Will Metal key holders not rust?

[+akk32]

i bought a metal mangentic to use as a geocache will it rust

[+akk32]

Here Are Some pics

 

[sodagirl4321]

how do you lock a key?

[+Coldgears]

Ammo boxes rust overtime and they are the best container out there right now. Even stainless steel will rust! I saw go for it... Just put the log in a plastic bag to avoid it from getting wet...

Edited July 18, 2010 by Coldgears

[+akk32]

in a saltwater enviroment?

[+thedeadpirate]

Ammo boxes rust overtime and they are the best container out there right now. Even stainless steel will rust! I saw go for it... Just put the log in a plastic bag to avoid it from getting wet...

 

I don't know what kind of paint the government uses, but if you just scuff the paint just enough to add a few extra coats while leaving the original paint on them, ammo cans don't rust.

 

There are a lot of hide-a-key caches out there. They rust a lot faster than an ammo boxes. You might consider using the waterproof match containers from Walmart. You can replace the gasket with an o-ring and epoxy a magnet to the side and they'll last forever.

[+Cache O'Plenty]

YES!!! It will rust. Only variable is how long will it take. And that depends on it's exposure to the elements. Given a saltwater environment it will go south real quick. Suggest you hide it in a dry environment far from the salt.

 

BTW - those Wal-Mart match containers are only $1.00 each. Find them in the camping equipment area. I bought several and they work great.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Cache O'Plenty

[+akk32]

Ammo boxes rust overtime and they are the best container out there right now. Even stainless steel will rust! I saw go for it... Just put the log in a plastic bag to avoid it from getting wet...

 

I don't know what kind of paint the government uses, but if you just scuff the paint just enough to add a few extra coats while leaving the original paint on them, ammo cans don't rust.

 

There are a lot of hide-a-key caches out there. They rust a lot faster than an ammo boxes. You might consider using the waterproof match containers from Walmart. You can replace the gasket with an o-ring and epoxy a magnet to the side and they'll last forever.

Do You Think They Can Last A Year?

 

i am going to hide a vacation cache at PCB Florida And i go there every year will they last a year?/

[+Cache O'Plenty]

You better check with your reviewer about vacation caches. They normally are not allowed as you must have a maintenance plan. You must be able to demonstrate that you can maintain it within a reasonable time (like 2 weeks or so) in case it goes missing, the log fills up or other problems arise with the cache. Or, engage a local cacher in FL that will do the maintenance for you. The last word on this is the reviewer though.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Cache O'Plenty

[+akk32]

You better check with your reviewer about vacation caches. They normally are not allowed as you must have a maintenance plan. You must be able to demonstrate that you can maintain it within a reasonable time (like 2 weeks or so). Or, engage a local cacher in FL that will do the maintenance for you. The last word on this is the reviewer though.

i am trying to get a geocacher that lives down there to maintain it when i am not there

[+akk32]

is this a picture of the match tube

[+thedeadpirate]

Ammo boxes rust overtime and they are the best container out there right now. Even stainless steel will rust! I saw go for it... Just put the log in a plastic bag to avoid it from getting wet...

 

I don't know what kind of paint the government uses, but if you just scuff the paint just enough to add a few extra coats while leaving the original paint on them, ammo cans don't rust.

 

There are a lot of hide-a-key caches out there. They rust a lot faster than an ammo boxes. You might consider using the waterproof match containers from Walmart. You can replace the gasket with an o-ring and epoxy a magnet to the side and they'll last forever.

Do You Think They Can Last A Year?

 

i am going to hide a vacation cache at PCB Florida And i go there every year will they last a year?/

 

I hope you are joking.

 

There is quite an active group of cachers in Panama City. We cache there regularly. There are plenty of caches in the area already.

[+thedeadpirate]

is this a picture of the match tube

 

Yes, that is the container I am talking about. It is easy to epoxy a magnet to the side. Then you can paint the entire thing and place it pretty much anywhere you would a hide-a-key.

[+niraD]

i am going to hide a vacation cache at PCB Florida And i go there every year will they last a year?

