Would you pay for a custom cache container?

[TheDoctorPH]

I have a few years experience with sculpting and recently put my talent into making, what i consider to be a fairly unique container for my first hide. i dont want to describe it too much because it will hopefully be up for finding soon.

 

but it gave me an idea. I could make these type of caches, not only for me, but for others. im sure there are other people out there who have a great idea for a crazy container they would love to have but dont know how to get.

 

but of course nothing is free in life and so i wouldnt be able to do this for free. like i said the supplies i used were cheap but not free.

 

so my question is, would anyone pay for a service that would work with the CO and design a custom, personalized, and hopefully fun container for cheap? i figure an ammo can cost around 10 bucks each. depending on the project i could make something larger and way more interesting for only slightly more. but is there any interest?

[+tomfuller & Quill]

I hope that you do your product testing in your local car wash. Make sure it is watertight.

If you can mass produce at a reasonable price, I'm sure Lookout Lisa would be interested. She is the owner of Cache Advance.

[TheDoctorPH]

of course all ideas would be tested to make sure they work properly as cache containers. if the things inside the cache are not protected then it doesnt really count as a cache container. then it'd just be some weird looking box.

 

and also, the idea would be to make custom containers by working directly with the customer. meaning they tell me their idea and we go over it together until it is exactly what they want. there are plenty of "custom" cache containers out there that are just someone taking some object, hollowing it out and sticking a bison tube in it. im talking about custom as in made to your specifications from scratch.

 

so as awesome as it would be to sell items in an established store, i dont think it would work.

Edited July 30, 2012 by ArcadiaExeter

[+OZ2CPU]

there exist many people who manufacture special and custom cache containers

it is a good idea for a small business,

I dont think you can get rich, but if it makes you happy to help others

and if they are happy too it is perfect,

you need to puplish pictures and sale price to be able to sell anything,

so I am sorry a full spoiler is a must here.

 

a cache container must be water proff,

handle use and abuse, rugged and all that,

imagine people cache in rain and mud, drop branches and small stones on it,

and some are very fast and use a bit force when they open/close it.

 

I like the cache containers people make them self,

simple becourse they are one of their kind, and show skils and ideas only the CO got (or got access too)

 

it is like the little plastic stone used to hide a key in the garden

exist in a few colurs, and are made in exactly the SAME shape, and sold in milions worls wide

it is VERY easy to spot by a geocacher after they seen it 100 times :-)

 

I dont think yours will be the same, since you talk about handmade and low volume,

I cant wait to see a picture of your idea, please share :-)

[TheDoctorPH]

i think this one will stay a secret since i do want to hide it, but i will work on building a portfolio to show off.

 

this is something i would love to do, even if i only broke even on it. i enjoy doing it and it can make the game that much more fun.

[knowschad]

I prefer to make my own, but you will find plenty of takers on a well made commercial container. However, remember that once you offer it for sale, it will no longer be a special cache.

[+T.D.M.22]

D-d-d-double post.

Edited July 30, 2012 by T.D.M.22

[+T.D.M.22]

I wouldn't mind one. My creativeness/artfullness is kinda hit and miss. Of course cost is important as well as shipping costs. maybe give one or two as prizes at the next event and see how that goes.

[+Sharks-N-Beans]

OK so I ask you to create a sculpted cache in the form of a tree climber (to attach to a tree limb) and send you an avatar which depicts the climber's head. You sculpt it (size proportionate to a bobblehead...head oversized). What do you think it would cost?

[+kunarion]

would anyone pay for a service that would work with the CO and design a custom, personalized, and hopefully fun container for cheap? i figure an ammo can cost around 10 bucks each. depending on the project i could make something larger and way more interesting for only slightly more. but is there any interest?

Can you sculpt a tree branch? If it's a realistic "broken branch" about a foot long and hollow, a watertight preform container could fit in there (when the container goes bad, just swap out the container, re-use the camo). Same thing with a fake rock, make it so some standard container is concealed inside. Just a thought. I never liked the commercial "fake rocks" due to them having only a sliding door, not watertight.

 

Are you thinking of realistic camo like rocks or branches? Or more unusual items like a giant spider or a "treasure chest"? What materials do you use? If it lasts longer than the container it conceals, it might just be worth buying.

 

One thing I've wanted is a fake "broken water faucet" (no valve handle, or it just spins). It would look kinda beat up, and maybe it's magnetic for simple installation. But it's made of polymer clay or epoxy, and pulls apart to reveal a match tube or whatever. Ordinary metal faucets can hold no more than a little bison tube.

 

As for whether I'd pay you to make something, if a great one is kind of expensive, I may just opt to make a reasonable one for cheap. But I may still need instructions on how make some tricky camo.

Edited July 31, 2012 by kunarion

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

a number of people sell different ones on ebay.

[+kunarion]

a number of people sell different ones on ebay.

If it's a one-of-a-kind cool container, there are some artsy sites where you could put it up for sale. Usually, people need a cheap, easily replaceable container. But there are rare situations where a fancy container is perfect and doesn't get immediately swiped.

 

I also think the OP could make a series of animals or characters of some kind, incorporating maybe a match tube. They could all be unique, but in kind of a theme. And consider offering Travel Bug riders, and custom sig items.

[TheDoctorPH]

I like some of those ideas. a tree branch may actually be the easiest of them all and i might try that for my next one.

 

and i know a lot of people sell them on ebay and such but those are mainly made to be high difficulty finds. Now is someone asked for that i'd be happy to do it but im hoping it varies a little and some of them are made for other reasons besides blending in. i was thinking something like a cache that looks like a memorial stone for a cache dedicated to someone who has past. or something representing something special to that CO. not to mention puzzles and such.

 

i think im going to come up with some ideas and make a portfolio, maybe post some of them on etsy or ebay and see what comes of it. but thank you all for the input, its very helpful.

[TheDoctorPH]

i was also thinking about custom swag as well. that would be a little simpler and cheaper.