maintaining a cache

[+mustanglx]

I have been tossing around the idea of hosting a new cache in my area.

I have seen some caches that are well maintained and others that are far from being maintained.

The question that I have is, how often should a person go out and check their caches?

I would like to hear what others do to maintain their caches and how often. Do you add stuff when you go out to it or just check on it.

 

Dennis

[bug and snake]

quote:

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Originally posted by mustanglx:

I have been tossing around the idea of hosting a new cache in my area.

I have seen some caches that are well maintained and others that are far from being maintained.

The question that I have is, how often should a person go out and check their caches?

I would like to hear what others do to maintain their caches and how often. Do you add stuff when you go out to it or just check on it.

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Keep a good watch on the finders logs and do anything necessary according to that is the first rule I use. Then, any time I am in the area I will go have a quick look at the current state of the cache. I have never HAD to top up a cache but I have added a few small items on occasion just coz I chose too. All of mine are fairly new so age as such has never been a factor yet but since some of them are wooden containers I do tend to keep a good eye on those.

By asking that question on here you are showing a very good attitude. I am sure that your cache will be a great success. Best of success with it.

 

Only nuts eat squirrels,

Snake

[+GeneralBracket]

I've placed one cache. I go maintain it about every month. However I do keep my eye on the cache page logs. Depending on what cachers are saying about it I adjust my maintenance intervals accordingly. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter.

 

My advice to you is to just do the same. If you're getting visits very often you should lengthen your maintenance interval. But if you don't get any visits logged for an extended period of time you should go check it out. Many cachers don't log no-finds for whatever reason. Given that, the absence of finds for an inordinatly long period of time can indicate a problem.

[+briansnat]

Depends on how often the cache is visited and the kind of container you use. If you use Gladware, you might want to get out there every few weeks, while an ammo box is unlikely to leak, so you don't have to check up on it as often. The more often the cache is visited, the more often you're going to have to go back to "re-seed" the cache, since the contents are going to degrade (despite the fact that everyone in these fourms trades up or evenly).

 

The key is not how often you visit, but how quickly you respond to reported problems. I own caches that went as many as 8 months between maint visits, chiefly because all the logs said something like "cache was in great shape", or "everything was in good condition". When I see that, I'm likely to move that cache to the back of my maint list.

 

But when I see a comment like "soggy contents", "logbook almost full", or "slim pickings" (or a sudden rash of TNLN's, which means to me that there probably is nothing worth trading in the cache), I'll try to get out and check the cache right away. Same if I get several "not founds" in a row.

 

I'll also go and check it if it hasn't had a find for a long time...perhaps 3 or 4 months, just to make sure all is well and reassure potential seekers that the cache is there (some people won't look for a cache that doesn't have a recent find).

 

[This message was edited by BrianSnat on June 09, 2003 at 11:42 AM.]

[+Renegade Knight]

Watch the logs. Local urban caches need more work than remote caches. Plus remote caches seem to be more likely to take care of a cache when they find it.

 

Or so it seems.

 

=====================

Wherever you go there you are.

[+mustanglx]

Thanks everyone for the helpfull hints and tips.

Would everyone agree that an ammo box is better than a tupperware container?

I can only imagine that an ammo box would require alot less maintenance than a plastic type container?

I will check back later to see if there is anymore tips.

 

Dennis

[+briansnat]

An ammo box is way cheaper than real Tupperware and as cheap, or cheaper than Rubbermaid ($3.99 for the large .50 cal and 6 for $18 for the small .30 cal at www.cheaperthandirt.com). Ammo boxes are superior as far as water resistance, animal resistance and durability. They can also be painted in a camoflage to match the hiding spot.

 

Real Tupperware and Rubbermaid are OK, but on rare occassions their lids can pop off, or loosen with changes in air preasure and temp. Cheap "Dollar Store" knockoffs are far worse. The lids don't seal well and the containers crack in the cold. As for Gladware, just forget about that.

 

I use ammo boxes where possible. For some applications, they aren't feasable because of their size and shape. In those cases, I use old army decon boxes (search these forums for "decon boxes" for info), small Rubbermaid containers (the ones with the blue rim), or small Lock-n-Lock containers.

 

"Au pays des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois"

 

[This message was edited by BrianSnat on June 09, 2003 at 03:14 PM.]