Pictures - Cool Cache Containers (CCC's)

20.7k · May 11, 2005

Since they are made out of plastic with a metal nano container, I doubt that the squirrels will be any more interested in them than any other micro container.

May 11, 2005

These really are works of art. My fear would be that the nano would be tossed around as people shuffle through leaves and other acorns.

Where would you place these acorns to keep them in play but not so obvious that they're easy to find?

I guess I'd have to take one into the field (so to speak) and see where it could fit with the surroundings and still be a PIA to find.

May 11, 2005

WOW! those are cool! How'd you do that?

1.1k · May 11, 2005

I know it has been ask but how would you place the nut so it is not lost???

cheers

20.7k · May 11, 2005

...Where would you place these acorns to keep them in play but not so obvious that they're easy to find?...

Obviously, the woods is a bad place for a cache like this. I'm thinking of placing one in the crook of a tree in a very small park, much like fifty million film cans are hidden. The only differences are that this container doesn't stick out as easily as a film can and it is somewhat heavier compared to other similar sized micros. This will hopefully keep it from getting dislodged as easy in a storm.

20.7k · May 11, 2005

WOW! those are cool! How'd you do that?

I made a mold of one a real acorn using RTV. This allowed me to create a perfect duplicate out of plastic. Once it cooled, I carefully bored a hole in the bottom and inserted a nano cache container. I left just enough of the top of metal container clear of the acorn to allow the lid to be easily unscrewed. I then painted it to resemble the real acorn.

2k · May 11, 2005

...

Where would you place these acorns to keep them in play but not so obvious that they're easy to find?

...

I would hide a pine cone cache container by an oak tree, an acorn by a pine tree.

20.7k · May 11, 2005

I would hide a pine cone cache container by an oak tree, an acorn by a pine tree.

That's funny. I was thinking of a nice maple for the acorn.

May 11, 2005

We have a group of "cowboys" out here who put out the most ingenious caches.

Of the 14 I found yesterday, several were by these guys. One entails bringing a 15-foot (preferably, although we used a 12') ladder.

The funniest one was a huge blue barrel out in the scrub brush. Inside the barrel was a five-gallon water bottle. Inside the water bottle were more than 60 35mm film canisters.

Only one film canister would come out the neck of the bottle at a time and you had to get the one that had the log book in it in order to be able to sign the log.

It took us 58 tries . . .

Another one was an atypical Altoids mint container.

There were 62 Altoids mint containers, and only one held the log . . .

After doing the caches by these guys, finding Tupperware along side a trail is just, well, it's still fun . . .

This cache is SO devious that I am going to have to use this idea....

3.8k · May 14, 2005

I made a mold of one a real acorn using RTV. This allowed me to create a perfect duplicate out of plastic. .

Little more information please.

You used RTV on a real acorn to create a mold. I suspect you cut it in half with a razor knife to make a two sided mold.

What did you use to fill the mold and make the nut out of?

Is the mold only good for one shot at making the nut or can it be reused several times?

May 14, 2005

What's RTV?

2.7k · May 14, 2005

What's RTV?

RTV = Room Temperature Vulcanized

It is a silicone sealant (and somewhat adheasive) that cures at room temperature. It is very easy to trim after it has cured making it very easy to work with. It also takes paint somewhat well, as long as the RTV doesn't flex.

May 14, 2005

What's RTV?

Mechanics (and Geocachers I guess) use it to seal parts on engines and transmissions. It works as a gasket or it can be used to help a gasket with its job. Cool stuff.

Edited May 14, 2005 by Micqn

May 14, 2005

excellent reproduction. I saw this for sale on e-bay. It looks really cool.

great job.

20.7k · May 14, 2005

What's RTV?

RTV is a two-part silicone rubber used in making molds for jewelry. It takes heat quite well and conforms to intricate items without becoming stuck to them. This made it ideal to use as the mold for my acorn.

May 18, 2005

I didn't think to get a pic of it before placing ...but my first cache container was (and still is) a highlighter pen with a log inside. The movie 'Office Space' was the inspiration for the cache hide ----> Office Space

I'll do a maintenance check sometime this week and take along the camera....

