"small" Vs. "micro"

[+Ed & Julie]

I wanted to feel the waters and get others opinions...

 

There has been a bunch of caches placed locally to me, and the cachers are using medication perscription bottles as the cache containers. The listings all state the size of the container as "small".

 

The neck of the bottles are the same size (if not narrower) than a film cannister, so nothing can be traded except micro items. The acual containers can be held in the palm of your hand.

 

I keep logging them, stating in the log something like "too small for trade items, so just signed the log", or more bluntly "looked for a small, found a micro", hoping they would get the hint (it ain't happening). I've noticed many cachers listing altiods tins as 'small'. Even that seems like a stretch to me.

 

So when does a micro become a small? I always listed my caches as a 'small' if they were around the size of a sandwich-sized plastic container. Anything smaller I listed as a micro.

 

Ed

The Badge & The Butterfly

[+sbell111]

In my opinion, pill bottles are micros. Sandwich-sized tuppware and decon containers are 'small'.

[+briansnat]

I'd say a prescription bottle is definitely a micro. To me a small would be about the size of my fist.

[dead_white_man]

definitely micro.

[+stu_and_sarah]

Agreed. These sound like micros. Small should be able to fit a small notebook and a small travelbug with attachment, I reckon.

 

Stu

[+Marky]

In my opinion, pill bottles are micros. Sandwich-sized tuppware and decon containers are 'small'.

This is exactly the same as my "rule of thumb".

 

--Marky

[+cache_test_dummies]

Sounds like a micro to me.

 

No response of any type from the cache owners though?

[+StarBrand]

To me sandwich sized (approx 1 or 2 cups liquid measure) is small anything less is micro. Going the other way anything over 1.5qt or so is regular. Just my 2 cents. If you can't cram a TB tag and tiny object in it with a multipage logbook then it is micro.

[+cache_us_if_you_can]

I wanted to feel the waters and get others opinions...

 

There has been a bunch of caches placed locally to me, and the cachers are using medication perscription bottles as the cache containers. The listings all state the size of the container as "small".

 

The neck of the bottles are the same size (if not narrower) than a film cannister, so nothing can be traded except micro items. The acual containers can be held in the palm of your hand.

 

I keep logging them, stating in the log something like "too small for trade items, so just signed the log", or more bluntly "looked for a small, found a micro", hoping they would get the hint (it ain't happening). I've noticed many cachers listing altiods tins as 'small'. Even that seems like a stretch to me.

 

So when does a micro become a small? I always listed my caches as a 'small' if they were around the size of a sandwich-sized plastic container. Anything smaller I listed as a micro.

 

Ed

The Badge & The Butterfly

Sounds like you've found some of the same ones as me. The CB's sure has hidden a lot of them lately... just need to lable them right

 

The caches hiden by this cacher, at least the ones I've found, are definite micros. IMHO:

 

Most pill bottles, altoids tins and film canisters are micro.

 

Decon/sandwich size are small.

[+sept1c_tank]

When I visualize a micro, I see a container I could conceal in my fist.

[+Moose Mob]

Since the definition of "small" includes "can fit small trade items", then a pill bottle fits that description. Although you could use a broken pencil tip (or other extreme) as a trade item, I used the guide "if there is only room for log book", then it's a micro. Anything bigger than that is a small.

[+cache_us_if_you_can]

Since the definition of "small" includes "can fit small trade items", then a pill bottle fits that description. Although you could use a broken pencil tip (or other extreme) as a trade item, I used the guide "if there is only room for log book", then it's a micro. Anything bigger than that is a small.

A lot of pill bottles fit the "small" description, but the ones mentioned do not. The log fits, but thats about it.

[Jeremy]

Since the definition of "small" includes "can fit small trade items", then a pill bottle fits that description.

Does it? I thought it was "can fit trade items" - Assuming normal trade items don't fit in pill bottles, I disagree with you that it is "small." It is defintely a micro if it is a pill bottle.

[+briansnat]

Since the definition of "small" includes "can fit small trade items", then a pill bottle fits that description

 

I always fit trade items in my film canister caches, but I don't think the majority of poeple would consider a film canister to be anything but a micro. The pill bottle is similar.

[+Joe Smith]

I might just have to change the size of one of my caches.

 

 

ar we talking the small pill bottles (about film container size but a little longer) or the bigger ones, about the cize of two "D" batteries stacked together?

Edited February 2, 2005 by Joe Smith

[Jeremy]

Maybe we need to pick an object that never changes size and say "If you can stuff this item in the container it is a small or larger container" - like a hostess twinkie.

