldering iron to burn on my logo and name. I've no idea how much they cost but in the large numbers I'd need to do them properly now I would look elsewhere.

I hear there are various places over t'pond that make/print custom designs on 'wooden nickles'. But i've never fancied that, preferring the hand-made look.

 

What you need is a branding iron! I know you can get custom ones made in the states (for branding logos onto wood, leather etc) but I wonder if anywhere in the UK does custom ones... would save a bit of time :huh:

 

 

Or a custom made stamp and some Stazon Ink (probably cheaper option)

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What you need is a branding iron! I know you can get custom ones made in the states (for branding logos onto wood, leather etc) but I wonder if anywhere in the UK does custom ones... would save a bit of time :huh:

 

That's exactly the sort of thing I had in mind.... but rather than buy one i was going to use a home made brand...

 

Like Chris, I'd perfer somthing a bit more handmade looking, so will create my own brand I think. I also need something to apply it to, but think I've found some cheap wooden star shaped discs on line..... watch this space!

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Around these parts we have been visited by Tim & June, who leave there sig item.

Theirs is a TJ Bear these are purpose made teddies and are real collectors items, and are very good indication of quality caches as they only leave them in good ones. They have a new batch every year or so and are coded accordingly. We are lucky enough to have collected a couple :D Current stock i believe is the MK7, they have a web page dedicated to these as well.

 

As far as ourselves go at the moment, is our caching card :lol:

but we are trying to find something better ;)

 

Here's a link hopefully www.geocaching-bears.co.uk

 

Blimey - just seen how much they were auctioned for!

 

We've still got 2 MK2's, 1 MK3, 2 MK4's and 2 MK5's. Shame they're not still hidden - but they wouldn't fit inside most caches these days.

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I used to leave old coins, back in the days I'd do a couple of long hikes for a couple of smileys on a weekend. I'd buy currency in bulk (pretty cheap after the Euro came in), put them in a little coin envelope with my sig stamped on the outside.

 

coins.jpg

 

I got all kinds of happy feedback on them. But ultimately I picked up the pace and was hitting a lot of micros and just stopped carrying them with me.

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I used to leave old coins, back in the days I'd do a couple of long hikes for a couple of smileys on a weekend. I'd buy currency in bulk (pretty cheap after the Euro came in), put them in a little coin envelope with my sig stamped on the outside.

 

coins.jpg

 

I got all kinds of happy feedback on them. But ultimately I picked up the pace and was hitting a lot of micros and just stopped carrying them with me.

 

Those are lovely, Auntieweasel, I'm not surprised people were pleased to find them :)

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What you need is a branding iron! I know you can get custom ones made in the states (for branding logos onto wood, leather etc) but I wonder if anywhere in the UK does custom ones... would save a bit of time :blink:

 

That's exactly the sort of thing I had in mind.... but rather than buy one i was going to use a home made brand...

 

Like Chris, I'd prefer something a bit more handmade looking, so will create my own brand I think. I also need something to apply it to, but think I've found some cheap wooden star shaped discs on line..... watch this space!

Does any body know how you go about making your own branding iron? What metal should you use, how would you go about shaping it without it loosing shape when heated??

 

For now, i've discovered stickers from moo.com. You get 90 for about £5 and each one can be different if you want them to be! They are 22mm square so fit in most log books although they do use up several lines in a micro. I'm really impressed with the quality and would happily recommend them. This is a shot of mine (as featured on Podcacher, which is where the photo is from).

4488046433_1ea9f55956.jpg

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I try to always leave a signature poker chip in caches big enough. After I bough my new super-heavy poker chips, I had a glut of old cheaper ones knocking about so thought I might use them as soon as I started caching.

 

I know it's not very exciting or that original but I have my caching name on the chip which I did using dry-rub transfer paper and printing an A4 sheet-full of little Buckleberry's.

 

It's a bit fiddly due to the font size but at least it marks my visits to your caches...

:blink:

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Ive seen a few badges, but mostly i see laminated cards.

Im trying to come up with my own idea for a signature item.

 

I'm toying with the idea of a Washer stamped using letter punches and a laminated picture of my logo (see my avatar) attached via string

 

Dorsetgal i absolutely LOVE that Keep calm and carry on pathtag i hope i can visit a cache you have dropped one of those off in!

