TheCacheSeeker Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 (edited) I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Thanks Edited March 13, 2011 by TheCacheSeeker Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 If you drop it into a sealed container or hide it indoors it will work well. Most end up looking like this... Quote Link to comment
+WRASTRO Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Thanks Only if placed in an inherently dry location. And then it will very likely still manage to rust. Quote Link to comment
+MoonCatKDT & Peanut Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Definitely not. Test containers like I do. Fill up the sink, let the container float for a while in different positions (lid up, lid down etc) and see if after an hour the inside is moist or filled with water. That should tell you. Quote Link to comment
+Chrysalides Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 (edited) I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Is this a serious question? Well, maybe the answer will be helpful to someone even if you just ask this in jest. No, they're not remotely waterproof. In addition, if exposed to moisture, they get rusty. I haven't seen this response for a while, but for a while in the past, the answer was "yes, if you hide it inside an ammo can" Edit : wow, in the time it took me to type this, 4 responses got posted Edited March 13, 2011 by Chrysalides Quote Link to comment
+thecaswellfamily Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 We have a local cacher who is addicted to altoids! She is a very experienced cacher and has hidden quite a few, most are attatched to something metal using magnets and sheilded from the elements (undersides and insides of things)... those hold up fairly well. However, I have also seen some (hidden by a different cacher) that now look like the photo above... not pretty at all. One in particular was tucked into an old tire... that fills up with water each and every rain. *sigh* Quote Link to comment
GOF and Bacall Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Is this a serious question? Well, maybe the answer will be helpful to someone even if you just ask this in jest. No, they're not remotely waterproof. In addition, if exposed to moisture, they get rusty. I haven't seen this response for a while, but for a while in the past, the answer was "yes, if you hide it inside an ammo can" Edit : wow, in the time it took me to type this, 4 responses got posted Oh. If this is I should probably apologize. It just didn't occur to me that it could be. Quote Link to comment
TheCacheSeeker Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Is this a serious question? Well, maybe the answer will be helpful to someone even if you just ask this in jest. No, they're not remotely waterproof. In addition, if exposed to moisture, they get rusty. I haven't seen this response for a while, but for a while in the past, the answer was "yes, if you hide it inside an ammo can" Edit : wow, in the time it took me to type this, 4 responses got posted I am serious. I thought it might not be waterproof enough cause the lid was sort of loose, so I just asked to make sure. Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I guess the answer is "no", huh? Quote Link to comment
+Too Tall John Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I did a little experiment one time when this came up: I just happen to have an Altoids tin sitting on my desk. Decided to take a look at it when I read this thread. After putting the mints safely out of the way, I took a look at the hinge assembly. If the holes punched out to form the "body" side of the hinge (that is, not the lid) could be sealed from the inside without impeding the hinge you'd be halfway there. A bit of rubber gasket cut to fit the inside of the lid would seal the container when the lid is closed. If you really really really wanted a waterproof Altoids container you could do this and I suspect as long as you didn't screw up it'd be more waterproof than a Kodak film canister. As I put the mints back into the can, guess what I see on the side of it? A big old patch of rust! This is a tin that hasn't been outside since I brought it in from the store. I guess the last stage of my plan would be sealing the whole thing with Rustoleum or the like. At least then it won't rust on my desk. I changed my sig line last night, the second part is in honor of what I've been up to. After writing my suggestion about how to waterproof an Altiods tin, I decided to give it a try. I took a look at the hinge assembly. If the holes punched out to form the "body" side of the hinge (that is, not the lid) could be sealed from the inside without impeding the hinge you'd be halfway there. A bit of rubber gasket cut to fit the inside of the lid would seal the container when the lid is closed.I've done everything except the Rustoleum so far. Sealed the holes by taping off the back of the tin & applying epoxy over the holes inside. The gasket is craft foam, which should work ok I think. It's a little thick, but once it's held together for a bit it should form to the tin nicely. I'm gonna go sink it for a bit. Anyone want to bet on how it does? Well, I put "logbooks" in my "waterproof" Altoids tin and an "off-the-shelf" tin as well. I sunk them in water, took them out for a peek after 10 mins. Below are the results: The containers. Left is the "waterproof" one, right, the "off-the-shelf" one. As you can see, I used green marker to write on the logs. It came off... The logs read "Logbook in the 'waterproof' Altoids tin. (Wintergreen Container)" on the top and "Logbook in the 'off-the-shelf' Altoids tin. (Ginger Container)" on the bottom. It looks like my treatment helped, it might actually work if I had the proper gasket material, as that appears to be where the leak came from. What can we take away from this? Altoid tins are tough to waterproof. Even if you can do it, there are simpler and more reliable ways to make a quality geocache container. Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Is this a serious question? Well, maybe the answer will be helpful to someone even if you just ask this in jest. No, they're not remotely waterproof. In addition, if exposed to moisture, they get rusty. I haven't seen this response for a while, but for a while in the past, the answer was "yes, if you hide it inside an ammo can" Edit : wow, in the time it took me to type this, 4 responses got posted I am serious. I thought it might not be waterproof enough cause the lid was sort of loose, so I just asked to make sure. The best test I can recommend is to take any proposed cache container and put some tissue into it. Then lay it on its side in a bathtub of about 1/2 inch of water and with a slow but steady drip of water on it. Return about 12 hours later and see if the tissue is wet. Quote Link to comment
