Best way to hang reflectors from trees

[+cthulhujr]

Hi everybody,

 

I'd like to make a night cache consisting of a trail of small reflectors stuck to various trees that the cacher will follow. I'm not sure how to best attach them to the trees. They will be small, naturally, and I would like them to be on the trees themselves, not hanging from the branches. Would it be against the spirit of GeoCaching to use a small nail? I'm worried it would be, so how about some advice?

 

Thanks in advance

[+Ambient_Skater]

Fire Tacks are small reflectors made for this purpose and do not harm trees. Edited February 8, 2012 by Ambient_Skater

[+Arndtwe]

Look into 'Fire tacks'. These are perfect for what you want. They are non-destructive and work very well. Many geocachers use these for night caches.

[+hzoi]

Hey, have you heard of Fire Tacks?

[+Ash McCloud]

Try spikes or long nails. Either of those are sure to keep the reflector for a long time. Hopefully longer than any CO who sets it up being in the game.

[+Manville Possum]

We call them trail tacks, and most sporting goods stores have them. I have some that have been around for over 10 years and they are still reflective.

[+Moose Mob]

Try spikes or long nails. Either of those are sure to keep the reflector for a long time. Hopefully longer than any CO who sets it up being in the game.

 

No nails or spikes. Fire tacks will work just fine. Thanks

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

I tried a brand I picked up at Gander Mountain, they are no where near as bright as Fire Tacks. The "camo" (brownish colored) blend inot the tree very nicely, but are very bright when hit with a light.

 

Just rememebr these are "retro-relefective", meaning that the light is reflected back to the source. If your light is too far from your eyes/face, you may not see the reflected tack.

[+Pitt Monqui]

I personally do not like fire tacks as they're expensive and difficult to get in *just* the right spot. They must also be stuck into the trees, which causes some damage, however minimal.

 

I bought a clothes tagging gun and can make about 60 reflective ribbons out of a safety vest which I loop over branches and twigs, and then tag. They're practically invisible by day and can be hung right over the trail - take a hooked 'walking stick' with you to get them in some really good places.

 

At less than $5/mile it's a much cheaper way to lay out a clear route.

 

Good luck and have fun!

 

Pitt Monqui

 

*Pencil not included!

 

 

Edit:- Added picture

Edited February 9, 2012 by Pitt Monqui

[+Happy Humphrey]

Fire tacks are banned in the UK for this purpose, as we're told that they destroy trees.

Personally I doubt that, as they barely penetrate the bark, but it might be worth checking with your reviewer as Groundspeak reviewers in the UK won't allow a listing to be published if it mentions the use of fire tacks.

[+Ash McCloud]

You could also try a staple Gun. Get the long staples though. Also use a knife or hatchet to get rid of the bark before you put the nail in. That way it goes right into the heart of the tree.

[+Moose Mob]

You could also try a staple Gun. Get the long staples though. Also use a knife or hatchet to get rid of the bark before you put the nail in. That way it goes right into the heart of the tree.

Sounds like someone needs to go back and read the guidelines.

[+NeverSummer]

Fire Tacks are small reflectors made for this purpose and do not harm trees.

+1

The "do not harm trees" part is debatable, however. Ask your reviewer first.

[+NeverSummer]

You could also try a staple Gun. Get the long staples though. Also use a knife or hatchet to get rid of the bark before you put the nail in. That way it goes right into the heart of the tree.

Sounds like someone needs to go back and read the guidelines.

I pray they're joking with their posts in this thread.

[AZcachemeister]

A ramset tool should do the job...

 

EDIT: bad sentence structure

Edited February 9, 2012 by AZcachemeister

[+Mitragorz]

No nails or spikes. Fire tacks will work just fine. Thanks

 

I don't know much about fire tacks, never used them... But how is pounding one of these into a tree any different than pounding a nail of the same size into a tree?

 

[+Totem Clan]

No nails or spikes. Fire tacks will work just fine. Thanks

 

I don't know much about fire tacks, never used them... But how is pounding one of these into a tree any different than pounding a nail of the same size into a tree?

 

{img snipped}

Well considering the tack is only a 1/4 of an inch long and you don't pound them into anything it's a lot different than driving a nail one to fours into a tree.

[+Mitragorz]

Well considering the tack is only a 1/4 of an inch long and you don't pound them into anything it's a lot different than driving a nail one to fours into a tree.

