Needed Small Waterproof Container

[+Confucius' Cat]

I have a micro that has been in place through thick and thin in a very busy city park. It is an "Altoids" type tin attached to a nice strong magnet.

 

The cache must be very low profile (container 3/4" x 2" x 3" approx).

 

The problem is that the tin is not water-proof and the log is always wet.

 

Does anyone have any ideas for a water-proof container of those approx dimensions? (It will have to be drilled to accept the magnet, so glass is out- I don't trust glue.)

[+briansnat]

I could think of several waterproof micro containers, but none of those approximate dimensions.

 

You could just make your log book out of National Geographic Adventure paper. No more wet logbooks.

Edited January 11, 2004 by briansnat

[+Confucius' Cat]

I could think of several waterproof micro containers, but none of those approximate dimensions.

 

You could just make your log book out of National Geographic Adventure paper. No more wet logbooks.

what is it and where do u get it?

[+9Key]

Have you tried putting the logbook in a small plastic zip bag? You can get bags of all sizes at craft and hobby stores, or order them in bulk on eBay cheap.

I use little 2" x 1" zip bags in some of my micros that are in the weather. They work great.

[+Corp Of Discovery]

Edit: self moderation.

Edited January 11, 2004 by Corp Of Discovery

[Ferreter5]

Try checking out REI's website. They have a bunch of waterproof boxes and bags. I'm not sure if this box meets your needs, but take a gander.

[+9Key]

Those small ziplock bags are also available at your local headshop or crackhouse.

I guess I'll try there next time. Thanks for the tip!

[+pnew]

hey I have an AOL cd tin I got in the mail and subsequently used as a cache. I painted it red, glued magnets on the back and stuck it sideways to the side of a Newspaper machine thingy. I think having it sideways has for some reason kept any dew out of the container moreso than if I had it sitting normal. Also the paint you use could also act as some sort of a small sealant for small amounts of water. My cache has been out for 2 months now through rain and cold and no complaints on wet logs yet.

Edited January 11, 2004 by pnew

[+ironman114]

hmmm--- either my post was deleted or I messed up in posting it. Oh well it was off topic some and may have been a bad joke, but as a similar one is still here maybe it was my mistake

 

not complaing just observing.

[+briansnat]

what is it and where do u get it?

 

You can usually get National Geographic Adventure paper at any place that sells GPS mapping software. I purchased mine at EMS. It's more a plastic than a paper, but it looks and feels like paper and is totally waterproof.

 

It's not cheap. Almost a buck a sheet, but I made several logbooks out of a single sheet and it is a good answer for caches that have a problem with wet logs.

Edited January 11, 2004 by briansnat

[umc]

This may not be low profile enough but I really like using the waterproof match containers. You would be able to clue that magnet to that and camo it any way you like. Sounds like its going underneith a picnic table or something so unless it was in the right spot it might be a little wide.

[+CYBret]

I've posted this before, sorry if it's repetitious.

 

Got this at RonJon's Surf Shop in Florida last year. They're available on their website.

 

I think you could probably attach some magnets to it pretty easily.

 

 

 

Bret

[umc]

I've posted this before, sorry if it's repetitious.

 

Got this at RonJon's Surf Shop in Florida last year. They're available on their website.

 

I think you could probably attach some magnets to it pretty easily.

 

 

 

Bret

Bret, I use one of those for one of my caches, its actually the next size up from that one. Works great and haven't had a problem with it yet and its been out for over a year. You can also find them at REI

[+Team Lyons]

I've posted this before, sorry if it's repetitious.

 

Got this at RonJon's Surf Shop in Florida last year.  They're available on their website.

 

I think you could probably attach some magnets to it pretty easily.

 

 

 

Bret

Bret, I use one of those for one of my caches, its actually the next size up from that one. Works great and haven't had a problem with it yet and its been out for over a year. You can also find them at REI

Or you can go the expensive yet loads of fun route and take a Disney cruise. Those things are a must have on a cruise ship. Disney whacks you like $10 for them if I remember correctly.

