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Is It Ok To Use This Container For A Cache?


crash331

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I plan on placing it about .8 miles from my house, so I can probably keep a good eye on it. I just wanted to get my first one up to see if anyone would come out this way.

 

edit....by the way...whats the cost of an ammo box at an Army supply store?

Edited by crash331
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I plan on placing it about .8 miles from my house, so I can probably keep a good eye on it. I just wanted to get my first one up to see if anyone would come out this way.

 

edit....by the way...whats the cost of an ammo box at an Army supply store?

Good plan. That will let you see first hand what happens, plus you can deal with the issues when it does get wet or whatever.

 

Go for it.

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Plan on visiting it often to dry out the contents.

 

Ammo boxes vary very widely in price, but if you pay more than $5-6 for one, you're getting ripped off. I've heard of them going for as little as a buck each at gun shows and some army surplus stores and I've heard of them sold for as much as $15 each at other places. Cheaperthandirt.com sells a 6 pack of the .30 cal boxes for $19 and the .50 cal boxes for $4.99 each. They're the cheapest, reliable supplier that I've seen.

 

Why not just head down to the supermarket and see if you can find the Rubbermaid Seal n Savers on sale. They're the ones with the blue rim on the lid. My local supermarket has them on sale for half price about once a month. They aren't as good as ammo boxes, but come in a variety of sizes and I've had very good luck with my caches in them staying dry.

Edited by briansnat
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I plan on placing it about .8 miles from my house, so I can probably keep a good eye on it. I just wanted to get my first one up to see if anyone would come out this way.

 

edit....by the way...whats the cost of an ammo box at an Army supply store?

We paid $5.99 for an ammo box. Plus we painted it because it still had some munitions information on it. We had some left over paint here at the house, however, so that was not an extra expense. We felt is was worth the $6 investment, so we don't have to replace any time soon.

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We paid $5.99 for an ammo box. Plus we painted it because it still had some munitions information on it. We had some left over paint here at the house, however, so that was not an extra expense. We felt is was worth the $6 investment, so we don't have to replace any time soon.

Painting's too much hassle for me, I just stick an "Official Geocache" sticker over the military markings :o

 

Oh, and I pay around $5 for .30 or .50 cal ammo boxes locally.

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hey Crash,

 

Just an idea here until you can get a container of your liking.....

 

with the candy tin put a piece of plastic over the bottom then put the top on. I am not sure how much that will help but every little bit helps.

 

I only say this becaue of the close proximity to your house....You will be able to keep an eye on it and replace it when it goes bad.

 

Ken

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Wow, I thought they would be like $30 per box...that's why I wanted to use a tin starting out.

 

I'll probably check the local stores for ammo boxes now that I know they are only 5-10 bucks.

Look 'em over good. The story of 2 ammo cans:

 

Can 1 was pretty dirty. Before painting, I wanted to clean it off. With the lid snapped shut, I held it under the faucet for maybe 20 seconds, then wiped if off. When I opened it, there was water inside. A better look revealed a broken hinge pin, which caused it to not shut tight on one side.

 

Can 2 had been in the back of my Blazer since I bought it. When I would drive around, I noticed that I would hear a metallic "pop" from somewhere in the back, after driving for 10 or 15 minutes. I finally figured out that the ammo box was so airtight that the sides would pop out a little due to the heat of the sun. When I drove around, the AC brought the temp down enough that it the sides popped back in. Now that's a good seal.

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Wow, I thought they would be like $30 per box...that's why I wanted to use a tin starting out.

 

I'll probably check the local stores for ammo boxes now that I know they are only 5-10 bucks.

Look 'em over good. The story of 2 ammo cans:

 

Can 1 was pretty dirty. Before painting, I wanted to clean it off. With the lid snapped shut, I held it under the faucet for maybe 20 seconds, then wiped if off. When I opened it, there was water inside. A better look revealed a broken hinge pin, which caused it to not shut tight on one side.

 

Can 2 had been in the back of my Blazer since I bought it. When I would drive around, I noticed that I would hear a metallic "pop" from somewhere in the back, after driving for 10 or 15 minutes. I finally figured out that the ammo box was so airtight that the sides would pop out a little due to the heat of the sun. When I drove around, the AC brought the temp down enough that it the sides popped back in. Now that's a good seal.

I've purchased close to 100 ammo boxes since I started geocaching. Some had some dings and rust, but all sealed well and were fine for caches. I had one leak but when I pulled it, I wasn't able to make it leak again. My guess is that the plastic bag from the log might have been caught in the seal at one time, which caused the leak.

 

But as Prime Suspect says, if you are able to, check the can over before you purchase it. They are subjected to a lot of abuse over their short lifetime. If you get them mailorder via Cheaperthandirt, you can't examine them ahead of time, but as I said, I've yet to get a bad one from them.