 

In retrospect, "stuff" isn't a good way of saying it (and I shouldn't have chosen something that is smushable. Maybe a pack of cards)

 

Ok, maybe a single Vegas approved deck of cards (before someone points out mini cards and novelty cards).

Edited February 2, 2005 by Jeremy

[+sept1c_tank]

Maybe we need to pick an object that never changes size and say "If you can stuff this item in the container it is a small or larger container" - like a hostess twinkie.

 

In retrospect, "stuff" isn't a good way of saying it (and I shouldn't have chosen something that is smushable. Maybe a pack of cards)

How about a TB dogtag?

[Jeremy]

How about a TB dogtag?

Too small.

[+sept1c_tank]

Golfball?

[+cache_us_if_you_can]

Maybe we need to pick an object that never changes size and say "If you can stuff this item in the container it is a small or larger container" - like a hostess twinkie.

 

In retrospect, "stuff" isn't a good way of saying it (and I shouldn't have chosen something that is smushable. Maybe a pack of cards)

 

Ok, maybe a single Vegas approved deck of cards (before someone points out mini cards and novelty cards).

I found this pill bottle cache and it was big enough to hold at least a standard deck of cards. Probably could have crammed a few twinkies into it too... but there are rules about no food in caches

Edited February 2, 2005 by cache_us_if_you_can

[Jeremy]

Ha. CR pointed out this article using golf balls (he's currently on self-ban). I don't read Today's Cacher so I didn't know. Decent comparison.

[+Joe Smith]

 

Ok, maybe a single Vegas approved deck of cards (before someone points out mini cards and novelty cards).

a deck of cards s a good idea, but what if a cache could technically hold a deck (as far as volume is concerned, but may be a slightly odd shape?

 

We could measure the deck of cards to find the volume and make the ruling based on how much fluid th container can hold.

 

It's a little more tricky to figure out, but it's more reliable for finding actual voume.

 

(This science class is really getting to me)

 

Joe Smith

[+briansnat]

Ha. CR pointed out this article using golf balls (he's currently on self-ban). I don't read Today's Cacher so I didn't know. Decent comparison.

Yeah, then you get the guy who tries to grind them up and fit them in a film canister, then post here saying he could fit 3 golf balls in a film canister so it must not be a micro.

 

We're over thinking this a bit. The current definitions are pretty good. If you change them, you'll always get a "But what if...".

[Jeremy]

Overthinking? Here in the forums? No way

[+seeker22]

How about the difference between a small and regular? Recently planted a tennis ball keeper cache. It can hold 3 tennis balls in size. Is it small or regular?

[+Sputnik 57]

I humbly offer up the Sputnik 57 Rule of Thumb:

 

If my thumb fits into it (or won't), it's micro

If my hand or fist fits into it, it's small

If my foot fits into it, it's regular

If my arm fits into it, it's large

If I fit into it, it's extra large

 

As Bill Murray said to Segorney Weaver, "Actually, it's more like a guideline."

Edited February 2, 2005 by Sputnik 57

[+Glenn]

You'll find the old geocachers here (Charter Members and the like) will call film canisters, altoid cans, and anything smaller MICRO. Because when they started caching those were usually the smallest thing being hid. There were smaller cache containers but they were far from common. In the past year or two it isn't all that unusual to find geocachers using items like toothpick holders and listerine pocket packs as caches. Newer geocachers, those who joined in the past year or two, see those as MICROs and a pill bottle or film conister is SMALL when compaired to the "new" MIRCOs.

[+Ed & Julie]

I think that may be the problem.

The defination of small is "holds small trade items" (paraphrasing).

Even the smallest micro will hold something. I have super small ereasers that I often leave in film canister micros...but that doesn't make them a "small".

 

Ed

 

edit: I didn't see the Today's Cacher artical on the exact same topic. Answered my question there

Today's Cacher

Edited February 3, 2005 by The Badge & the Butterfly

[+bigredmed]

Small: Can hold a travel bug ID without alteration and with log book etc. Can also hold trade items that are greater than 2.5 cm in diameter.

 

Micro: Anything too small to meet the small definition.

[+Honest John & Suzies Jule]

I have been placing 2, new AAA batteries in film canisters.

 

[+briansnat]

I have been placing 2, new AAA batteries in film canisters.

 

I place collectible coins, Wheresgeorge and foreign bills, AAA batteries, strings of colored paperclips, earrings, pins and numerous other items in film canister caches.

 

Still, there is no way I would consider them to be anything other than a micro.