I Need a Gadget Cache Suggestion

[+VTMountainBiker]

I'm building a gadget cache that uses a child lock on the inside of the door. My design is building a mini church with a small cache inside. But I need some suggestions on how I should hide the magnet. My first idea was to hide the magnet inside the steeple of my cache (the steeple would be cut in two, and you'd flip open the top of the steeple and find the magnet). My worry with that is it'll be too easy, the magnet might get lost and it's hard to hollow out a big enough hole for the magnet in my steeple. So, what came to mind last night was, should I have the cache be one that needs a special tool (being the magnet)? It eliminates the easiness and chance of losing the magnet and is easier for me, but I'm asking you geocachers, would you or other cachers read the description to find out you need a magnet, or would some not read the description, show up to the cache and not be able to figure it out because they don't have a magnet. Anyone have an suggestions on which way I should go with this?

[+kunarion]

I've found a couple of magnet caches like that. One was a "bird house", and the magnet was on the end of the stick (the "perch"), and the inside back wall of the box had a metal piece so that the stick was magnetically held, and I found the magnet just fine. Figuring out where the latch was (assuming that's what the magnet was for), that was plenty tough.

 

A disadvantage of having a puzzle box where it is not clear what to do, is that cachers will resort to tools at hand. I've found a couple of boxes where the latch has been pried many times before, with knives or keys or something like that. That was not the Cache Owner's intent. There's a notch carved down to the latch from all the prying, and the latch is kind of messed up. It became tough to unlatch even with the magnet. It's disappointing that people will break a puzzle in order to log a find. But it's a consideration when placing a cache. Scorched-earth cachers, we got 'em in my area.

[+BCandMsKitty]

I'm building a gadget cache that uses a child lock on the inside of the door. My design is building a mini church with a small cache inside. But I need some suggestions on how I should hide the magnet. My first idea was to hide the magnet inside the steeple of my cache (the steeple would be cut in two, and you'd flip open the top of the steeple and find the magnet). My worry with that is it'll be too easy, the magnet might get lost and it's hard to hollow out a big enough hole for the magnet in my steeple. So, what came to mind last night was, should I have the cache be one that needs a special tool (being the magnet)? It eliminates the easiness and chance of losing the magnet and is easier for me, but I'm asking you geocachers, would you or other cachers read the description to find out you need a magnet, or would some not read the description, show up to the cache and not be able to figure it out because they don't have a magnet. Anyone have an suggestions on which way I should go with this?

 

I made a cache in an ammo box with a second locked lid inside.

Blackbeard's Treasure

There's a treasure map in there where you have to figure out to place a coin (the magnet)which opens the lock to the lid.

I wrestled with your dilemma, such as hide the magnet nearby, etc., and decided I'd try just sticking the magnet to the underside of the ammo box where one corner has been dented in to form and small cavity. I was afraid the magnetic coin would go missing and then I'd try something else. Well, the cache has been in the wild since 2012 and the coin has amazingly not gone missing.

My advice is take your best shot with where the magnet is hidden and see what happens.

 

MANY folks never read the cache description, so I wouldn't depend too heavily on that.

 

Good luck

 

I agree with kunarion's post

 

Try to make it easy enough that people will be able to figure it out but still be a bit of fun to do.

Not always an easy task

Edited December 23, 2016 by BC & MsKitty

[+narcissa]

I've found a couple of magnet caches like that. One was a "bird house", and the magnet was on the end of the stick (the "perch"), and the inside back wall of the box had a metal piece so that the stick was magnetically held, and I found the magnet just fine. Figuring out where the latch was (assuming that's what the magnet was for), that was plenty tough.

 

A disadvantage of having a puzzle box where it is not clear what to do, is that cachers will resort to tools at hand. I've found a couple of boxes where the latch has been pried many times before, with knives or keys or something like that. That was not the Cache Owner's intent. There's a notch carved down to the latch from all the prying, and the latch is kind of messed up. It became tough to unlatch even with the magnet. It's disappointing that people will break a puzzle in order to log a find. But it's a consideration when placing a cache. Scorched-earth cachers, we got 'em in my area.

 

This is particularly the case when a cache is "traditional" with a field puzzle attribute. People don't read cache descriptions for traditionals. If the cache requires a tool or advanced preparation it should be listed as a mystery / unknown.

[+VTMountainBiker]

Alright, thanks for the advise. I guess I will try and hide the magnet on the cache because I really don't want people to not have a magnet with them (if they didn't read the description) and I've put a lot of time into this cache, so I'd rather try and keep my chances of someone messing with it to a minimum. Thanks. If anyone has any other suggestions or something they did, feel free to keep commenting because I've found all the comments helpful!

[+BCandMsKitty]

As has been stated, probably best to list as puzzle/mystery which will get people to read the cache page. That way they should be prepared to look for the key, rather than force the lock. And, it will probably keep the finder numbers down a bit which isn't always a bad thing, especially if you've put a lot of work into it.

 

Like the old concept ... quality as opposed to quantity.

[+kunarion]

Alright, thanks for the advise. I guess I will try and hide the magnet on the cache because I really don't want people to not have a magnet with them (if they didn't read the description) and I've put a lot of time into this cache, so I'd rather try and keep my chances of someone messing with it to a minimum. Thanks. If anyone has any other suggestions or something they did, feel free to keep commenting because I've found all the comments helpful!

For my most recent cache, since people don't read cache descriptions, I placed an important clue in the cache title:

https://coord.info/GC6WP9Y

 

...the container has an alphabetical combination lock. Hint, hint, hint.

 

I also made it a "Mystery" cache and added the Field Puzzle attribute. I think nobody's had trouble with it so far. I will probably make any such "Field Puzzle" a Mystery Cache, mainly because fewer people visit, so the cache might last longer.

[+Isonzo Karst]

I see you own a gadget cache already (with a lot of favorites, congratulations) - with "Gadget Cache" in the title.

Nice idea to handle it that way. Allows you to list as a Trad, which increases the find rate, and get some protection from the brute force user.

 

In the attributes menu, in the Conditions group, you'll find the Field Puzzle attribute.

I suggest adding it to the hide you already have and to any new gadget cache. Offers a small amount of additional protection for your cache.

[+cliptwings]

I have a gadget cache which uses a magnetic child-proof lock, and I have had difficulty with folks walking off with or losing the magnet. All I did was connect the magnet to the container with a length of string and it solved my problem.

[+VTMountainBiker]

I see you own a gadget cache already (with a lot of favorites, congratulations) - with "Gadget Cache" in the title.

Nice idea to handle it that way. Allows you to list as a Trad, which increases the find rate, and get some protection from the brute force user.

 

In the attributes menu, in the Conditions group, you'll find the Field Puzzle attribute.

I suggest adding it to the hide you already have and to any new gadget cache. Offers a small amount of additional protection for your cache.

 

Ahh, thanks for the advise!! I'll do that now! Great idea!