[The_Brownies]

Why purchase a waterproof micro container when your altoid tin will due? Sounds like you need to use waterproof paper. I've made a lot of micro logs and I never have had a wet logbook since I started using waterproof paper. Even if it get's wet you can dry off the log and write on it. No plastic bag needed to keep it dry. Look for an a RITE AS RAIN distributer near your.

 

One last note. You will need to print the logs using a Laser Printer, or print out the Micro Log on normal paper using an InkJet Printer, and then go to Kinko's and copy the Micro Log on to the Waterproof Paper with the use of a photo copier. If you try and print the logs onto the Waterproof Paper using the inkjet printer, the ink will run off when exposed to water. Laser Printers & copiers burn the toner onto the paper and the toner will never run. A cool test of the wp paper is to print out a micro log and then dunk it into a glass of water. Take it out and dry it. Wa la -- the log is dry again and you may easily print on it.

 

Rite as Rain website

[+briansnat]

If you try and print the logs onto the Waterproof Paper using the inkjet printer, the ink will run off when exposed to water.

 

I've printed logs on National Geographic AP using my inkjet and tested them by running them under the faucet. The ink didn't run.

[+CYBret]

Why purchase a waterproof micro container when your altoid tin will due? Sounds like you need to use waterproof paper. I've made a lot of micro logs and I never have had a wet logbook since I started using waterproof paper.

Last weekend I found a micro hidden in one of those little Altoids strip containers. It had only been out a couple of weeks but was already completely soaked and had begun to rust.

 

It occurred to me I haven't seen a lot of really rusty Altoid containers out there. Do they normally rust very bad? Are those of you who hide them clear coating them with something or are you replacing them regularly?

 

Bret

[The_Brownies]

Bri --

 

Have you submersed the logs in water for a couple hours? My bet is the ink will run, but it was simply not exposed long enough to the water. The only reason I say you need to use a Laser Jet printer or Photo copier is because when I first started creating waterproof logs, the biggest thing mentioned in all the threads I read was not to use an inkjet printer because the ink will run when exposed long enough to moisture. If you think about it does make sense. Inkjet sprays on ink but the toner is burned on. The paper is waterproof, i.e. is has a waterproof texture. If you spray ink onto it, my guess is that it exposed long enough to water, the ink will run.

 

Who Knows, Maybe the National Geographic AP is different. My experience has only been with Rite as Rain paper and Laser Jet has been the only successful thing in printing out logs.

Edited January 12, 2004 by The_Brownies

[+briansnat]

Have you submersed the logs in water for a couple hours?

 

No, I just ran it under runnin water for a minute or so. I'll experiment with longer exposure. NGAP is more like a plastic than a paper, so maybe that's the difference?

[+geospotter]

The local EMS sport shop has a map, that I printed with my inkjet printer on NG paper, stored in water. It doesn't run.

[+Og's outfit]

The package of NG adventure paper I have says: "Waterproof Inkjet Printing Material" It also says: "NOT intended for laser printers", and, "Some excess inks may lift from material when wet".

[+Confucius' Cat]

Why purchase a waterproof micro container when your altoid tin will due? Sounds like you need to use waterproof paper. I've made a lot of micro logs and I never have had a wet logbook since I started using waterproof paper. Even if it get's wet you can dry off the log and write on it. No plastic bag needed to keep it dry. Look for an a RITE AS RAIN distributer near your.

 

One last note. You will need to print the logs using a Laser Printer, or print out the Micro Log on normal paper using an InkJet Printer, and then go to Kinko's and copy the Micro Log on to the Waterproof Paper with the use of a photo copier. If you try and print the logs onto the Waterproof Paper using the inkjet printer, the ink will run off when exposed to water. Laser Printers & copiers burn the toner onto the paper and the toner will never run. A cool test of the wp paper is to print out a micro log and then dunk it into a glass of water. Take it out and dry it. Wa la -- the log is dry again and you may easily print on it.

 

Rite as Rain website

There's more to it than just keeping the log dry.

 

Mine is a trading cache and the trinkets get wet also. The added bulk of plastic bags leaves little room for anything else.