 

Like I said, I know nothing about them. I did a quick search and found the one I posted here has a 10mm pin. Just a hair bigger than 3/8". I haven't been to Home Depot or Lowe's in a few days, did they stop selling 3/8" nails?

 

EDIT:

 

And if you don't pound them in, are you able to just press them into bark like a thumbtack into corkboard? If you can, I don't see any reason why you couldn't do the same with a similarly sized nail.

Edited February 9, 2012 by Mitragorz

[Clan Riffster]

You could also try a staple Gun. Get the long staples though. Also use a knife or hatchet to get rid of the bark before you put the nail in. That way it goes right into the heart of the tree.

Sounds like someone needs to go back and read the guidelines.

I pray they're joking with their posts in this thread.

Most of my night caches use staples to affix triangular sections of 3M reflective tape to trees. (Staples are skinnier and shorter than the sharpened post of a FireTack. If we accept the myth that staples harm trees, wouldn't logic dictates that FireTacks also harm trees?)

 

One of my night caches uses short shaft, broad head nails to affix small fender washers, (washers with a hole disproportionately small for the washer size), with reflectors on the washers, to trees. Both methods were utilized with the express consent of the land manager. It was actually the land manager, (Senior Forester with over 2 decades of experience), who suggested the nails/washers combination. I was whining about having to do some reflector maintenance, as some of the stapled reflectors had deteriorated over time, and she came up with a long term solution that mirrors something her agency does when cataloging trees. I mentioned that folks might be concerned over nails damaging trees, and she laughed, reminding me of a tree on the property that has a metal fence pipe growing through it.

 

Hammering nails into trees is a bad idea not because they damage trees, (the reality is, in general, they do not), but rather because of land manager and Joe Public perceptions.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

Well considering the tack is only a 1/4 of an inch long and you don't pound them into anything it's a lot different than driving a nail one to fours into a tree.

 

Like I said, I know nothing about them. I did a quick search and found the one I posted here has a 10mm pin. Just a hair bigger than 3/8". I haven't been to Home Depot or Lowe's in a few days, did they stop selling 3/8" nails?

 

EDIT:

 

And if you don't pound them in, are you able to just press them into bark like a thumbtack into corkboard? If you can, I don't see any reason why you couldn't do the same with a similarly sized nail.

 

I believe the 3/8" is length. The diameter is that of a pushpin. Yes, you can push it into the bark of a tree like a thumbtack into a corkboard.

[+Mitragorz]

I see. I knew 3/8" was length, but I'd probably be hard-pressed (ha!) to find a nail as skinny as a thumbtack. I've got real skinny ones for a few pneumatic nail guns that I use to tack up wood or plaster moldings. I've never seen any regular nails that skinny, but then again, I've never looked.

 

The land manager-friendly reason makes sense too. The fire tacks probably look more "responsible" than a reflector nailed to a tree.

[+WarNinjas]

Well I wish I had asked here before setting mine up! I was looking for those fire tacks but couldn't find them. I took some nuts (the ones you would attach to a bolt) cut strips of reflective tape and taped it around them and used zip ties to attach them to the trees. Worked well but would have been easier to use fire tacks if I would have known about them. However there was no damage to the trees but I agree the tack wouldn't do any harm.

-WarNinjas

[Clan Riffster]

My decision to hunt an alternative to FireTacks was based on economics. Each of my night caches incorporate over a hundred reflectors. Had I utilized FireTacks, it would have been cost prohibitive. For the price of one 20 count box of FireTacks, I made 200 fender/nail reflectors. For about $5, I made 144 triangular reflectors to affix with staples.

[+Ash McCloud]

Yes, I was joking in each of my post. But honestly I doubt one nail or a tack or a staple really hurt a tree.

[knowschad]

Try spikes or long nails. Either of those are sure to keep the reflector for a long time. Hopefully longer than any CO who sets it up being in the game.

 

You forgot your smiley.

[knowschad]

Yes, I was joking in each of my post. But honestly I doubt one nail or a tack or a staple really hurt a tree.

 

Most of us feel that way. See the Hungry Trees thread. But our opinion is not the important one. There have been real problems with land managers finding nails in trees. We had one city ban caching in its parks for about two years because of one birdhouse cache that a land manager found nailed to a tree.

[+Totem Clan]

Yes, I was joking in each of my post. But honestly I doubt one nail or a tack or a staple really hurt a tree.

I would agree in most cases but there are some types of trees are easily damaged. Also some nails contain metals that can harm of kill trees. I know around here they used to kill unwanted mesquite trees by driving a copper spike into it. It would kill it roots and all. By saying no nails at all there cover all bases.

