Sculpey

[+Coyote's Girl]

So, I'm planning an evil micro. I'm a big fan of Monarch butterflies and a big fan of geocaching, so I thought why not make a chrysalis micro-nano sized cache? Obviously I'd base it around one of those weeny bison tubes everyone loves to hate. But But to make the chrysalis part, I'd like to use sculpey as A) I have it lying about B.) It's easy to sculpt into the desired shape and C) I can paint it to resemble any of the stages of the Monarch's life cycle. At any rate, does anyone know how it does in the wild?

 

P.S. Where do I get those little bison tubes everyone loves to hate?

Edited September 14, 2009 by Butterfly Fox

[+Wogus!]

P.S. Where do I get those little bison tubes everyone loves to hate?

Sculpey? Out in the elements? Sure, it's polymer and all, but I'd suggest a couple coats of a matte clear-coat of some kind... Marine varnish perhaps.

 

One source for yer tubes: http://www.olympiccaching.com/tubes.html

 

But Google is your friend...

[+Castle Mischief]

How well would it hold up under extended UV exposure...? If it's dropped will it fall apart? Can the finders open the bison easily without breaking the camo?

 

Sounds like you need to do a trial run the backyard for several weeks and see how it holds up.

[+Chrysalides]

A geocache shaped as a chrysalis? Well, for some reason, I really like the idea

 

Don't know about sculpy, but a monarch chrysalis is going to be smaller than the usual bison. Some of the eBay bisons come with a small plastic tube inside that you can use instead. They're 1" long by 3/8" wide, cylinder shaped. An authentic bison is 2" long and 9/16" wide. The clones might be smaller.

 

Another alternative might be to use a nano blinkie. They're smaller than 1/2" x 1/2"

 

Let me know if you want some photos of the plastic tube I mentioned above. I'll be more than happy to trade a couple of them for one of your fake chrysalis, including paying postage both ways, but I don't think it will be a fair trade

 

Oh, in case it's not clear, blinkies and bison tubes (including the ones with plastic tubes inside I mentioned above) are available from eBay. That's where I bought mine. I got the genuine bison from sissy-n-cr.com (owned by one of the geocachers here) and several other geocachers also sell them. You can get them from REI as well (I saw them at REI for $4, the "street price" is about $2.50).

[+Coyote's Girl]

Thanks for all the advice! I've got lots of ideas now. I'm gonna make and test one tonght and see how it goes.

OK Scratch that. It's making me angry. I'll try again when I've had some sleep.

Edited September 15, 2009 by Butterfly Fox

[+BearCreek Bandits]

I have had a cache out for a few months now that is made of sculpy and it has held up very well, mind you it is in a protected spot. The stuff is very fun to work with and I have recieved a lot of great feedback from this cache. I say go for it, if it doesnt last forever oh well...it is fun while it lasts

Edited September 15, 2009 by BearCreek Bandits

[knowschad]

I knew of one (fake dog poop) that was out for about four years before it went missing. (it was probably picked up and dropped into a baggie)

[+Jackalgirl]

I'd recommend an epoxy of some kind. I'm very fond of Kneadatite ("Blue + Yellow"). It's used by miniature makers (you know, the little scale figurines used for table-top roleplaying games) to sculpt their masters. It's pretty solid but has a bit of flexibility in it, even after it's cured. It has a relatively slow dry time so you have plenty of time to work, is very adhesive (it'll stick well to your bison tube) and, when you're done with it, it can be drilled, tapped, painted, etc. If I were putting something like this together (great idea, btw), that's what I'd use.