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Locking Container?


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I have an idea for a cache that involves finding a locked container, and then solving a puzzle to figure out the combination to the lock.

 

Sadly, the only containers I can think of are fairly expensive-- small safes, realtor's key lockboxes, etc. Box + external padlock would certainly work just fine, but I'm not sure what kind of box would work for this.

 

Suggestions?

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I have an idea for a cache that involves finding a locked container, and then solving a puzzle to figure out the combination to the lock.

 

Sadly, the only containers I can think of are fairly expensive-- small safes, realtor's key lockboxes, etc. Box + external padlock would certainly work just fine, but I'm not sure what kind of box would work for this.

 

Suggestions?

I have just completed building a box as you described. It is an ammo box with a second lid inside it which has a combination lock. My concept is to hide the box with an offset inside the lid to a micro containing the combination. The idea I have in mind for getting to the offset (not too far away) is different to anything I have seen so I don't want to give it away here. But, if you want to gimme an e-mail address I will send you a few pics of how I did the box and the lock.

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This took about 5 minutes and less than $2 worth of hardware (not including the lock). Drill a 1/4" hole, thread a hex nut, metal washer, then a rubber washer onto a 1/4" eye bolt (all the way to the end). Thread the bolt through the hole and on the other end put on a rubber washer, metal washer and another hex nut and tighten.

 

5de8a3cf-1927-4c1f-af9a-47cd1c615a48.jpg

 

5c89f66f-b3bd-463f-ad5e-5eb587eabb8e.jpg

Edited by briansnat
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This took about 5 minutes and less than $2 worth of hardware (not including the lock). Drill a 1/4" hole, thread a hex nut, metal washer, then a rubber washer onto a 1/4" eye bolt (all the way to the end). Thread the bolt through the hole and on the other end put on a rubber washer, metal washer and another hex nut and tighten.

 

5c89f66f-b3bd-463f-ad5e-5eb587eabb8e.jpg

I was wondering about this setup. Couldn't a devious person just unscrew the eye bolt from the container? Or did you put some kind of thread lock on the threads?

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Couldn't a devious person just unscrew the eye bolt from the container

 

I probably would. :lol: It does not look that hard to do. Now if he bends the bolt on the inside of the container or crushes the threads it gets harder. But then there is the trusty old hacksaw ... doesn't everyone carry around in his/her caching bag?

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Easiest way to keep that eye screw in place would be to run it down to the local welding shop and get the nut tacked to the bolt. It'd take only a few seconds to do and would keep the dishonest person honest.

 

Plus, ya might want to add a little silicone around where the bolt goes through the box to keep things water tight.

 

Nick T

Edited by Nick_T
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This took about 5 minutes and less than $2 worth of hardware (not including the lock). Drill a 1/4" hole, thread a hex nut, metal washer, then a rubber washer onto a 1/4" eye bolt (all the way to the end). Thread the bolt through the hole and on the other end put on a rubber washer, metal washer and another hex nut and tighten.

Are all the finders good about replacing the key wherever you have it hidden?

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I was wondering about this setup. Couldn't a devious person just unscrew the eye bolt from the container? Or did you put some kind of thread lock on the threads?

No the rubber washers just causes it to spin. It doesn't unscrew. Of course a hacksaw will get you in, but I think I'd probably delete the find if anybody pulls that.

 

Are all the finders good about replacing the key wherever you have it hidden?

 

Its a combination lock. To get the combo they either have to find a TB that's circulating in the area, find partial combo numbers in other area caches, or take a long hike around a park to find several micros that have one of the combo numbers.

 

Here is the cache.

Edited by briansnat
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I just finished an ammo can much like the one in the photos, only I used a 1 inch stainless steel bolt - nut - washers and lock-tite 271. It ain't coming off.

 

I am an electronics tech, not a machinist. But the machine shop has lots of machinists who need a VCR cleaned or a cassette player cleaned. Barter works. The machine shop guys can do anything over lunch.... much stronger than the major surplus locks. Those had a very small cheap key lock.

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To get around the lock you just have to punch out the hinge on the ammo box. We had a similar narcotics box in the Army. It was basically a 30 cal. ammo can with a similar locking system as above. It didn't take much to push the pin out of the hinge.

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I like Brians solution the best. You could get away without all the washers, just wack the end of the bolt a few times with a ball pean hammer.

 

It is true that a determined individual could get into any box. Like my Daddy always said locks just keep honest people honest.

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To get around the lock you just have to punch out the hinge on the ammo box. We had a similar narcotics box in the Army. It was basically a 30 cal. ammo can with a similar locking system as above. It didn't take much to push the pin out of the hinge.

And you know this because?????????

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I like Brians solution the best. You could get away without all the washers, just wack the end of the bolt a few times with a ball pean hammer.

 

The washers were to make sure there was a waterproof seal. They were old faucet washers.

 

The point isn't to keep people out of the box. Anybody who wants in can saw off the bolt, or just smack it with a hammer. The point is to provide an added challenge for the cache hunter. In the case of my cache, it's designed so that geocachers who like long hikes can enjoy it, as well as people who like short walks and "drive and dumps".

Edited by briansnat
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Couldn't a devious person just unscrew the eye bolt from the container

 

I probably would. :( It does not look that hard to do. Now if he bends the bolt on the inside of the container or crushes the threads it gets harder. But then there is the trusty old hacksaw ... doesn't everyone carry around in his/her caching bag?

If you use a small U-bolt instead of the eye-bolt, you will have a more secure setup.

 

--Marky

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I think what I'm going to do for the combination is a two-track approach.

 

The puzzle will be on the outside of the container, maybe in a magnetic key-holder gizmo, or maybe just printed on the outside. The seeker will have to solve two puzzles, one to get the first two digits, and one to get the last two.

 

Should the seeker punt on the puzzles, there will be four micros scattered around the area, each of which contains a single digit to the combination, and the locations of the micros will also be on the outside of the cache. Being the evil, sadistic girl that I am, I probably won't indicate which order the digits are in, so that the person who opts for that route will still have to try a few different combinations until they can open the cache.

 

I'll have to find suitably rewarding goodies for the cache. Hmm...

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