[+Viajero Perdido]

On one cool night trail I know of, the reflectors are hanging high above the trail, well out of reach. The CO must have either carried a stepladder, or used saplings which could be bent down temporarily.

[jsh01]

many great replies, as i'm in the UK we are not allowed to use fire tacks.

 

instead i have used "fire tapes" with velcro fastenings. they can be attached to branches. unfortunatly they can be only attached to small branches as they are only 5 inches long.

 

http://www.firetacks.com/webcart.php?cat_id=2&

 

regards

jim (jsh01)

[+Mitragorz]

If they've got Velcro on each end, couldn't you just attach a few of them together to make a longer strip?

[the3gmen]

If they've got Velcro on each end, couldn't you just attach a few of them together to make a longer strip?

 

probably because they are expensive

[+Mitragorz]

probably because they are expensive

 

I didn't realize that their price affected their ability to stick together.

 

Edited for content

Edited February 16, 2012 by Mitragorz

[Clan Riffster]

instead i have used "fire tapes" with velcro fastenings.

http://www.firetacks.com/webcart.php?cat_id=2&

A dollar each? Holy carp! My four night caches would have cost me $600+ just for reflectors had I gone that route.

[+Mitragorz]

Good thing we can use fire tacks. Go 'merica!

[+Planet]

I see trail markers nailed to trees all the time. The land managrers put them up. A fire tack is not going to kill the tree. If you are worried about introducing infection, bring a bottle, or swabs, of isopropyl alcohol along and sterilize your tacks.

 

Even if you wanted to kill a tree, it would take a lot more than one nail.

[4wheelin_fool]

Just use regular tacks, a broken mirror, and some JB weld.

[Pup Patrol]

I see trail markers nailed to trees all the time. The land managrers put them up. A fire tack is not going to kill the tree. If you are worried about introducing infection, bring a bottle, or swabs, of isopropyl alcohol along and sterilize your tacks.

 

Even if you wanted to kill a tree, it would take a lot more than one nail.

 

Portage and campsite signs are either nailed or stapled to trees in provincial parks.

 

Unfortunately, campers routinely add nails (and spikes) to trees. Not only is this unnecessary, but it can be quite dangerous depending on the location.

 

More harm can be done to humans than to the trees.

[+Viridios]

Any logger will tell you nails in trees can be really dangerous, but not to the tree!

[+Pitt Monqui]

I've just tried a new way to put reflectors in trees, and with so many people here keen on hammering things into trees, I thought I'd share...

 

First up, I've experimented with an entire night trail marked with reflective washers hung from trees on loops of string. The theme of the cache (GC395TV) was to 'Follow the gold rings' and so while buying reflective vehicle tape and a big bag of washers wasn't as cheap as other options, it seemed like the way to go.

 

 

Using a 22 foot telescopic decorators pole with a hook on the end it was possible to put markers in ridiculous places - but those pesky washers will always spin side-on to the trail as a matter of principal. I'm experimenting with thicker string now to stop the twisting, as well as a small reflective 'flag' above the washer to provide a reflective surface from the side. When they hang right they look pretty cool, but I wouldn't use them again.

 

While placing a new night cache using reflective ribbons today (see earlier post) I got to a spot where the only place to hang a reflector was about 20' in the air - and not somewhere you'd want to put a ladder. The solution: Ribbons with magnets.

 

 

Glue a pair of super cheap magnets to the reflective side of the ribbon taking care that the magnets attract, and then using the decorators pole with a spoon attached, dangle the ribbon (hanging from just one of the magnets) over the target branch. When you put the two ends close they'll snap together below the branch and stay that way when you pull the spoon/pole combo away.

 

It's a little tricky in the dark, but much easier than climbing a tree - or trying to use a 20' hammer!

[Clan Riffster]

reflective washers hung from trees on loops of string.

I did something similar as a solution to a problem. All of my night caches are pure, old school bushwhacks, with nary a path in sight. A few of them are set up so your track log draws a picture as you go. Because of the geo-art concept, I did not have a lot of leeway on where to place the reflectors, and at some points, there simply were no trees which would easily accept a stapled on reflector. I ended up with a fairly long chunk of (I think?) 3/4" square aluminum tubing, which I chopped into 3/4" bits, applying reflective tape to each side. I strung these onto bits of rope, which I could hang off smaller branches.

 

I thought I had a picture of one, but I can't seem to find it now.