GOF and Bacall Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Is this a serious question? Well, maybe the answer will be helpful to someone even if you just ask this in jest. No, they're not remotely waterproof. In addition, if exposed to moisture, they get rusty. I haven't seen this response for a while, but for a while in the past, the answer was "yes, if you hide it inside an ammo can" Edit : wow, in the time it took me to type this, 4 responses got posted I am serious. I thought it might not be waterproof enough cause the lid was sort of loose, so I just asked to make sure. Yeah. I hadn't noticed that you were a relatively new cacher. I am glad you are enjoying your donut though. Put the two together and it is kinda like having ice cream and cake. Quote Link to comment
+Walts Hunting Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Thanks If it is placed in a secure ammocan it has a chance Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 (edited) I just got an altoids tin. If you regularly finish a tin of Altoids, swap the cache container out with a fresh tin. You could completely coat it with a rust protective paint, so it takes a little longer to rust. It's not at all waterproof, but the container might be somewhat good protection for a ziplock bag. Edited March 13, 2011 by kunarion Quote Link to comment
+John in Valley Forge Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 The best test I can recommend is to take any proposed cache container and put some tissue into it. Then lay it on its side in a bathtub of about 1/2 inch of water and with a slow but steady drip of water on it. Return about 12 hours later and see if the tissue is wet. I agree. I've done similar tests, with toilet paper. I learned that facial tissue (Kleenex) is somewhat moisture repellent. Quote Link to comment
+hydnsek Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 (edited) Overall, my opinion of Altoids tins as cache containers mirrors those above. Not waterproof, rust and degenerate to a nasty mess. But then....I have an Altoids-tin cache that's been out 3.5 years now. Much to my amazement, to this day it has remained dry, rust-free, looks just like when I first put it out - even though it's not sheltered from the weather and has no protective covering. The container is exposed to the air and attached to the side of a wooden bridge railing. I don't know why it remains in such good condition, but I'm not complaining. Edited March 13, 2011 by hydnsek Quote Link to comment
+Ecylram Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Thanks Just throw it in a baggie and you're all good. Quote Link to comment
+WRASTRO Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Overall, my opinion of Altoids tins as cache containers mirrors those above. Not waterproof, rust and degenerate to a nasty mess. But then....I have an Altoids-tin cache that's been out 3.5 years now. Much to my amazement, to this day it has remained dry, rust-free, looks just like when I first put it out - even though it's not sheltered from the weather and has no protective covering. The container is exposed to the air and attached to the side of a wooden bridge railing. I don't know why it remains in such good condition, but I'm not complaining. Showoff. Quote Link to comment
+Gitchee-Gummee Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Just throw it in a baggie and you're all good. Take the baggie outdoors. Open it wide. Close it up and leave it lay for a bit. Check it in the evening and in the morning. What do you think you're gonna find? Probably moisture beaded up on the interior of the baggie. Ask me what I think of baggies. Quote Link to comment
jholly Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Thanks They make great cache containers ... as long as they are *inside* an ammo can. Quote Link to comment
TheCacheSeeker Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Is this a serious question? Well, maybe the answer will be helpful to someone even if you just ask this in jest. No, they're not remotely waterproof. In addition, if exposed to moisture, they get rusty. I haven't seen this response for a while, but for a while in the past, the answer was "yes, if you hide it inside an ammo can" Edit : wow, in the time it took me to type this, 4 responses got posted I am serious. I thought it might not be waterproof enough cause the lid was sort of loose, so I just asked to make sure. Yeah. I hadn't noticed that you were a relatively new cacher. I am glad you are enjoying your donut though. Put the two together and it is kinda like having ice cream and cake. No problem. Ice cream and cake(or doughnuts)does sound delicious . They should make a Signal eating altoids emoticon. Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Just throw it in a baggie and you're all good. Take the baggie outdoors. Open it wide. Close it up and leave it lay for a bit. Check it in the evening and in the morning. What do you think you're gonna find? Probably moisture beaded up on the interior of the baggie. Ask me what I think of baggies. To be fair, all you are seeing is condensation. Condensation is strictly a result of humidity and temperature. It has zero to do with the container used. An ammo can would show the same degree of condensation. Quote Link to comment
+dfx Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Altoids tins are wateproof, but only after they've rusted completely shut and sealed Quote Link to comment