Be sure to read and understand the Cache Listing Requirements / Guidelines, especially the section on Cache Maintenance, which says in part:

It may be difficult to fulfill your maintenance obligations if you place a cache while traveling on vacation or otherwise outside of your normal caching area. These caches may not be published unless you are able to demonstrate an acceptable maintenance plan. It is not uncommon for caches to go missing, areas to be cleared, trails to be blocked or closed, objects used for multi-cache or puzzles to be moved or removed, etc. Your maintenance plan must allow for a quick response to reported problems.

[sodagirl4321]

wuts a pcb?

[+akk32]

The Maintenance issue is taken care of I Have PWCinPC To Maintain it

[+thedeadpirate]

The Maintenance issue is taken care of I Have PWCinPC To Maintain it

 

In that case you should be good to go. Just make sure you leave your reviewer a note explaining that you have someone set to watch it for you. You're only about 4 hours away anyway, so I'm guessing you will be fine.

[+Chrysalides]

I saw some small plastic key holders at Micro Center, if there's one near you. 3 for $2 or something like that. Have seen a few used for geocaches, seems to work about as well as the metal ones.

 

There are larger ones at Home Depot. Cost a fair bit more though.

[sodagirl4321]

thats wut my cola uses to keep the keys tu his lawn mower. they dont let him drive no more

[+akk32]

what kind of magnet do you put on the match tube?

[knowschad]

thats wut my cola uses to keep the keys tu his lawn mower. they dont let him drive no more

Goin' for broke, huh? Well, I tried, but I guess you don't listen to advice. As far as geocide goes, this may well be the best I've seen so far. I'd give it a +7.5, mostly for the pseudo-anonymity.

 

To the OP... those key holders all rust and leak and unless you really chose your spot carefully to prevent exposure to the weather, will be a very poor choice.

[+thedeadpirate]

what kind of magnet do you put on the match tube?

 

I have a bunch of rare earth magnets my wife bought for me from ThinkGeek. But you can also salvage them from hard drives.

[+thedeadpirate]

I saw some small plastic key holders

 

While better than the metal ones in a beach environment, I still recommend the waterproof match stick containers.

[+akk32]

does the match stick have to have magnets?

[knowschad]

I saw some small plastic key holders

 

While better than the metal ones in a beach environment, I still recommend the waterproof match stick containers.

Oh for sure!!! The match stick containers are awesome. But they don't always "fit" where a keysafe would fit.

[+t4e]

wuts a pcb?

 

no idea, i do know that your avatar is going to give me nightmares

[+Chrysalides]

I saw some small plastic key holders

While better than the metal ones in a beach environment, I still recommend the waterproof match stick containers.

Oh, I agree. However, sometimes the location dictates the container, and sometimes you need a thin, flat container.

 

Speaking of which, if someone can recommend a thin, flat container about 1/4 to 1/2 in thick, 2 to 3 inches by 1 to 1.5 inches, I'd appreciate it.

[+thedeadpirate]

does the match stick have to have magnets?

 

No. But I was assuming you wanted to attach it to metal.

[+Chrysalides]

no idea, i do know that your avatar is going to give me nightmares

I couldn't be bothered with a GM script for this one, considering it's going to be banned soon, so I just adblocked it out.

[+Chrysalides]

I have a bunch of rare earth magnets my wife bought for me from ThinkGeek. But you can also salvage them from hard drives.

I haven't been able to remove the magnets from my hard drive in my last few attempts. The magnets are glued to a metal frame, and I couldn't pry them apart.

 

I wouldn't use them for match safes even if I could get them apart. Those things are so strong, two of them can hold an ammo can to a metal surface.

[+thedeadpirate]

I have a bunch of rare earth magnets my wife bought for me from ThinkGeek. But you can also salvage them from hard drives.

I haven't been able to remove the magnets from my hard drive in my last few attempts. The magnets are glued to a metal frame, and I couldn't pry them apart.

 

I wouldn't use them for match safes even if I could get them apart. Those things are so strong, two of them can hold an ammo can to a metal surface.

 

I'd save them for a heavier application as well. But if someone is looking to put a cache together without ordering magnets or if they just want free ones, these are great.

