GeoSnippits - Make Your Own Evil Nano Geocache

One of the really cool features about geocaching is the ability for geocachers to invent geocaches. The possibilities are almost endless and limited only to our imagination. One thing for sure is if someone creates a geocache and the design is solid others will modify it to their liking. That is the way it should be and keeps the game, sport, obsession fresh and fun.

This particular geocache is one of those adaptations. It originated from my How To Make An Evil Ant Hill Geocache video of which I made last year. Recently I received an email from Seth Jones who sent in some photos where he made a geocache based off the Ant Hill geocache and instead of using bondo he used a plastic resin. Check out the post I made about it here.

I was immediately intrigued and had to make some geocache versions for myself. This video shows how I made them and the end results. I completely expect our viewers to come up with their adaptations as well.

If the viewer above does not display, please use this link to view the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isyT6_8ogFo

As usual your comments, show suggestions, etc. are welcome. Please be sure to send in photos of your geocache ideas. They may get posted in one of our upcoming GeoSnippits videos.

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
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Twitter me at
@headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at
http://www.geosnippits.com

HHH's Nano Resin Based Geocache Hides

I want to thank Seth Jones who sent in a photograph a few weeks ago of a modified version of my bondo Evil Ant Hill geocache. You can see it here: ClickMe where you will note that instead of bondo, a resin was used to create the geocache.

Over the weekend I wanted to see if I could make a geocache that was thinner than my ant hill geocache and use something really small like a nano. Below are the steps I took to make it.

As usual I fully expect my readers to come up with a zillion versions of this and add their own twists. I say go for it but before you do check out my version. FYI - You can get resin at many craft stores near you.

I started out by taking some Styrofoam and scraping out an area that would have a very rocky or dirt clod look to it. About two and a half to three inches in diameter.

When it comes to using resin there are many different ways of making a mold including plastics, Styrofoam and plaster of paris. Try different ways and see what works best for you.

Next, make a small portion of the resin and fill just enough of the very bottom to create a base for the nano to sit upon and yet not fill up the entire mold.

Let the resin harden over night or until it is not tacky to the touch.

Set the nano on the hardened resin base and then fill to just under the lid of the nano with more resin.

Let harden again over night.

Carefully remove the hardened resin from the Styrofoam and pick as much of the mold away from the resin as you would like.

Personally I wasn't sure if I liked how it was looking at this point but the longer I played with it the more it really started looking like a rock, bark, a stone, etc.

Use your favorite combination of base spray paints and stone textured paints to colorize this geocache. I used a green and brown base with grey stone to give it a mold or bark look to it.

Note the bottom of this geocache and the nano cap is sticking out for easy access.

After playing with several different camouflage combinations of paint colors and the nice texture of the Styrofoam for the top section I was amazed how quickly I could closely duplicate a look of tree bark, moss, mold, even old asphalt.

This is a great addition to my Evil Ant Hill collection of geocaches and I hope it inspires you to make all sorts of variations for your geocaching enjoyment.

Have fun!

-HHH

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?

http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/

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Twitter me at

@headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at

http://www.geosnippits.com

HeadHardHat's EVIL Ant Hill Geocache

First and foremost I have to give credit to one of our GeoSnippits viewers TheWhiteCroe, who took me down this EVIL path by giving me the suggestion to see if a fake rock could be made out of bondo. I will be sending him an Official GeoSnippits pathtag for the suggestion.

It all came out of trying to prototype the geocache in the first place. I started out very similar to how it is described in the video. I simply made some bondo and poured it out on top of the 35mm container. I observed how quickly the bondo started to harden so I started piling it up on top of itself. Before I knew it I had that same shape you see out of the Close Encounters movie. It certainly didn't look like a rock. In fact it looked more like a dog turd but I wanted to see how the textured spray paint was going to look so I painted it anyways. After it dried I looked at it again and the light stone paint looked a lot more like sand than anything. Then it popped in my brain, "well that looks a whole lot like an ant hill..."

So after trying a couple of different stone colors I was really pleased with the results. The rest is now history and my EVIL Ant Hill made from bondo is out in the world. The video wasn't out more than a couple of minutes before the comments started pouring in. One suggestion was to use a nano instead of a 35mm container to make it even smaller. I just love how the main template of an idea comes out and people use their own ideas to make it better. All I can say is go for it.

I had a blast making this video and inventing the Ant Hill Geocache, now back to making that geocache look like a rock. Where did I put that bondo?

If the viewer above does not display click the link below to see the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZVEwrPks3g

HeadHardHat is known for making all sorts of interesting and creative geocaches.

Watch all his geocaching tutorial videos at www.geosnippits.com

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------
Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

GeoSnippits How To Make Your Own PVC Water Main Geocache

I don't know why I like making unusual geocache hosts out of PVC but I do know it is a whole lot of fun. This next example came to me while doing my normal walk through at the hardware store. I was thinking about how to make a really nice hide that would be very much waterproof.

While strolling down the plumbing area I noticed the water main shutoff and the inspiration hit me. I have not seen this particular type of geocache before and even though the cost is a bit more this time the results I think are well worth it. Below is the list of items you are going to need to make this amazing geocache. It is not the only way you can construct it. If you have better ideas of what you want to do with the initial design then go for it. You are only limited by your own imagination.

HHH's PVC Water Main Geocache

1 - 2" Water Main Valve ($13.00US)

2 - 2" Male Connectors ($2.50 US each)

2 - 2" Elbow Joints ($2.50 US each)

1 - Small Pill Holder (metal). These can be found at any pharmacy for about $5.00US

1 - Log Sheet small enough to fit in pill holder.