 

I originally submitted the cache without a log because I wanted to have more space for trinkets, but this was not allowed and the first finder kindly donated a log book.

 

Several changes of plastic bags have not succeeded in keeping the log book dry. (on its second log book already) I suspect the water problem is because of the way the bags must be folded to fit in the tin.

 

This is the only cache I own that is having water problems. It is kinda wierd because it is in a location that is not DIRECTLY exposed to rain, yet it is constantly wet.

 

I have one that just survived a three day flood completely submerged and it was bone dry.

 

The cache I am having the problem with is magnetically attached to the underside of a park bench. I don't want to give it up because it is so cool that it has sat there through several LARGE public gatherings and I believe has even gone unnoticed by workers painting the bench.

 

Its gonna stay there until it disappears on its own, wet or dry.

[Parsa]

OK, so here's a question...

 

Is there a totally waterproof small container that doesn't cost and arm and a leg? I'm kind of curious because I've been thinking about a cache weighted down in a pond. Has anyone placed a cache that allows no water in without buying some $200 scuba diving container? How truely waterproof are those match safes?

 

Parsa

Edited January 15, 2004 by Parsa

[The_Brownies]

The only thing you might try with the altoids can is making a rubber seal for it using small gas line that you would purchase at an auto parts store. Another idea would be to use silicon to waterproof the container.

 

Underwater cache.. hmm... What about an old igloo water jug from Goodwill? It's cheap, whaterproof, and it could contain a lot of items.

[+joefrog]

OK, so here's a question...

 

Is there a totally waterproof small container that doesn't cost and arm and a leg? I'm kind of curious because I've been thinking about a cache weighted down in a pond. Has anyone placed a cache that allows no water in without buying some $200 scuba diving container? How truely waterproof are those match safes?

 

Parsa

Sure... a waterproof match container from a camping store -- one of the little orange ones costs about $4.

[+CYBret]

Sure... a waterproof match container from a camping store -- one of the little orange ones costs about $4.

Maybe we're talking about 2 completely different things here, but the little orange waterproof match holder I bought at Wal-mart cost about 88 cents.

 

Bret

[+rusty_tlc]

Sure... a waterproof match container from a camping store -- one of the little orange ones costs about $4.

Maybe we're talking about 2 completely different things here, but the little orange waterproof match holder I bought at Wal-mart cost about 88 cents.

 

Bret

Green, $1.49 at the surplus store.

[+greengecko]

For around $1.50 you can buy peanut butter in a 16oz plastic jar. The empty container is durable and the wide mouth lid allows good access. It can be painted, taped, left clear or written on with a Sharpie. It is definitely waterproof. You can find just about any size larger or smaller to suit your particular need. The lid is easy to remove and the best part is you get a $1.50 worth of peanut better with each purchase!

 

Cache Jar

Edited January 16, 2004 by greengecko

[+Confucius' Cat]

Regarding the match containers, I have one suspended in a storm sewer and its log is as dry as the day it was placed.

[+CYBret]

I've been looking at these and these tonight. A tad pricy, but they look really nice. Has anyone had much luck using them?

 

Bret

[+reg3]

CYBret

 

I found one of those otter boxes last week and the logbook inside was nice and dry. It was hanging out in the weather with minimal shielding from the elements.

 

Thanks for finding a source for them.

[+Ish-n-Isha]

The cache must be very low profile (container 3/4" x 2" x 3" approx).

 

A frogs toucas ougtta work

[+CYBret]

MY OTTERBOX JUST CAME IN THE MAIL!

 

Check it out, here are some pics I did, side by side with an Altoids tin. Sure, the Altoids tin is cheaper, but I'm interested in seeing what I can do with the Otterbox.

 

By the way, I was able to get it on ebay (unused) at a bit of a better price than retail.

 

Bret

 

[+CYBret]

One more thing.....I got the Otterbox from This eBay seller. Great price.

 

Oh, and one other thing. I found out after I took the picture that the Altoids container will actually fit inside the Otterbox with the lid closed (barely)

 

Bret

[+rover-r-us]

i use match container for walmart stores. they are in the camping section.