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Your Opinion: Qualities of a good cache container


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I'm a design engineer, and I've had this thought in the back of my head for a while - How would I design the ultimate cache container?

 

One that the police wouldn't blow up (Ok so that was the one in Utah, not MN), would survive a winter in northern Minnesota, yet would be affordable and easy to produce?

 

I've got an idea, and it might work out, but what would people really WANT?

 

The soapbox is open......

 

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Don't re-invent the wheel. We already have the ammo box. It is the perfect cache container and comes in many sizes. To improve on that maybe, cut holes in the side of them and adhere plexiglass so that the contents can be viewed without opening the ammo box. Now that would pose the problem of where do you put your Official geocache sticker.

 

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So far so good, somewhat new owner of a second/new Garmin GPS V 20 plus finds so far with little to no problem. We'll see what happens when there are leaves on the trees again.

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guess I type slow.

 

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So far so good, somewhat new owner of a second/new Garmin GPS V 20 plus finds so far with little to no problem. We'll see what happens when there are leaves on the trees again.

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quote:
Originally posted by umc:

Don't re-invent the wheel. We already have the ammo box. It is the perfect cache container and comes in many sizes. To improve on that maybe, cut holes in the side of them and adhere plexiglass so that the contents can be viewed without opening the ammo box. Now that would pose the problem of where do you put your Official geocache sticker.

 

http://www.mi-geocaching.org/

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So far so good, somewhat new owner of a second/new Garmin GPS V 20 plus finds so far with little to no problem. We'll see what happens when there are leaves on the trees again.


 

Seems that might defeat the waterproof quality of the ammo can. If that problem could be solved, seems like a good idea.

 

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"Trade up, trade even, or don't trade!!!" My philosophy of life.

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In all seriousness, Ammo boxes are good because they are pretty animal proof, so something strong. I like caches you can cram a CDR in so a 5 inch diameter is nice. I like the tube designs because they fit nice in the forks of trees and down in rocks and such.. Something that is easy to open when water gets into the threads in the wintertime. SOmething with an o-ring if you want to suspend it from a tree. Something that takes paint like a champ.

 

I started off using tubes , then modified the lid for opening in the winter when it is frozen.

 

But now I'm not as partial to them.

 

These nice sized plastic tobacco tins are neat, like this one held by Tripper.

 

[This message was edited by Zartimus on April 14, 2003 at 09:34 AM.]

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quote:
Originally posted by umc:

guess I type slow.

 

http://www.mi-geocaching.org/

______________________________________________________________________________________

So far so good, somewhat new owner of a second/new Garmin GPS V 20 plus finds so far with little to no problem. We'll see what happens when there are leaves on the trees again.


 

Hey, some days were the bucket, some days we're the doot!!

 

Hehehehe.

 

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"Trade up, trade even, or don't trade!!!" My philosophy of life.

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quote:
Originally posted by Breaktrack:

If we could only come up with a clear plastic ammo box....LOL.

 

Oh well, we can wish.


 

That's the point!

 

I COULD make a clear plastic ammo can, but they would probably cost about $30 each when produced in 1000+ quantity....

 

I THINK I have a way to put a transparent lid on an ammo can (for lower cost) and retain the weathertight seal... But, is that what people would be interested in?

 

If people are interested, I can float the idea past a couple of plastics manufaturers that I know...

 

If people aren't... Then the idea dies....

 

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I would be interested just because but would probably stick with my ammo cans. They are cheap and everything a cache container should be. I think that the problems around ammo cans are too few and far between to worry about changing them all just to make a few people happy. I don't think it is warranted either because some people don't know better than where to place their ammo can caches. Besides that I don't know why ammo cans get such a bad rap, can't a bomb be placed in virtually anything?

 

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______________________________________________________________________________________

So far so good, somewhat new owner of a second/new Garmin GPS V 20 plus finds so far with little to no problem. We'll see what happens when there are leaves on the trees again.

