Geocache Containers

[+miles58]

Does anybody know of any junk that could be used as an actual geocache container with little or no improvements or modifications?

 

So far the only junk I can find is an old 55 gallon drum.

 

Any suggestions or ideas would be helpful. I need a cache container that will blend in with an abandoned structure and/or an abandoned bridge.

Nothing says junk much better than a used paint can or five gallon bucket that originally held paint or asphalt seal coating Comes with it's own camo dribbled down the side if you're lucky.

[+Alice Band]

(3) Plastic breath mint containers -- about the size of a postage stamp. A devil to find even when hidden partially exposed. Not 100% watertight so you need to make a log sheet out of write in rain paper or create a mini plastic bag from the corner of a sandwich bag.

I found one of these the other day. It was hidden inside a sheltered supermarket trolly store [you find in the car park] and stuck up high out of reach from the usual Muggles with magnets. Its been there for a while and has as yet never got damp or wet.

 

Without sounding too gross, you can always use a [new unused!] urine sample container as they are by their very nature airtight and waterproof. I can buy them cheaply from my local chemist or persuade my Doctor or nurse to give me a free one. Remove the label, leave them clear or paint them up. Most of them are the diameter of a 35mm film canister, but usually longer, leaving room for a small pencil and perhaps some micro cache items like marbles etc.

 

Nothing says junk much better than a used paint can or five gallon bucket that originally held paint or asphalt seal coating Comes with it's own camo dribbled down the side if you're lucky.

I think Miles58's idea would be the best for the bridge - how many people would want to pick up and look inside an old paint can, and it would be less likely to be removed by environmentalists than an oil barrel

Edited July 19, 2005 by Lady Fairfax

[+Robespierre]

I really thought a $2.79 ammo box was the ideal container for durability, color, easy of operation, watertightness, etc. But now some people say they look dangerous, at least to city people. I took a couple of my wooden boxes to GeoBash and a few people looked them over, but mostly they didn't attract much attention - - which is how they perform in the woods also. I have used 3/4 pine, but these new ones are 1/8" underlayment (for floors). We happened to have a sheet because of one little project. Now you're talking a 4x8 sheet for about $10.

 

I paint 'em darker colors, low gloss, camoflage style and use a varnish which doesn't shine. They have a slide-out door with a pin to hold them closed. I usually make the wood squares 7" and I cut down old lumber to 1/4" x 1/4" strips to glue along the edges where two pieces join. I have one that's made of aged barn siding and is quite large -it's been out there 2 years holding a big tupperware safely and dryly. I put coffee cans and such in the smaller ones. I suppose apartment dwellers and newly weds don't have years of supplies around, but I have old stuff. At the dollar store I can usually get flat black spray paint. I don't suppose I have $2 in any one of them.

Edited July 19, 2005 by Robespierre

[+Greymane]

Where on earth would you hide a 55 gallon drum?  Cool idea though

 

Sherrye

You could always try hiding it here - might be tough to find.....

 

This really isn't so bad. It is just out of the picture to the left. It is the camo one with the Geocaching stickers all over it.

[+murfster]

I took a couple of my wooden boxes to GeoBash and a few people looked them over, but mostly they didn't attract much attention - - which is how they perform in the woods also. I have used 3/4 pine, but these new ones are 1/8" underlayment (for floors).

I paint 'em darker colors, low gloss, camoflage style and use a varnish which doesn't shine. They have a slide-out door with a pin to hold them closed. I usually make the wood squares 7" and I cut down old lumber to 1/4" x 1/4" strips to glue along the edges where two pieces join. I have one that's made of aged barn siding and is quite large -it's been out there 2 years holding a big tupperware safely and dryly. I put coffee cans and such in the smaller ones.

Got any pictures to post?? That would be great.

 

Murfster

[+slapshot52]

My suggestion is coffee cans. After a while they start getting rusty and they would start blending with the rest of the crap surrounding it.

What about the new plastic coffee cans? The Folgers decaf even comes in a green can.