 

The way to remove them is to take a wide screwdriver or a chisel and place the tip snuggly at the edge of the magnet and give it one good, sharp tap.

[+BikeBill]

Learn something new every day! I didn't know hard drives had strong magnets in them. And I just threw five of them out (after encrypting them with a sledge hammer).

[+J the Goat]

thats wut my cola uses to keep the keys tu his lawn mower. they dont let him drive no more

Goin' for broke, huh? Well, I tried, but I guess you don't listen to advice. As far as geocide goes, this may well be the best I've seen so far. I'd give it a +7.5, mostly for the pseudo-anonymity.

 

To the OP... those key holders all rust and leak and unless you really chose your spot carefully to prevent exposure to the weather, will be a very poor choice.

 

Without having seen many, I give it a 4 based strictly on the annoying recurrances. As each of the socks get banned, will the original account get banned as well? I'm not all that familiar with forum/GS punishments.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I saw some small plastic key holders

 

While better than the metal ones in a beach environment, I still recommend the waterproof match stick containers.

Oh for sure!!! The match stick containers are awesome. But they don't always "fit" where a keysafe would fit.

 

True. Match containers will not fit where my MKHs are. I've one out there for five years without a problem. I do prefer the newer plastic key holders, though.

[+power69]

Having had found many urban hide a keys and many are that exact one, I can tell you they DO in fact rust, and sometimes the slides get bent making them a pain to open. if you use that, put a small ziplock inside for the log.

[Clan Riffster]

Will it rust?

Yes, it will rust. Rapidly. But before it rusts away to nothing but a few chunks of jagged metal, your log will resemble a spit wad. Hide-a-keys, especially ones like that, are not even remotely water resistant. Placing the log in a baggie will only work till it gets extracted and replaced a few times. Think paper cuts. Then realize that thin plastic, (such as what they make baggies out of), cuts a lot easier than skin. An axiom I use in determining if a particular container might be suitable for a specific location is this: "If you MUST use a baggie to protect your log, your container has already failed at a very basic level". If you've decided you want to hide a micro, there are many quality containers that would work a lot better.

[Clan Riffster]

One other question I have is, why did you select that container? If I am going to hide something in someone else's home turf, at the very least it's gonna be an ammo can. While I do have a strong bias against the typical micro, (crappy container at an uninspired location, existing for no other reason that to give someone else yet another mindless smiley), they certainly do have their place in this game. Sometimes you find an absolutely awesome spot, that you just gotta bring folks to, and all that will work is a micro. Harry Dolphin's NY skyline hide is a perfect example of that. Is this what you are doing? Have you found a really kewl spot that will only support a micro? Or are you going to infect the Panama City Beach folks with another lame hide? If that's the case, they already have several of those.

[+bittsen]

Learn something new every day! I didn't know hard drives had strong magnets in them. And I just threw five of them out (after encrypting them with a sledge hammer).

 

You are making me cry.

I can't throw a hard drive away without taking the magnets out first.

I probably have 20 sets of hard drive magnets and have given away many many more.

 

The garbage is a horrible place for a hard drive magnet, or a hard drive for that matter.

The case can be recycled, the circuit boards go to a gold recovery guy, the disks get sent to another guy who makes wind chimes and the disk separators also get recycled.

 

But the magnets... They end up stuck to something metal.

[+akk32]

i am using this as my container

 

[Clan Riffster]

i am using this as my container

Awesome! Thanx for upgrading to a much better container. Those who seek your cache will thank you for it. Could you satisfy an ole fat crippled's curiosity? Why did you select that size? If I am going to hide something in someone else's home turf, at the very least it's gonna be an ammo can. While I do have a strong bias against the typical micro, (crappy container at an uninspired location, existing for no other reason that to give someone else yet another mindless smiley), they certainly do have their place in this game. Sometimes you find an absolutely awesome spot, that you just gotta bring folks to, and all that will work is a micro. Harry Dolphin's NY skyline hide is a perfect example of that. Is this what you are doing? Have you found a really kewl spot that will only support a micro? Or are you going to infect the Panama City Beach folks with another lame hide? If that's the case, they already have several of those.