Edited by SDewer
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Dorsetgal i absolutely LOVE that Keep calm and carry on pathtag i hope i can visit a cache you have dropped one of those off in!

 

Thank you.

 

There is a terrible irony associated with that tag.

 

I did the Tibetan Peace Cache with GeoDog in the grounds of the Imperial War Museum last December, it was absolutely bucketing down with rain, so I went into the museum, both Caesar and I were drenched and cold.

 

In the bookshop they had Keep Calm and Carry On posters. I thought it was interesting and decided to make a pathtag, designed and ordered over the Christmas holiday. I felt it was a motto to live by no matter what life throws at you.

 

Little did I know that by the time the tags were in production that Caesar would have passed away so suddenly and that turned out to be the very last geocache we ever did together. (I started caching as a result of looking for a gpsr that would tell me how far I had walked with Caesar, so it felt rather poignant).

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What you need is a branding iron! I know you can get custom ones made in the states (for branding logos onto wood, leather etc) but I wonder if anywhere in the UK does custom ones... would save a bit of time :)

 

That's exactly the sort of thing I had in mind.... but rather than buy one i was going to use a home made brand...

 

Like Chris, I'd prefer something a bit more handmade looking, so will create my own brand I think. I also need something to apply it to, but think I've found some cheap wooden star shaped discs on line..... watch this space!

Does any body know how you go about making your own branding iron? What metal should you use, how would you go about shaping it without it loosing shape when heated??

 

For now, i've discovered stickers from moo.com. You get 90 for about £5 and each one can be different if you want them to be! They are 22mm square so fit in most log books although they do use up several lines in a micro. I'm really impressed with the quality and would happily recommend them. This is a shot of mine (as featured on Podcacher, which is where the photo is from).

4488046433_1ea9f55956.jpg

 

 

 

WOW! Thanks for the link

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Dorsetgal i absolutely LOVE that Keep calm and carry on pathtag i hope i can visit a cache you have dropped one of those off in!

 

Thank you.

 

There is a terrible irony associated with that tag.

 

I did the Tibetan Peace Cache with GeoDog in the grounds of the Imperial War Museum last December, it was absolutely bucketing down with rain, so I went into the museum, both Caesar and I were drenched and cold.

 

In the bookshop they had Keep Calm and Carry On posters. I thought it was interesting and decided to make a pathtag, designed and ordered over the Christmas holiday. I felt it was a motto to live by no matter what life throws at you.

 

Little did I know that by the time the tags were in production that Caesar would have passed away so suddenly and that turned out to be the very last geocache we ever did together. (I started caching as a result of looking for a gpsr that would tell me how far I had walked with Caesar, so it felt rather poignant).

 

That's sad :)

It's a motto i live by as well, being a secondary school teacher it has kind of become a personal mantra!

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i have a sig item that i leave or snap a photo with the cache if it dont fit.

 

its a custom poker chip:

 

c1da9f41-dd14-4b8b-a2ed-f468631e0ce7.jpg

 

on the reverse is says

 

TFTC

#XX

dave in deal

 

The #XX referes to the number find that im up to, also i use them in earth caches photos' to prove that there genuinely taken by me.

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We used to leave these small tags in caches we visited when we first started caching. They were easy enough to make using a rubber stamp, permanent marker pen and 'shrink dink' plastic sheet - fun , quick , easy and fairly sturdy. but then shortly after I read a forum thread on here where some members were complaining about 'rubbish' calling cards and items that were filling up cache containers . After reading this we assumed that this was not approved of and stopped leaving them. :anibad:

sand.jpg

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We used to leave these small tags in caches we visited when we first started caching. They were easy enough to make using a rubber stamp, permanent marker pen and 'shrink dink' plastic sheet - fun , quick , easy and fairly sturdy. but then shortly after I read a forum thread on here where some members were complaining about 'rubbish' calling cards and items that were filling up cache containers . After reading this we assumed that this was not approved of and stopped leaving them. :anibad:

sand.jpg

 

That's really attractive - do start leaving a few more around - I'd love to find one. B)

 

An individually crafted item in (fairly heavy?) plastic is durable and makes a nice signature item. I think the reason why some people dislike the more common calling cards is that they tend to be lightweight and, unless really well produced and laminated, they get damp and tatty quickly. I have a couple of very quirky calling cards that I've collected for their originality.

 

MrsB

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Ive seen a few badges, but mostly i see laminated cards.