[+TeamAO]

A stainless steel water-tight can would work well. It won't rust over time and cause holes in the surface, you can paint them fairly well and the paint will hold. If the lid is water-tight water damage is very unlikely. These are more expensive than ammo boxes though, but ammo boxes will rust over time too.

[+sbell111]

My suggestion is coffee cans. After a while they start getting rusty and they would start blending with the rest of the crap surrounding it.

What about the new plastic coffee cans? The Folgers decaf even comes in a green can.

There are two problems with coffee cans, both old and new. First, they are not water-tight. Second, nearly every cache I've found which used one of these had a chewed up lid. The animals dig them.

[+copper_toad]

I can't resist picking over junk yards(I am a trash picker and I am proud of it!). If I come across a 55 gallon drum in a junk pile, I am likely to take it! We use them as burn barrels, so when we find them, we snag them. Of course if it actually was a geocache, I would leave it alone, but muggles might not care. I would try to find a container that looks like it is no longer useful if you want a container that is in plain sight. I wouldn't want an old coffee can or a crusty paint can, or even a washing machine(if you wanted a cache that big!).

[+sbell111]

Perhaps you can find an item that looks naturally-occuring, rather than one that looks like litter.

[+hukilaulau]

I seem to find 5 gallon plastic buckets everywhere. Home depot sells lids for $1.99

A little spray paint can make them look pretty unattractive. I've only used one so far but it's working well. It's full of softballs and baseballs I found in the woods around an athletic complex.

[+TeamZebra]

We found a couple "recycled" caches in Wyoming a while back. One was a Nesquik container (the rectangular yellow ones) covered in electrical tape with magnets in the tape. It was sticking to the bottom of a small bridge. Another, and quite a tricky cache to find, was also covered in tape and magnetized... it was one of the little tubes that you buy pencil lead in. It had been placed inside a metal fence rail.... completely out of sight. I got frustrated and started running my fingers all over the fence... felt something move a little. Bingo! VERY Sneaky.

 

I'm not sure where they are getting them, but a few caches around here have been placed in some plastic screw top hars and seem to be working quite well. I purchased a 6.8 cup Lock N Lock container today for my first cache. Got the camo duck tape all ready to go.

 

Pretty sad I work at Rubbermaid and can get Rubbermaid stuff fairly cheap and ended up buying a container at Wally World. I liked the rubber seal on this thing though.

 

I had an idea while wandering around though. Could someone take something like rubber cement or electrical tape and create a watertight seal on a plastic container?? Wally world has some very cheap shoebox sized storage boxes, but the lids are not waterproof. It might not be much of an issue if the container remains upright and the log book and sensitive items are ziploc'ed... but would it help to make a gasket of sorts around the lip of the container with electrical tape?? Just a thought... didn't know if anybody had already tried this or not.

 

How big do they make those lock n locks'?? There was supposed to be a 7.something cup one, but they didnt have any. THey were $2.87 ... 3 different sizes and all the same price.

[+Ice_man]

http://us.locknlock.com/main.asp

 

They have all the size info you'll ever need. Finding them in stores is the tough part.

[+wandererrob]

Perhaps you can find an item that looks naturally-occuring, rather than one that looks like litter.

I saw a hollowed out pice of Birch at a flea market this past weekend that gave me some evil thoughts.

 

A log laying out in the woods is free. Got a router? Or maybe a Dremel for a smaller one? Pop a cheap container inside it, and it's weather-proofed, not to mention a nightmare to find.

[KBoyKool]

Perhaps you can find an item that looks naturally-occuring, rather than one that looks like litter.

I saw a hollowed out pice of Birch at a flea market this past weekend that gave me some evil thoughts.

 

A log laying out in the woods is free. Got a router? Or maybe a Dremel for a smaller one? Pop a cheap container inside it, and it's weather-proofed, not to mention a nightmare to find.