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quote:
Originally posted by umc:

I would be interested just because but would probably stick with my ammo cans. They are cheap and everything a cache container should be. I think that the problems around ammo cans are too few and far between to worry about changing them all just to make a few people happy. I don't think it is warranted either because some people don't know better than where to place their ammo can caches. Besides that I don't know why ammo cans get such a bad rap, can't a bomb be placed in virtually anything?

 

http://www.mi-geocaching.org/

______________________________________________________________________________________

So far so good, somewhat new owner of a second/new Garmin GPS V 20 plus finds so far with little to no problem. We'll see what happens when there are leaves on the trees again.


 

Good points all, and I have to agree. This really hasn't happened all that much so we are really making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

Ammo can's are fine. Nuff said.

 

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"Trade up, trade even, or don't trade!!!" My philosophy of life.

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I would have to agree that I like the ammo box the best and other than adding a way to see inside without defeating any of it's advantages I don't see anyway of improving it. One of it's advantages is it's durability in the cold, I live in NH and it get pretty cold here in the winter. Any plastic would need to be able to take the cold without becoming brittle. I have inadvertantly damaged some plastic containers finding or digging out in the cold NH winter. They really don't like a wack with an ice axe at 20 degrees below zero. And I'm not talking celsius either. That and it will be hard to beat that nice metal on metal sound when probing in the deep snow with the tip of your carbide tip walking pole or ice ax handle. icon_biggrin.gif

 

SilverRubicon

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If you're not looking for a clear one, the new 1 gallon plastic paint jugs that are out would work great! You would have to cut out the spout that they put on the inside of the jug though. I supose if you're really serious about having some manufactured, you could try to find out who manufactures those and see if they can make clear ones......... We have one that we're going to use, but after painting an entire room, I still have about 1 cup worth of paint still in it........... icon_rolleyes.gif

 

Children are natural mimics who act like their parents despite every effort to teach them good manners.

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Let's see, wish list, it should open into an extra-dimensional space so it's larger on the inside than outside. The space should be tied to that physical location, so the contents can't get stolen (simply apply a new "door")... It should have an internet connection built in to automatically log visits on geocaching.com simply by writing in the logbook. Ah, while accessing it and logging it, it should make you invisible to passing geomuggles... Built in pencil sharpener and self-renewing dessicant. Ah, support for an occupant such as "thing" from "The Adams Family" so you don't need to search through contents or repack it. Chameleon-like properties, such that it takes on the color and shade from the environment automatically and if relocated.

 

(I'm sure I'm forgetting lotsa' things... {grin})

 

Randy

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quote:
Originally posted by RJFerret:

Let's see, wish list, it should open into an extra-dimensional space so it's larger on the inside than outside. The space should be tied to that physical location, so the contents can't get stolen (simply apply a new "door")... It should have an internet connection built in to automatically log visits on geocaching.com simply by writing in the logbook. Ah, while accessing it and logging it, it should make you invisible to passing geomuggles... Built in pencil sharpener and self-renewing dessicant. Ah, support for an occupant such as "thing" from "The Adams Family" so you don't need to search through contents or repack it. Chameleon-like properties, such that it takes on the color and shade from the environment automatically and if relocated.

 

(I'm sure I'm forgetting lotsa' things... {grin})

 

Randy


 

And it's default appearance is a Blue Brittish Police Call Box...

 

Hmmm, What should I call it.... TARDIS!

 

(If you don't understand that, check the BBC for Dr. Who....)

 

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quote:
Originally posted by Renegade Knight:

It needs to be see through, not scratch (so it stays see through), be able to be bulldozed, and water proof. It has to be able to survive a fire also.

 

Good luck.

 

Ammo can's cover about all of it but see through.

 

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Wherever you go there you are.


 

Now where did I put my transparent aluminum?

 

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We already have the perfect cache container...the ammo can.... But, as long as you want to invent something; howabout cachers that aren't a bunch of hand-wringing, rule proposing, approver bashing, ammo-can fraidy-cats, cemetairy fraidy cats who aren't scared of pocket knifes and don't complaine about everything.

 

Nah, never mind, couldn't be done, but it was fun writing this!!

 

Earth First!!! We'll cache the other planets later!!

