Bonus Cache: Maintenance Nightmare?

[+St.Matthew]

I am close to setting up a geocache series which would include 3 geocaches. I was hoping to put a laminated card inside each, which would contain 1/3 of the coordinates to the bonus cache. What has been the experience of others in doing this? Will lazy people take the laminated cards? Does anyone have recommendations to best maintenance-proof the series?

Much appreciated.

-St.Matthew

[+Sharks-N-Beans]

Just attach the 1/3 clues to the lids of the caches. No need to supply removable cards.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Sharks-N-Beans

[+captnemo]

I am close to setting up a geocache series which would include 3 geocaches. I was hoping to put a laminated card inside each, which would contain 1/3 of the coordinates to the bonus cache. What has been the experience of others in doing this? Will lazy people take the laminated cards? Does anyone have recommendations to best maintenance-proof the series?

Much appreciated.

-St.Matthew

Laminate the card to the container.

 

edit for spelling

Edited August 15, 2012 by captnemo

[+St.Matthew]

What is the best way to attach a laminated card to the inside of a lid of a lock-n-lock that will make it last through summer and winter?

[jholly]

What is the best way to attach a laminated card to the inside of a lid of a lock-n-lock that will make it last through summer and winter?

I use spiral bound logbooks and use a sharpie to write the coordinates on the logbook. Another way is to use clear packing tape to tape them to the lid.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I'll admit to having such a series. Thirteen finds in almost three years. But the hike is about five miles for the three caches. And requires a hiking permit. But, everyone has loved the series! The hints to the bonus are laminated (iron on lamination from Staples), and taped to the top of the container. (I think. A muggle free area, so I might have tossed the laminated hints into the caches.)

In a more urban area, you might have to be more careful. I searched for one with two micros leading to the final. But one had disappeared, so it and the final were archived. (Not maintained properly.)

[+The_Incredibles_]

What is the best way to attach a laminated card to the inside of a lid of a lock-n-lock that will make it last through summer and winter?

 

I've had good luck with clear packing tape. I don't even bother with laminating. It's a good idea to use a Sharpie or other permanent marker to write the number(s) they'll need.

[+dprovan]

Everyone is making good suggestions, but just for the record I'll add that there's a cache series like this in my neighborhood that just has laminated cards in the caches, and it seemed to work fine with no problem except that the caches themselves keep getting muggled. I think it's down from 3 to 1 preliminary cache, with the CO providing the two missing pieces if you send him the third.

[+SwineFlew]

I am not big on bonus caches because they are high maintenance. One cache go missing and nobody can find the final cache and it upset people that they cant finish it.

 

If I would do a bonus cache, I would it like a challenge cache. Make people find 5 of 10 of the series so they can log the bonus cache. That way, its low maintenance and if one or two of the cache on the series go missing or DNF, people can still find the bonus cache. If you want alot of control, just be aware its high maintenance to take care of the series.

[+The A-Team]

I've had good luck with clear packing tape. I don't even bother with laminating.

Yep, that's exactly what I do. I'm very careful to make sure the tape completely covers the paper with lots of extra around the edges. Some have been out for a few years now with absolutely no sign of peeling.

[+St.Matthew]

Thanks to everyone with helpful suggestions.

[+Shaved Ewok]

Thanks to everyone with helpful suggestions.

 

I have a series just up the road for you in Youngstown where you have to find six caches to get the coordinates for the final puzzle cache. I just wrote the information inside the lid and hid clues on eache cache page so I could remember which clue goes with which cache if one gets muggles. Mine has been in place for Over a year now and no issues yet. Also unrelated to your question, but tout you may like to know, there is an event in Niles Friday night for Cachers of the area.

[+Lieblweb]

I'm partially in charge of a Battleship series in our area. 105 total caches with 17 HIT caches that contain partial coordinates.

 

The 'partial coordinates' are written on the log sheets.

 

Haven't had any issues other than typical cache maintenance.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I am not big on bonus caches because they are high maintenance. One cache go missing and nobody can find the final cache and it upset people that they cant finish it.

 

I don't see why this is such a big problem. If there are missing caches, the cache owner can just provide the missing numbers on the bonus cache page.

[+kunarion]

I am close to setting up a geocache series which would include 3 geocaches. I was hoping to put a laminated card inside each, which would contain 1/3 of the coordinates to the bonus cache. What has been the experience of others in doing this? Will lazy people take the laminated cards? Does anyone have recommendations to best maintenance-proof the series?