Shhh... my dad is working one these types up for me. I don't want everyone stealing my idea. ;+) No doubt it has been used before, so it's not really my idea, but I do think my idea has a twist that will be unique. I'm going to save this for the encrypted hint, though. Great minds think alike--congratulations!

[KBoyKool]

I had an idea while wandering around though. Could someone take something like rubber cement or electrical tape and create a watertight seal on a plastic container?? Wally world has some very cheap shoebox sized storage boxes, but the lids are not waterproof. It might not be much of an issue if the container remains upright and the log book and sensitive items are ziploc'ed... but would it help to make a gasket of sorts around the lip of the container with electrical tape?? Just a thought... didn't know if anybody had already tried this or not.

I suggest you try a piece of old innertube or similar sheet rubber product to make gaskets. I haven't tried this specifically for geocache containers, but I know my dad has found this successful for other gasketing uses.

 

Hope that helps!

[+sbell111]

I seriously doubt that you will be able to fashion a gasket that will keep a rubbermade-type container dry.

[+BigWhiteTruck]

I'm asking this question for 2 reasons:

 

First, I'm on a budget (obviously).

 

Second, the location is an abandoned highway bridge that has been closed for 30+ years. I want something large that would make the trip to the middle of the bridge worthwhile. I thought a 55 gallon drum would do the trick as nobody would suspect that it was in fact a geocache container.

 

The only issue is making it stand up to the elements. I like the traditional 35 mm film idea but they've been getting lots of complaints lately because people don't like micros.

 

I just thought I'd make a big ole container for fun.

I like your drum idea.

 

Go for it!

[Artista]

I made a "Out in the open" cache out of an electical box cover. The kind with no holes, save the screw holes. I cut off the screws, and glued them to the cover. I then Glued 4 small dime sized magnets to the inside of the cover. I glued the rubbery insulation on the back, with the center cut out. After all that was dry, I camo'd the face to match the area (rust in this case) and glued a very small zip lock bag (holding the papaer log) to the back. When I placed the cache, it was nearly invisible - even tho it was out in the open.

[kimmyroo]

I found lots of neat stuff cheap here,

http://www.sciplus.com/

I haven't placed any yet though, but soon.

[+TeamZebra]

Perhaps you can find an item that looks naturally-occuring, rather than one that looks like litter.

I saw a hollowed out pice of Birch at a flea market this past weekend that gave me some evil thoughts.

 

A log laying out in the woods is free. Got a router? Or maybe a Dremel for a smaller one? Pop a cheap container inside it, and it's weather-proofed, not to mention a nightmare to find.

Shhh... my dad is working one these types up for me. I don't want everyone stealing my idea. ;+) No doubt it has been used before, so it's not really my idea, but I do think my idea has a twist that will be unique. I'm going to save this for the encrypted hint, though. Great minds think alike--congratulations!

Yes, you are correct, it has been used before. Wood Cache by Team Bert This one actually had a top on it which kind of gave it away because the top was a different color wood?? But it is a log about 8 inches long with a film canister stuck in the end of it. The cap is all that sticks out... then the "cap" of the container itself is a round piece of wood the same diameter as the log that was attached (loosely) with a screw. The screw was long enough to let the top swing around for access to the cache itself. By the time I found it, the wooden top had come loose and was lying next to the log.

 

I thought the hint on this was really cute.

[+TeamZebra]

I seriously doubt that you will be able to fashion a gasket that will keep a rubbermade-type container dry.

I guess I'm just going to have to start hounding the Powers That Be at Rubbermaid and get them to start cranking out more waterproof containers. With the exception of the coolers I can't really think of anything they make that would have a seal. Yeah, I guess the Servin Savers would be OK... well... some of them. There's the ones with the blue rubbery stuff around the lid... then there's the new Servin Savers Plus line that SAYS it's waterproof, weatherproof..etc. THey're selling for someting like $6 a PIECE at Wal-Mart though. I'm gonna pop into the company store today and see if they have any in there I can pick up for a buck or two. Heh, if they turn out to be a good cache container, maybe I should set up a mail-order service for purchases I can make out of the company store. Oh.. did I mention I work for "a division of Newell Rubbermaid"?