Edited May 18, 2005 by mocha java man

May 19, 2005

What's RTV?

RTV is a two-part silicone rubber used in making molds for jewelry. It takes heat quite well and conforms to intricate items without becoming stuck to them. This made it ideal to use as the mold for my acorn.

Wow, that sounds cool. Is it the same RTV silicone you can get at the autoparts store in a tube? Is there anywhere I can get more info on how to make molds? Do you have to heat the RTV once you place the medium you're using in it? For instance, if I used FIMO clay, could I heat the clay in the mold or would I have to take it out of the mold? I know I have asked alot of questions and I understand if you don't feel you have the time to answer them. I'm going to google it too. The answers provided by you folks so far have been extremely helpful.

Edited May 19, 2005 by BartenderMagic

May 23, 2005

any new container pictures?

20.7k · May 23, 2005

Is it the same RTV silicone you can get at the autoparts store in a tube?

The RTV at the autoparts store isn't a two-part mix. I've heard of people making molds out of that stuff, but I haven't tried it.

Is there anywhere I can get more info on how to make molds?

Google is your friend, here. If you have any questions, shoot me an email.

Do you have to heat the RTV once you place the medium you're using in it? For instance, if I used FIMO clay, could I heat the clay in the mold or would I have to take it out of the mold?

I typically heat the mold prior to pouring the plastic, so it gets plenty hot. Also, remember that RTV is what they use as the mold when making jewelry. It will take the heat. If you are careful, it should be good for about twenty pours before you have to make a new mold. Edited May 23, 2005 by sbell111

2k · May 23, 2005

Is it the same RTV silicone you can get at the autoparts store in a tube?
The RTV at the autoparts store isn't a two-part mix. I've heard of people making molds out of that stuff, but I haven't tried it.
Is there anywhere I can get more info on how to make molds?
Google is your friend, here. If you have any questions, shoot me an email.
Do you have to heat the RTV once you place the medium you're using in it? For instance, if I used FIMO clay, could I heat the clay in the mold or would I have to take it out of the mold?
I typically heat the mold prior to pouring the plastic, so it gets plenty hot. Also, remember that RTV is what they use as the mold when making jewelry. It will take the heat. If you are careful, it should be good for about twenty pours before you have to make a new mold.

Regular RTV ( Room Temperature Vulcanizing) products will work for molds if you coat the positive with spray carnuba wax (available where fiberglass supplies are sold) first. Some kind of mold release is needed since most RTV's are intended to stick, pam or any spray cooking oil might work to.

20.7k · May 23, 2005

Sounds like alot of work. I'll just stick with the two-part kind.

May 24, 2005

Normally I don't post my cache images in public but since I just archived this one, have a look. It wasn't all that hard for the locals to find but they kept wanting to rip it outta the ground. Add to that, the area become run down and ugly.

Out by the dumpster got ugly? Whoda thunk it?

May 24, 2005

I love your quote. Raising Arizina is one of my all time favorite movies.

2k · May 27, 2005

Can you spot it? I planted this cache after a year of finding caches hidden in rock piles. You think Lamp post micros get old?

Edit tpos

Edited May 27, 2005 by rusty_tlc

May 27, 2005

Can you spot it? I planted this cache after a year of finding caches hidden in rock piles. You think Lamp post micros get old?

Edit tpos

Is the rock on the ground fake?

May 27, 2005

Here's my little acorns. I molded perfect acorn replicas out of plastic and inserted a nano container.

hey that is cool

are you thinking about making some too sell??

i'd buy some!!

May 27, 2005

This is my maga 114L cache with my dog Morgan

May 27, 2005

This is my maga 114L cache with my dog Morgan

cool dog!!

:laughing: that's my kind of cache!! No micro there! Of course, knowing my luck, i'd still log a DNF on my first attempt...

May 27, 2005

This is my maga 114L cache with my dog Morgan

Sorry to tell you this but I don't think your dog will fit into this cache! :laughing:

20.7k · May 27, 2005

Cool fake dog! Were you able to get all that swag to fit inside? :laughing:

2k · May 28, 2005

<image snipped>
Can you spot it? I planted this cache after a year of finding caches hidden in rock piles. You think Lamp post micros get old?

