Desiccants

[+Grapu etal]

I came across someone having customized desiccants as a signature item. These are bags of silica (or other matter) that is used in some packaging (you may have seen small ones in vitamin packages) to keep the contents dry. I know that the fight with moisture in caches is an ongoing struggle. So here are my questions:

 

1) Has anyone used or seen desiccants used in caches? What's your thought on this?

 

2) How would I go about acquiring some of these? I did a quick search on the internet and found some industrial sites where I could buy several thousand at a time, but are retail/online retail stores likely to carry something like this?

[+Mr. 0]

I found some of them at my local pack and mail type store. It's not your corporate place like Mail Boxes Etc, or the UPS store, it's just a locally owned business. They were selling them by the 1/2 dozen for about $5 if I remember right. The packets themselves are pretty big. I'd say about 4" wide X 2" tall or so.

[+FarSideX]

Look in the yellow pages under Packaging Materials for a local supplier. You won't have to buy 1000's as they will have then in stock. I'm getting a hundered or so off the next sales guy that shows up in my office.

[martmann]

I have a bunch of THESE (see HERE also) I use in ammo boxes to keep the ammo dry, the little round window allows you to see when it needs to be recharged, when the silica turns from blue to pink. (recharge by placing it in an oven @300° F, for three hours). If you have 2, you can rotate them. I keep the spares in an Otter Box, to keep them dry between recharge and use.

 

It may take more maintenance to recharge the desiccant, when it needs it, than it would to just respond to the logs that mention dampness. I haven't seen to many dampness logs on caches that use ammo boxes (the best cache container IMO). So I don't see much need for a desiccant in an ammo box. I live in the Damp NW.

 

Edit: changed 350° F to 300° F

Edited December 29, 2003 by martmann

[+TeamK-9]

I don't know where they are on the website, but if you order the Cheaper than Dirt catalog, they have dessicant packs in like 3 packs for moderately cheap.... I think they were on the same page as ammo cans...

 

Cheaper Than Dirt

[+Stunod]

This thread is about a cacher who uses the dessicant packs as his signature item. Maybe you could contact him for more info an where he gets them.

[martmann]

I don't know where they are on the website, but if you order the Cheaper than Dirt catalog, they have desiccant packs in like 3 packs for moderately cheap.... I think they were on the same page as ammo cans...

 

Cheaper Than Dirt

Those are HERE. They are the clay type, which work well, and are cheaper (to buy, not to maintain) but take a lot longer to recharge, and don't work quite as good as silica based desiccants.

[+El Diablo]

actually a small bag of crushed charcoal will do the same thing.

 

El Diablo

[+Mr. 0]

I also just remembered. I read an article in a woodworking magazine where a person suggested using nylon stockings and Tidy Cat Crystals. What you would do is fill the stocking with a little of the Tidy Cat Crystals and tie it up. I guess the TC Crystals are made up mostly of Silica.

 

Here is a link to where I originally posted it.

[+4agers]

My wife works at target... she brings them home by the dozen when our supply runs low. We tend to drop them in most caches we visit.

[+Grapu etal]

actually a small bag of crushed charcoal will do the same thing.

 

El Diablo

 

What kind of bag would you use to hold the charcoal and at the same time allow it to absorb the moisture?

Edited December 29, 2003 by Grapu etal

[+Strgazr]

 

What kind of bag would you use to hold the charcoal and at the same time allow it to absorb the moisture?

A box of the cheapest knee high nylons. I use them alot for the same sort of stuff in aquariums. Just fill up the toe end with however much you need and tie a knot in it.

Edited December 29, 2003 by Strgazr

[+9Key]

I collect mine from shoe boxes at Target, Wal-mart, ShopKo, etc. SInce I only need a few at a time..... is it stealing?

[+Johnnie Stalkers]

I collect mine from shoe boxes at Target, Wal-mart, ShopKo, etc. SInce I only need a few at a time..... is it stealing?

No, but it does explain why my new shoes are all squishy.

[+sea_dragon]

Also, try camera shops. I get mine from the local underwater photo place to put in my camera housing. Keeps everything nice and dry by dealing with the condensation. If my seal goes, well....there ain't a desicant that can keep up with that!

[+Grapu etal]

 

What kind of bag would you use to hold the charcoal and at the same time allow it to absorb the moisture?

A box of the cheapest knee high nylons. I use them alot for the same sort of stuff in aquariums. Just fill up the toe end with however much you need and tie a knot in it.

If I go to a store and ask for aquarium charcoal - will I get what I need?

[+DustyJacket]

Just get the "good" charcole that is kind of "granulated" and not the cheap chunk stuff where the charcoal is VERY dusty. That black dust doesn't come off easily, and gets everywhere.

[+Grapu etal]

I collect mine from shoe boxes at Target, Wal-mart, ShopKo, etc. SInce I only need a few at a time..... is it stealing?

I just spoke with a kid from church who works at K-Mart in the shoe department. I asked him about getting some for me. He said that he won't be working any time soon but that we should just go take them. I asked if this could be considered stealing and he informed me that they were supposed to take them out of the boxes before they go out onto the 'floor' but that they never do since they don't have enough time. In effect, he said, I would be doing them a favor by taking them.