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Some other possibilities for those who are "army-surplus-store-deprived" - - -

 

Thermos jugs - The big plastic ones, well-bleached and cleaned to remove any latent food smells. If there is a spigot or spouts be sure to seal them well with some silicone and then duct tape.

 

Tupperware and Tupperware-clones with screw-on lids - You want the big-throated kind that an adult hand can fit into. Again, well-washed and bleached.

 

You can camouflage with tape or paint if you like. Remember NOT to mess up the threads.

 

If you don't hava an army surplus store nearby (or are afraid to go into one) the Goodwill and other thrift stores have several alternatives. Avoid glass containers entirely. Ditto for containers with screw-on metal lids.

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We paid $5.99 for an ammo box. Plus we painted it because it still had some munitions information on it. We had some left over paint here at the house, however, so that was not an extra expense. We felt is was worth the $6 investment, so we don't have to replace any time soon.

A little acetone and a rag takes the military markings right off. It's a lot quicker than painting.

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If you don't hava an army surplus store nearby (or are afraid to go into one)

lol. The one near me can be a little scary. It's a biker hangout. Bunch of hell's angels types are always there flirting with the 45ish leather faced biker 'babe' working behind the counter.

 

sorry for the tangent.

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I don't have any ammo boxes or anything, but I do have a Russel Stover tin candy box. I know it's not water proof, but I have all of the contents of the cache in a 1 gallon zip lock bag.

 

Will this be acceptable?

I also use various tins for my caches... and they seem to do well as TEMPORARY containers... Primarily cause they eventually rust

 

Like everyone else, I covet surplus ammo cans above all alse.. Also, if you go to the hunting section of the sporting goods department of your local wal-mart or, indeed , spoirting goods stores or gunshop, you may be able to locate a plastic version of the ole ammo cans running about $5.

 

I have troied different plastic cache-tainers before and I suppose they couldnt be beat for the price ( and also may be required by some public authorities).

 

online sources ( surplus websites and such) DO sell ammo cans starting from $4.95 BUT you also have to figgure in the shipping and handling. this can be more than double the price.

 

remember, the only true prerequisits for a cachetainer is that they be weather, insect and critter proof.

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If you don't hava an army surplus store nearby (or are afraid to go into one)

lol. The one near me can be a little scary. It's a biker hangout. Bunch of hell's angels types are always there flirting with the 45ish leather faced biker 'babe' working behind the counter.

 

sorry for the tangent.

I wouldn't worry too much about them. I have a great hell's angels story but it would be off topic. Suffice to say just go in and do your shopping and treat them with respect like you would anybody else.

 

Ken

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If you don't hava an army surplus store nearby (or are afraid to go into one)

lol. The one near me can be a little scary. It's a biker hangout. Bunch of hell's angels types are always there flirting with the 45ish leather faced biker 'babe' working behind the counter.

 

sorry for the tangent.

Sounds like a great thread for the OT forum. I;ll look for it there soon. :o

Toss the candy tin-you will need to replace it soon anyway. Start with the tupperware/rubbermade container. Heck you might even have one in the kitchen already that won't get noticed if it goes missing. :rolleyes:

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Most people around here seem to use tupper-ware style. Just make sure it is good quality. There is some cheap stuff at the dollar store than doesn't seal tight.

 

Yesterday I bought an ammo-can for $4 including tax at the local Army Surplus. Do check them well first. Some were dented and weren't going to seal right. Pay special attention to the seal, of course. There should be a sharp pattern down the center of the seal. The one I bought can barely be opened now and smelled like fish inside when first opened. Leaving it open for 24 hours has caused the smell to completely go away.

 

Personally I much prefer to find the 30cal ammo can with the fold down metal handle to tupperware. You can grab the handles to pull it out of holes and once closed you don't have to worry about it popping open while concealing. It depends on the location whether a 30cal or 50cal can is better. The 30 will fit a smaller hole but the 50 will hold more. The price is about the same.

 

Totally forget tin cans. I like Woodyk's idea of enclosing the can in a plastic sack but you're still going to get condensation inside because even if the lid is water tight for a while it isn't air tight. It's still going to rust inside the sack and have to be replaced in a few months.

 

I also don't like the idea of stealing some tupperware from the kitchen. There's a thread here somewhere about cleaning tupperware to get the food smells out so the animals don't go caching. Seems to me the consensus was that it wasn't possible.

 

If you do go with tupperware, PLEASE paint it! There is nothing more obvious than a big white tupperware bowl in a dark brown forest. Maybe you can hide it well but will the FTF do as well? How about the 10thTF.