Im trying to come up with my own idea for a signature item.

 

I'm toying with the idea of a Washer stamped using letter punches and a laminated picture of my logo (see my avatar) attached via string

 

Wow great minds and all that ! Ive just started leaving ZED washers that i stamp up on night shift when im bored !

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Ive seen a few badges, but mostly i see laminated cards.

Im trying to come up with my own idea for a signature item.

 

I'm toying with the idea of a Washer stamped using letter punches and a laminated picture of my logo (see my avatar) attached via string

 

Wow great minds and all that ! Ive just started leaving ZED washers that i stamp up on night shift when im bored !

 

My signature item is a geoTractor or geoTruck "coin".

- see my profile.

 

Air drying clay, cookie cutter, felt pens and pva glue for a nice glaze / marbled effect. Make great swag items and they get traded pretty quickly and are also a great way to replenish caches with swag-fatigue.

 

Pm me if you want more details instructions as they are great fun and dead easy to make ( me and 3yr old have a production line going!).

 

We've done trucks and tractors so far but are now doing some british flags and some geoLizards!

 

:ph34r:

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Ive seen a few badges, but mostly i see laminated cards.

Im trying to come up with my own idea for a signature item.

 

I'm toying with the idea of a Washer stamped using letter punches and a laminated picture of my logo (see my avatar) attached via string

 

Wow great minds and all that ! Ive just started leaving ZED washers that i stamp up on night shift when im bored !

 

What size washer do you use?

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Well, thanks folks! The pathtags are from pathtags.com (who'da guessed it!). The toadlets are painted with enamel paint by us, or sprayed with something from a can! Then I have the lovely, fiddly job of putting the rings in!

Auntie Weasel - you MUST get your designs on the market over here!!

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Auntie Weasel - you MUST get your designs on the market over here!!

 

Aw, shucks, toad. Thanks. Still looking for a good print on demand over here. Spreadshirt looks pretty good, but they're headquartered in Germany. Nothing against that, but I'd rather the money go to a British firm.

 

When the economy is rough, I get a bit jingoistic :unsure:

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Here are some examples of ours, we have lots more with different pics such as hay bales, highland cows, etc. My photography this evening is a bit out of focus it seems. Woops.

 

These are half a business card in size, our own photography, with a flag pin attached (we're Aussies living in Scotland). On the back is printed our caching name etc. Had them printed at moo, and the pins were bought in bulk from Germany.

 

IMG_5268copy_1.jpg

Edited by themitchell5
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i have found that the first sign of damp most swag items- including my poker chips run.

 

i hav just sent an email for a quote for "Tolley Badges" these are the same style that scouts/cubs/explore etc use.

 

here are a few examplesof tolley badges:

 

HAPPY_BIRTHDAY_STK039.pngWELL_DONE_(BEAVERS)_STK043.png

RAINBOW_SLEEPOVER_STK018.pngEmbroidered%201.gif

 

oh! do keep us updated on the quote price!

Edited by SDewer
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i have found that the first sign of damp most swag items- including my poker chips run.

 

i hav just sent an email for a quote for "Tolley Badges" these are the same style that scouts/cubs/explore etc use.

 

here are a few examplesof tolley badges:

 

HAPPY_BIRTHDAY_STK039.pngWELL_DONE_(BEAVERS)_STK043.png

RAINBOW_SLEEPOVER_STK018.pngEmbroidered%201.gif

 

oh! do keep us updated on the quote price!

 

i have just recieved the quote back.........

 

100 4" Tolley badges with light blue background, white writing, and Red edging featuring my monkey and written around the edge:

 

Produced by Dave in Deal, Use as Swag or Keep, But Trade up or Trade Even

 

£170 INCLUDING p&p + vAT

 

SO £1.70 PER SWAG BADGE.

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i have found that the first sign of damp most swag items- including my poker chips run.

 

i hav just sent an email for a quote for "Tolley Badges" these are the same style that scouts/cubs/explore etc use.

 

here are a few examplesof tolley badges:

 

HAPPY_BIRTHDAY_STK039.pngWELL_DONE_(BEAVERS)_STK043.png

RAINBOW_SLEEPOVER_STK018.pngEmbroidered%201.gif

 

oh! do keep us updated on the quote price!

 

i have just recieved the quote back.........