+potshot Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 (edited) I had one that lasted quite awhile in direct exposure to the elements. You seem to be a tinkerer and on the right track with the water proofing. Mine lasted a couple of years until it got stolen. Here's what I did. First I lightly sanded the the container inside and out then sprayed it with a good auto body primer. When that was dry I spray painted it the color of my choice with a good spray paint that was designed for outdoor patio furniture or auto body use. I did the silicone on the hinge holes too but I oiled the moving part of the hinge with a Q tip first to keep the silicone from sticking to that part and possibly tearing away. The next trick was to oil the lip of the container with a Q tip then put a bead of silicone all the way around inside the edge of the lid. I let it sit for an hour until the silicone got tacky then closed the lid. The oil kept the silicone from sticking to the lip and prevented the container from getting glued shut. I let it sit undisturbed for 24 hrs. The silicone bead custom formed to the lip of the container and made a nice gasket. Would still advise putting the log in a little zip lock baggie. I hope this helps. Happy Hunting! Edited March 14, 2011 by potshot Quote Link to comment
+hzoi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 If you want a good, cheap micro that keeps the water out a little better, invest in PET preforms. When I shopped for them I could only get them in boxes of 100, but now that cache stores have caught on, you can get them in smaller numbers (and sometimes preloaded with pencils and logs). Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I had one that lasted quite awhile in direct exposure to the elements. You seem to be a tinkerer and on the right track with the water proofing. Mine lasted a couple of years until it got stolen. Here's what I did. First I lightly sanded the the container inside and out then sprayed it with a good auto body primer. When that was dry I spray painted it the color of my choice with a good spray paint that was designed for outdoor patio furniture or auto body use. I did the silicone on the hinge holes too but I oiled the moving part of the hinge with a Q tip first to keep the silicone from sticking to that part and possibly tearing away. The next trick was to oil the lip of the container with a Q tip then put a bead of silicone all the way around inside the edge of the lid. I let it sit for an hour until the silicone got tacky then closed the lid. The oil kept the silicone from sticking to the lip and prevented the container from getting glued shut. I let it sit undisturbed for 24 hrs. The silicone bead custom formed to the lip of the container and made a nice gasket. Would still advise putting the log in a little zip lock baggie. I hope this helps. Happy Hunting! Quote Link to comment
+GeoGeeBee Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I had one that lasted quite awhile in direct exposure to the elements. You seem to be a tinkerer and on the right track with the water proofing. Mine lasted a couple of years until it got stolen. Here's what I did. First I lightly sanded the the container inside and out then sprayed it with a good auto body primer. When that was dry I spray painted it the color of my choice with a good spray paint that was designed for outdoor patio furniture or auto body use. I did the silicone on the hinge holes too but I oiled the moving part of the hinge with a Q tip first to keep the silicone from sticking to that part and possibly tearing away. The next trick was to oil the lip of the container with a Q tip then put a bead of silicone all the way around inside the edge of the lid. I let it sit for an hour until the silicone got tacky then closed the lid. The oil kept the silicone from sticking to the lip and prevented the container from getting glued shut. I let it sit undisturbed for 24 hrs. The silicone bead custom formed to the lip of the container and made a nice gasket. Would still advise putting the log in a little zip lock baggie. I hope this helps. Happy Hunting! That seems like an awful lot of work to go through when a match safe is less than a dollar and already waterproof. Quote Link to comment
+Chrysalides Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 That seems like an awful lot of work to go through when a match safe is less than a dollar and already waterproof. It sure does, but then, I notice that many people like to tinker and improvise. There's also the sense of accomplishment that comes from doing something on your own. As long as it is something that you enjoy doing, and does no harm to others, I say go for it. For someone just looking for a good container, there are many other choices. Quote Link to comment
+GrateBear Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Is this a serious question? Well, maybe the answer will be helpful to someone even if you just ask this in jest. No, they're not remotely waterproof. In addition, if exposed to moisture, they get rusty. I haven't seen this response for a while, but for a while in the past, the answer was "yes, if you hide it inside an ammo can" Edit : wow, in the time it took me to type this, 4 responses got posted I am serious. I thought it might not be waterproof enough cause the lid was sort of loose, so I just asked to make sure. I'm gonna go out on limb here and hazard a guess that anytime a lid is "sort of loose", odds are it won't be sort of waterproof. Quote Link to comment
+bflentje Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 A "NO" is sufficient. The picture I saw is even better. Quote Link to comment
+wv-yen Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I'd still recommend water testing any 'home-made' cache containers before putting them out. I generally submerge mine, but I like the drip test mentioned earlier, also. Quote Link to comment
+potshot Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Just a good paint job on a an Altoids tin would be an improvement and keep it from rusting particularly if your going to put it where it is out of direct contact with rain and sprinklers like under a lamp post skirt or a beam. Being able to survive water tight after being submerged is probably over kill. My Ghost Mall container is an Altoids like tin that's hidden under a beam. All I did was paint that one and silicone the hinges and it's held up so far. I didn't bother with making a gasket. Quote Link to comment
Clan Riffster Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 To mirror the thoughts of many others: "They Suck". Quote Link to comment
+LuckyPlan Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 I just got an altoids tin. It still has candy in it. After I finish the candy, I would like to make a cache out of it. Would it be waterproof enough? Thanks Please check it often cuz I've seen those rust easy Quote Link to comment
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