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FYI - Ammo cans at my Army Navy store were about $10. Still, if you can afford it, that's probably the best way to go.

 

I, on the other hand, can't really afford it, so I used a screw top rubbermaid

container. They're $2-3 depending on what size you get, hold all kinds of stuff, and I've never had a problem with moisture. If you look at The Bell Jar cache, you'll see what I'm talking about in regards to how much one holds. (There's also a pic of the cache container on physo's log.) Plus, the ground around the cache area tends not to drain well (last time I went to the cache, my foot was brown from mud), so that's a good indication of dryness.

 

I always put everything in baggies, but the container has never leaked or been wet inside that I can tell. (I had been out twice between July 15 and August 1 for a quick check and am going back out in the morning for a more thorough one since we're getting pelted with rain off and on now.)

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Even if your cache is less that a mile away, I would still go with nothing less than a Rubbermaid container. If it's quite far, like 50 miles+ use only an ammo box. I just learned the hard way that even my favorite containers, Lock & Locks, are subject to damage. Now I've got to go about 100 miles to replace a cracked cache. I will be replacing it with an ammo can.

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FOR AMMO CANS 50 CAL 30 CAL AT PRICES OF 3 FOR $10 OR $3.99 FOR ONE!! ALL IN GOOD SHAPE THEY ALSO HAVE ROCKET TUBES IN THE PORTLAND OREGON AREA GO TO

 

Army surplus Sgt Gators Post Exchange

19855 SE Sunnyside Rd

Boring, OR 97009 - 9287

(503) 658-4903

 

GPS COORDINATES

N45*25.086 W 122*27.536

 

LAST I HEARD THE CANS THEY HAVE ARE THE LAST ONES THEY WILL EVER GET!!! (BUT THATS WHAT THEY SAID LAST YEAR!!) CALL AHEAD!!

Edited by Charles Iverson
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I once found a tin candy box cache. It was not a pretty sight when I opened it. It started to rust inside and the rusty water damaged the contents.

 

Ammo cans are OK, but I don't like them very much. Sometimes the lid comes off at the hinge and one has to fumble around replacing it. Also, when you close it it makes a loud bang, which might be heard by muggles nearby. Not to mention the fact that you can pinch your finger :lol:

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I know it is rather larger but would a big icecream tub (the kind you can buy at Walmart with the plastic lids) work ok? For a larger cache I mean. I ALWAYS have extras of those. hehehehehe

 

Angela <><

No!

 

I've found some of those and the thin plastic doesn't last long, the lids get cracked easily and they don't seal well when the cache is crowded.

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I don't have any ammo boxes or anything, but I do have a Russel Stover tin candy box. I know it's not water proof, but I have all of the contents of the cache in a 1 gallon zip lock bag.

 

Will this be acceptable?

I've found several caches hidden in pasteboard boxes or cardboard mailing tubes that were hidden in ways that left them exposed to the elements. In comparison, your Russell Stover tin is terrific.

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I know it is rather larger but would a big icecream tub (the kind you can buy at Walmart with the plastic lids) work ok? For a larger cache I mean. I ALWAYS have extras of those. hehehehehe

 

Angela <><

No!

 

I've found some of those and the thin plastic doesn't last long, the lids get cracked easily and they don't seal well when the cache is crowded.

Agreed. Unless you are prepared to replace the container every few weeks, don't even consider using one of those. First, any animals will get wind of the odor of food and make quick work of it, no matter how well you think you've washed it. Second, as Torry mentioned, the plastic is thin and won't hold up.

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I bought some ammo cans from the local army supply store. 2 .50 cal boxes (the larges ones) for $10. i have one cache ready to go now, just have to find a spot to hide it, and i am working on stocking my second cache.

Don't forget to paint over the military markings, or slap a sticker over them, particularly if they're gonna be hidden any place where they might be accidently discovered.

 

I also like to throw a little Rustoleum on the hinges and welded sections.

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As a former Tupperware lady I can tell you that any round Tupperware container that you have to 'burp' to seal or the ones where you press down in the midlle to seal is tight and will not leak. However, Tupperware can be expensive brand new and is not the same as rubbermaid. So buy your Tupperware at the Salvation Army or a thift store if you plan to use it as a cache container.

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I don't have any ammo boxes or anything, but I do have a Russel Stover tin candy box. I know it's not water proof, but I have all of the contents of the cache in a 1 gallon zip lock bag.

 

Will this be acceptable?

Since you are in CA,the container should be just fine. I've seen plenty coffee cans and juice bottles surviving just fine for years. One container was made of paper! It was in bad shape during the recent rains but the contents were dry thanks to the ziplock bag.

 

In CA you don't have to worry about freezing/thawing and all of that harsh stuff :antenna:

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