[+akk32]

Here Are Some Photos Of The Finished Match tube

 

On side of fridge:

 

On Bottom Of Fridge:

 

Pictures of magnets:

1:

2:

 

Picture of match tube (magnet Part):

[+akk32]

Here Are Some Photos Of The Finished Match tube

 

On side of fridge:

 

On Bottom Of Fridge:

 

Pictures of magnets:

1:

2:

 

Picture of match tube (magnet Part):

[+bittsen]

Although I admire the desire to make it magnetic, I'm afraid that your method of attaching the magnets won't work for long.

 

Duct tape won't survive outside for long and any adhesive (by itself) won't hold through the natural heat/cold cycles that the container will experience.

 

If you can't get a strong enough magnet to place it inside the container then you will need to encase the magnet in plastic and then bond the plastic to the container. The plastic has to be substantial, not a ziploc baggie.

 

Hope that helps.

[+Chrysalides]

Couple of suggestions :

 

1. Wrap the tape around the tube so that they overlap. It helps keep the magnet on much better. Otherwise they will probably pry off after a few finders, especially if the temperature is hot and softens the adhesive.

 

2. If you take the photos under brighter light (or with a flash) it will be less blurry. The slow shutter speed makes the photos especially susceptible to camera shake.

 

I'd share more photograph tips but I'm sure someone will point out this is not a photography forum

 

If you can't get a strong enough magnet to place it inside the container then you will need to encase the magnet in plastic and then bond the plastic to the container. The plastic has to be substantial, not a ziploc baggie.

Magnet inside is definitely best, but rather awkward with a match safe. A long cylindrical magnet that's diametrically magnetized will work best, but not commonly found.

 

I like the epoxy coated neodymium magnets available from a few places - they seem to respond better to adhesive and last better out in the open. I also like to use kneadable epoxy putty when I can.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Chrysalides

[+akk32]

i overlapped the magnet and the container 10 times will that work?

[+J the Goat]

i overlapped the magnet and the container 10 times will that work?

 

No, not for very long. The adhesive on the tape will dry out in the weather. Apoxy on the outside of the container maybe? Like stated above, inside works the best if you have a magnet strong enough.

[+bittsen]

10 times will hold for a while but not forever. If you don't mind checking on it regularly, it will be OK.

 

Thanks for trying to make your cache better.

[+Chrysalides]

i overlapped the magnet and the container 10 times will that work?

No, not for very long. The adhesive on the tape will dry out in the weather. Apoxy on the outside of the container maybe? Like stated above, inside works the best if you have a magnet strong enough.

Not sure what the weather in Alabama is like. I've seen caches that basically have a magnet duct-taped around last a few years around here. I guess part of how long it will last is how exposed it is to the weather.

 

I thought of using heat shrink tubing, but don't think the plastic of the match safe will hold up well to it.

 

Found a source for diametrically magnetized magnets (magnetized across the diameter, rather than end to end). I've bought from them before, but I'm not associated with them in any way.

 

http://www.magnet4less.com/index.php?cPath=1_133

[+bittsen]

i overlapped the magnet and the container 10 times will that work?

No, not for very long. The adhesive on the tape will dry out in the weather. Apoxy on the outside of the container maybe? Like stated above, inside works the best if you have a magnet strong enough.

Not sure what the weather in Alabama is like. I've seen caches that basically have a magnet duct-taped around last a few years around here. I guess part of how long it will last is how exposed it is to the weather.

 

I thought of using heat shrink tubing, but don't think the plastic of the match safe will hold up well to it.

 

Found a source for diametrically magnetized magnets (magnetized across the diameter, rather than end to end). I've bought from them before, but I'm not associated with them in any way.

 

http://www.magnet4less.com/index.php?cPath=1_133

 

I have heat shrink tubing that will go over a match container. That would be a good way to make a magnet permanant to the match container.

[+niraD]

Not all duct tape is created equal. They have different materials and different adhesives. A thicker layer of tape (either heavier tape, or multiple layers of lighter tape) will take longer to wear through. Better adhesive will stick better to the container and to itself.