Edit tpos

Is the rock on the ground fake?

Not the rock, maybe this will help.

May 28, 2005

<image snipped>
Can you spot it? I planted this cache after a year of finding caches hidden in rock piles. You think Lamp post micros get old?

Edit tpos

Is the rock on the ground fake?

Not the rock, maybe this will help.

OK, now I'm thinking it's that nicely sawn log.

2k · May 28, 2005

Some people find it right away others take two or three trips.

For scale

20.7k · May 28, 2005

That is an awesome log.

May 29, 2005

Some people find it right away others take two or three trips.

For scale

Ok, I gota know how you hollowed it out.

May 29, 2005

Lathe? Very big drill?

May 29, 2005

I father works with a lathe extensively as a hobby in his retirement. If you could find a straight enough log, a lathe would work perfectly. I may try it soon.

May 29, 2005

That log looks pretty straight. I'd like to give that a try, too, but I don't own a lathe. I had access to one last year, but this year I don't. Hmm...

May 29, 2005

Nice work on the log!

I found a stage of a cache one time like that. Took my sister and brother-in-law so they could hunt it later on. While hunting it, my brother-in-law actually picked the thing up 3 times (that one had a branch sticking out the side making it easy to pick up with one hand) before he realized that it was strange to see that perfectly sawed end out there in the woods.

May 29, 2005

kayakanimal, I LOVE you

Uh..don't tell toolman47.

But this past weekend I was inspired to create a similar cache - tho' I had problems holding the nut & washer assembly to the plastic top of a 35 mm film case.

First, I found if you attach it to the top with epoxy, it's still not strong enough to with stand the pull as you pop the top and the nut & washer comes off. SO, I epoxied an rare earth magnet to the inside of the bottom of the container and re-epoxied the nut & washer after drilling a small hole in the bottom to create a direct commection from the magnet to the n & w.

Gads, this sounds like a lot of work, but it wasn't. Anyhow, I used a forsner bit (1 3/8") to drill the hole. The top is a bit bigger than the container. But then it sagged in the hole (I wonder if I shoulda just used a 1 1/2" forsner...) So I used aluminum tape to build up the bottom, near the n&w section and - ah-ha! - the silver of the tape is an additional camo device.

Gads, I love geocachers who share.....!

Maybe it would have been easier just to cut the bolt just long enough to slide through a hole in the top of the lid of the 35mm container and attach a small nut to the underside... You could use your epoxy to keep moisture out.

Just a thought! I think I might build one of these myself!!!

Edited May 29, 2005 by Team HHD1

20.7k · May 29, 2005

The problem is the epoxy will dry hard and shortly water will get in.

May 29, 2005

What about for people who don't have access to a lathe? I've never seen a drill bit big enough to hollow out a log like that. The biggest one we have is about 1.5 in. You could make a cache container using it, but it wouldn't hold much more than pens and pencils as trade items.

3.9k · May 29, 2005

My guess is it's an Auger Bit.

or

May 30, 2005

Hi everybody. Here is a cache container I have just placed.

This is how it looks as you approach it.

Getting closer.

There it is.

May 30, 2005

Thank goodness that's not an Ivory-billed Woodpecker!!!!!!!!

May 31, 2005

lock and load boys- its woodpecker killin' time!

May 31, 2005

LOL that woodpecker is classic! My wife would probably take like a million pictures of it before she found out it was a fake!

June 9, 2005

bump

June 9, 2005

BUMP

20.7k · June 9, 2005

I have been trying to make a cache out of a pine cone for a long time. I tried carefully drilling into the cone, but it fell apart. I considered disassembling the cone and reassembling it around the container as others have attempted, but I was concerned that the result would be too frail for continued use.

After I perfected my fake acorns (fakorns?), I had the idea that the process could be repeated for a pine cone. It wasn't as simple as I thought, but it turned out OK.

Here is my proof of concept. I drilled a small hole through the cap to allow it to be hung.

Edited June 9, 2005 by sbell111

Pictures - Cool Cache Containers (CCC's)

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