Much appreciated.

-St.Matthew

Of the two series I've seen, they used ammo cans, and both had the numbers hand-written in magic marker on the inside of the lid. They were written like "N 1X X3.X9X" (another can might have part of the West coords). That seems to have lasted for years.

 

If you use something like lock-n-locks, you could use an engraving pen inside the lid. Or match tubes with engraving on the outside.

 

But if you have some minimal security for laminated cards (a loop of string tied to the log book or whatever), I'd expect they'd be fine.

Edited August 15, 2012 by kunarion

[+OZ2CPU]

most of my series, got bonus puzzles,

the part cords are written in the logbook / logsheet

so it is also maintained when the log book is.

 

I got so far 3 series of 15, 10, 30, traditionals each with a bonus

the thing is, all caches in the series must be OK, else the bonus can not be found,

so YES, you need to make sure all yor caches are always in good shape,

but any CO are aware of his maintain job and take it seriously, right.

 

it is my way of making a long multi cache, the finders get a smily at each stage

and they can continue with this "multi" over several days if they like,

most people are not able to handle all in one day anyway.

I think alot of time, and work, and trouble and fun, should be rewarded with alot of smilies :-)

 

--

 

I love to find a traditional cache, and wow a part cordinate,

then I feel I need to find the rest and find maybe a bonus,

I am always excited by this :-)

The most normal is 2-3 I think, and that is also perfectly fine.

[+Straight-Cache-Homey]

I'll admit to having such a series. Thirteen finds in almost three years. But the hike is about five miles for the three caches. And requires a hiking permit. But, everyone has loved the series! The hints to the bonus are laminated (iron on lamination from Staples), and taped to the top of the container. (I think. A muggle free area, so I might have tossed the laminated hints into the caches.)

 

Harry -

 

I did some poking around... which series is this exactly? Might want to check it out.

[Mr.Yuck]

What is the best way to attach a laminated card to the inside of a lid of a lock-n-lock that will make it last through summer and winter?

 

I've had good luck with clear packing tape. I don't even bother with laminating. It's a good idea to use a Sharpie or other permanent marker to write the number(s) they'll need.

 

I think quality clear packing tape would work fine. I've seen it work fine on laminated cards outside in the elements even. I'm not allowed to say where though, some kind of other game.

[+Mike & Jess]

I have my Shop Around Series which includes 5 caches plus bonus.

The partial cords is written on the log sheet. Only once have I had someone remove the top of the log that contained the piece of cord.

 

I would say that of the cachers that have found my caches, only about 30% that have done all the series, have done the final.

This was a bit supprising as all 6 caches (including the bonus) can be found in about an hour's work of walking (centralized around two neighboring shopping malls).

 

My only issues with this series is the high maintenence of having the 5 series caches in high muggle areas. The final has never had an issue.

If your series is done in a not so high muggle area, and with good containers, it should be reasonably maintenence free. If you are going with small to regular containers, write the hint in marker on the inside of the container, and maybe first page of the log book. That way it's less likely to go missing, and you can attach the pieces as you go.

[+Roman!]

I taped info for one of my caches to the lid then I added a zip lock bag with 50 print outs of the needed info so people could take one if needed.

 

I have found many caches that are suppsed to have clues/info in them and I'd say less than 5% was the info missing.

 

You could also sharpie what you need onto the container.

Edited August 16, 2012 by Roman!

[JASTA 11]

We use a paint pen to mark inside the container. You can get them at places that sell art supplies. They last longer than a sharpie.

[+Ike 13]

If you are an active owner who activly reads logs and check caches then it should be no issue. The problem arises when people don't think about maintenance hide a series and disappear to never maintain.

[+BCandMsKitty]

Had a series like this. Packing tape holding printed coords on the inside of the lid of the container. Make sure there is lots of overlap around the edges of the paper.

If the cache stays, the coords stay.

Although I have had some cachers say they couldn't find the coords in the cache, even though it states where they are in the cache description!

I've since changed it to a straight series without the bonus. One cache kept going missing, and it's a bit of a ways from home. Less maintenance needed.

I wouldn't say it was a headache .. I just didn't want to drive the distances needed.

Edited August 17, 2012 by BC & MsKitty