 

100 4" Tolley badges with light blue background, white writing, and Red edging featuring my monkey and written around the edge:

 

Produced by Dave in Deal, Use as Swag or Keep, But Trade up or Trade Even

 

£170 INCLUDING p&p + vAT

 

SO £1.70 PER SWAG BADGE.

 

Ouch!

 

But for those of you who have kids in Scouts and Guides and wonder why subs can be so expensive.....

 

Now you know why!

 

You are aware your quote is for 4 inch ones? That's very big for a badge. I was expecting something maybe 1.5" diameter?

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i have found that the first sign of damp most swag items- including my poker chips run.

 

i hav just sent an email for a quote for "Tolley Badges" these are the same style that scouts/cubs/explore etc use.

 

here are a few examplesof tolley badges:

 

HAPPY_BIRTHDAY_STK039.pngWELL_DONE_(BEAVERS)_STK043.png

RAINBOW_SLEEPOVER_STK018.pngEmbroidered%201.gif

 

oh! do keep us updated on the quote price!

 

i have just recieved the quote back.........

 

100 4" Tolley badges with light blue background, white writing, and Red edging featuring my monkey and written around the edge:

 

Produced by Dave in Deal, Use as Swag or Keep, But Trade up or Trade Even

 

£170 INCLUDING p&p + vAT

 

SO £1.70 PER SWAG BADGE.

 

Ouch!

 

But for those of you who have kids in Scouts and Guides and wonder why subs can be so expensive.....

 

Now you know why!

 

You are aware your quote is for 4 inch ones? That's very big for a badge. I was expecting something maybe 1.5" diameter?

 

I thought they were going to be smaller too!

 

In other news i got a chance to play on the Laser cutter at school today when i had a free lesson off from teaching and have made some nice looking tags out of Acrylic. i just need The washers and the Letter punches to finish off my personal item!

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Here is what I've created:

 

IMAG0053.jpg

 

The red was a prototype which was fixed with the green version. More red will be produced tomorrow though :anicute:.

 

its about 4mx3cms and the Geo X is engraved into the acrylic.

I just need suggestions on what to use to attach the token to the punched washer im making!

Edited by SDewer
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my original quote was for 1.5" badges, but when they sent back the quote it was for 4 inch badges, more thike patches.

 

i have emailed them back and they stated that the amount of wording will be too much for the small badge.

 

I have responded asking for a quote on a 2 inch badge with my monkey with just Dave.In.Deal above.

 

Birdman

 

A run of 100 will always be expensive. However if a group of cachers got together and did a run of say 1000, I'd be pretty certain that would be far more economic

 

1000 = 60p each so still £600 to fork out in one go - in my opinion better to create a coin for half that price

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Here is what I've created:

 

IMAG0053.jpg

 

The red was a prototype which was fixed with the green version. More red will be produced tomorrow though :o.

 

its about 4mx3cms and the Geo X is engraved into the acrylic.

I just need suggestions on what to use to attach the token to the punched washer im making!

 

Those are ace. I would be dead chuffed to find one of those! :o

 

Dave, your badge idea is fab too - it's a shame they're so expensive, I hope you can get something worked out.

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1000 = 60p each so still £600 to fork out in one go - in my opinion better to create a coin for half that price

 

Where can you get a coin minted for £300?

 

 

Those are ace. I would be dead chuffed to find one of those! :o

 

Thanks very much :o

 

The plan is for them to be attached to a large guage washer with my name stamped using letter punches.

I dont know how im going to attach the two yet. I think string will look a little cheap.

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I dont know how im going to attach the two yet. I think string will look a little cheap.

 

Ball Chain??

 

It would be a fair bit mmore than i would be wanting to spend :o

 

I forget to mention you could get cheap plugs in a hardware store and use that chain.....we do in the crafting world as that does work out a little cheaper??

 

that sounds like it could work, i will nip over to homebase and check them out :o cheers!

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I dont know how im going to attach the two yet. I think string will look a little cheap.

 

Ball Chain??

 

It would be a fair bit mmore than i would be wanting to spend :(

 

I forget to mention you could get cheap plugs in a hardware store and use that chain.....we do in the crafting world as that does work out a little cheaper??

 

that sounds like it could work, i will nip over to homebase and check them out :) cheers!

 

you are more than welcome, good luck with the shopping....I hope to be able to find one of your items one day :D:laughing: -( laughing coz not getting to your neck of the woods anytime soon)

Edited by The Slaughter Family
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