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I love ammo boxes, but I wonder if anyone else has had this happen to them. Only with the smaller ammo boxes mind you. When I pull them out of their hidey hole, and perch them on a rock or log or even on the ground... when you open the lid, if the contents aren't heavy enough, the whole thing falls over. I would enjoy a more balanced style of ammo can! Something you could open and leave open while you write in the cache log and your own log.

 

Can't tell you how many times I have scrambled around trying to pick up stickers, pencils, beads, marbles, etc.. after opening the thing, grabbing out the log book and just standing there writing. They seem to have a mind of their own and flop over. Am I alone here? icon_confused.gif Those darn military guys need to start thinking about OUR NEEDS for a change icon_biggrin.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by Zzzoey:

I love ammo boxes, but I wonder if anyone else has had this happen to them. Only with the smaller ammo boxes mind you. When I pull them out of their hidey hole, and perch them on a rock or log or even on the ground... when you open the lid, if the contents aren't heavy enough, the whole thing falls over. I would enjoy a more balanced style of ammo can! Something you could open and leave open while you write in the cache log and your own log.

 

Can't tell you how many times I have scrambled around trying to pick up stickers, pencils, beads, marbles, etc.. after opening the thing, grabbing out the log book and just standing there writing. They seem to have a mind of their own and flop over. Am I alone here? icon_confused.gif Those darn military guys need to start thinking about OUR NEEDS for a change icon_biggrin.gif


 

The lids pop right off, if you are looking into the box from the latch side, push the lid to the left, simple. Goes back on just as easy.

 

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What good will a clear ammo box do after I'm done painting it camo and gluing sticks and rocks to it? I think we just need to call them something besides ammo boxes. After all, we are recycling them, aren't we? When your city recycles waste water, do they still call it waste water? Of course not!

It's so ridiculous, people thinking just because it's an ammo box that it must be a bomb.

Anyway, to me a recycled ammo box cleverly camoflauged is the way to go. If one could be made out of a plastic that could hold up to sub zero and very hot temps, then maybe I'd go for it. But I can't imagine you'd make a plastic one for $4-6.

 

On the road of life there are people in cars and people getting hit by cars.

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quote:
Originally posted by martmann:

 

The lids pop right off, if you are looking into the box from the latch side, push the lid to the left, simple. Goes back on just as easy.

 


 

Silly me, when I go ammo box shopping, I try my darnedest to find the ones that the lid isn't loose. Whenever one falls off the hinges, I freak and struggle to get it back on. Didn't realize they were SUPPOSED to do that. frog.gif <--I like the frogface frog.gif

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The perfect one would be just like this carbon fiber 21st century ammo container but smaller... and of course see-through. These are quite big. The container opens from both ends and seals water tight usind an easy latch and gasket. I so wish these were smaller.. I have about 6 on my porch that I fear I just might give away as I don't know that I'll have time to plant 'em before I move to the East Coast.

 

AND NO ONE EVER KNOWS THEY'RE AMMO CONTAINERS.

 

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It is legal to take a gun into the woods. What is the problem with the Ammo containers? I think that I take the risk of the shrapnel explosion when I open it. Terrorists highjack planes, but we still fly. Micro-Management is bad. What about educating law enforcement, and land management people and requiring stickers? Perhaps once they know our intentions they will realize we are doing a good thing. Just any other sport except we clean up trash in the process.

L

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There is a company IKELITE of Indianapolis which produces absolutely ideal container, but I suspect it might be somewhat expensive.

 

Their containers are completely made of Plexiglas or Lexan, come in almost every useful size you'd ever need, close with spring-loaded clamps that pull the sturdy lid over an o-ring toward the casing, and lets you put all the textual information on the inside, readable trough the material.

 

Containers are primarily used to house underwater cameras or flash units, being watertight to great depths, actually the only danger to the gear you put inside comes from the crushing force of the depth, as the boxes finally start to deform.

 

Now if somebody could produce a thing along the principles of Ikelite casings, make it maybe a lot less sturdy, thinner and using cheaper material, perhaps the prices could be kept within the biosphere...

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