[PercyKittenz]

I was thinking about this earlier and it seems like the perfect place to suggest it. I just recovered from oral surgery and have a few empty perscription containers left over. The clear orange plastic kind with the "child-proof" lid. They are designed to be kept sterile, so should hold up against weather and the clear plastic won't alarm any nervous authorities who find them in suspicious places. The only thing I'd do before using them is to wash them out with hot water just to minimize the already slight chance of any kind of allergic reaction someone may have from contact with the medicine that used to be in them. I've never seen anyone use these for a microcache, but it seems like a good idea to me.

[+TeamZebra]

I was thinking about this earlier and it seems like the perfect place to suggest it. I just recovered from oral surgery and have a few empty perscription containers left over. The clear orange plastic kind with the "child-proof" lid. They are designed to be kept sterile, so should hold up against weather and the clear plastic won't alarm any nervous authorities who find them in suspicious places. The only thing I'd do before using them is to wash them out with hot water just to minimize the already slight chance of any kind of allergic reaction someone may have from contact with the medicine that used to be in them. I've never seen anyone use these for a microcache, but it seems like a good idea to me.

Oh... where was that... uhhh.... Darn! Can't remember where it was, but I found one in a medicine bottle once. It had been camo'ed actually... with camo tape. It had the regular screw on lid though... not a press and turn type. Seemed to be holding up fine.

 

For what it's worth.. I made a trip to the company store today and picked up one of the "new" Rubbermaid Servin Saver Plus containers. Plan on testing it thoroughly. It's a 4.0L size (roughly shoe-box sized)... paid $1.15 for it. The lids on this new version are different from the old ones and seem sturdier. It claims to be waterproof, freezer safe, weatherproof and dishwasher safe. Or something like that. All I know is there's a symbol showing a container floating in water. We'll see. I haven't priced this size in stores, but I think I did pretty good on the cost.

[+murfster]

I got a bunch of nice containers free from a drug store, they had cream in them and I just washed them out. Ask at your local store.

 

Murfster

[+maggieszoo]

If you have a lot of room, the big buckets that cat litter come in are waterproof and HUGE!

[+geognerd]

I found lots of neat stuff cheap here,

http://www.sciplus.com/

I haven't placed any yet though, but soon.

I bought from their retail store in Geneva IL. One of the $0.39 cent containers I bought (and it was the most expensive one I bought) from them got muggled, so I'm not out much financially. It felt great to walk out with a half-dozen cache containers for less than $2.00.

[+geognerd]

Anybody try using a Lay's Stax potato chip container? I've got a few lying around that I thought might be good to use for a geocache. My only concern would be the lid, which actually seems to fit tightly, so it may not be an issue. And perhaps any lingering chip smell.

[+2ofHis]

I want something large that would make the trip to the middle of the bridge worthwhile. I thought a 55 gallon drum would do the trick as nobody would suspect that it was in fact a geocache container.

Yeah, that's a great idea! And as a FTF prize, you could put in.... Jimmy Hoffa!

[+Prfctly Mad]

I was thinking about this earlier and it seems like the perfect place to suggest it. I just recovered from oral surgery and have a few empty perscription containers left over. The clear orange plastic kind with the "child-proof" lid. They are designed to be kept sterile, so should hold up against weather and the clear plastic won't alarm any nervous authorities who find them in suspicious places. The only thing I'd do before using them is to wash them out with hot water just to minimize the already slight chance of any kind of allergic reaction someone may have from contact with the medicine that used to be in them. I've never seen anyone use these for a microcache, but it seems like a good idea to me.

I actually use a number of these for Micro's. They do get wet inside......Don't know how but I still have to Waterproof the logs

[+CarlfromOH]

I'll bet if you went to garage sales or thrift shops you could find various sizes of "thermos"-type containers. Unless damaged, they should be watertight.