2 - Tent or Yard Stakes

PVC glue

Well that's about it.. Enjoy this little creation of mine and have fun watching the video. If you have any questions, comments, etc. then by all means, send me an email. headhardhat@gmail.com

If for some reason the video viewer does not show above please click the link below to go to our You Tube page.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za2JgZnjI_Q

HeadHardHat's Ingenious Cache Inventor:

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5703598081849077955

GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos

http://www.geosnippits.com

GeoSnippits Make Your Own PVC Hydrant Geocache

The latest GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Video went live on You Tube.

This episode entitled "GeoSnippits Make Your Own PVC Hydrant Geocache" is a How To tutorial which gives you step by step instructions on making your own geocache out of some PVC pipe and other knick knacks found at your local hardware store.

Also featured in this episode is the introduction to Emily the GeoPuppy who tests to make sure the hydrant geocache is up to puppy snuff.

You can see the video via YouTube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1YCbcphy7E

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

A Unique Geocache Container

Indeed the title says it all on this cool geocache container.. Check out the video created by Chris Pine:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8gd7Nr-3Rs

Making Your Own Geocache Series: Size Small

We had a lot of fun making this series and this episode will be very informative to many of new geocachers. It shows you how to choose, cammi, fill with swag and hide a small sized geocache. The tutorial gives hints on how to and how NOT to hide geocaches. Enjoy.



Here is the video via YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piG1IjEYGKU

Be sure to check out our GeoSnippits Website:
http://www.geosnippits.com

How To Make Your Own 35mm Geocache Containers Tutorial Video

I woke up this morning with about ten different ideas for what I wanted to do for my next GeoSnippits Tutorial Video. I reached over and started reading my emails via my blackberry phone. Isn't technology wonderful?

One of the first was an email from a very fine grandfather known as obxnomad a.k.a. Bob.
He mentioned how his grandson and he loved watching GeoSnippits and reading my blog. He also mentioned how it would be great if I made a tutorial on how to put together and place a geocache. It took me about half a second to think of how I would do it and what a great suggestion that it was. Needless to say thanks to Bob our latest and greatest GeoSnippits is now live on youtube.

Here it is:




I liked the idea so much that I have decided to do an entire series based on the viewpoint of putting out each size of geocache for the first time. In this video we concentrate on 35mm containers. We show how to cammi them up and some great suggestions on where to hide them in the wild. The next video will be on the small size but instead of concentrating more on the making of the geocache (which we will go over) but instead we will focus on finding good places to hide that size geocache. As we progress up through the sizes you will gain more and more information until you are a well informed geocacher.

You can look forward to the future episodes in the weeks to come. Keep checking on our GeoSnippits website at http://www.geosnippits.com, this blog or on youtube.

GeoSnippits Tutorial Video: Make Your Own GeoCache with PVC Pipe

One of my first posts on this blog was an article about how to make your own clever Geocache by using PVC pipe. I received many nice compliments about it so I decided it was time to make the tutorial into a full blown GeoSnippits video.

This two parter shows you step by step instructions on how to make a cache in a cache which looks like a water or air drainpipe.

If you want a quick list of what you will need so you can follow along, use this:

PVC Drainpipe Geocache:

1 1.5" PVC pipe (8" - 12" long works best)
1 1.5" PVC elbow joint
1 1.5" Test Cap
Epoxy or other strong glue (don't use Krazy Glue)

1 35mm film container
2 to 5 1" circular magnets
Heavy Duty Velcro

Part One:



Part Two:




Well there you are. Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and if you have any comments or suggestions, please send them along to me. You can see all my GeoSnippits tutorials by going here: http://www.youtube.com/user/headhardhat

GeoSnippits - Video Discussing Paperless Geocaching: Part 2

Here is part two of a two part series of GeoSnippits Video tutorials about Paperless Geocaching. If you wait to the very end we even added a blooper for fun. Enjoy.

You can get all of our GeoSnippits Tutorial Videos by going here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/headhardhat

GeoSnippits - Video Discussing Paperless Geocaching

Here is a really great part one of a two part video series showing you how to do Paperless Geocaching.

You can see all of our GeoSnippits Video Tutorials by going here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/headhardhat

GeoSnippits - Video Transferring Photographs From My Camera To My Computer

Here is a really interesting GeoSnippits Video showing you how to move your digital photographs from your camera to your computer via a SD Card Reader.

Latest GeoSnippits - Mystery - Puzzle Caches on YouTube

The latest in the GeoSnippits Series is on YouTube. This episode of GeoSnippits hosted by HeadHardHat gives you four caches in one. We take a road trip to find out about Mystery and Puzzle geocaches. Our first adventure takes you to two traditional caches which give you the complete coordinates to the secret mystery cache. Then on to an unusual puzzle cache indeed. Follow HeadHardHat as he gives useful information to all about the game, hobby, obsession of geocaching.If you would like to see more about Geocaching and all the GeoSnippits episodes, please go here: YouTube GeoSnippits Channel

Latest GeoSnippit Out On YouTube - Intro Regular Size Caches

The latest and greatest of the GeoSnippits series is out on you tube. Host HeadHardHat goes over the most popular of geocache sizes - Regular. Learn why this size of geocache is such a favorite and see a sneak peek into an ammo box.

Cache Inventor Updates

Greetings all - HeadHardHat here,

Email Subscription

Couple of things going on. First off we received a very nice comment about our blog from emcofnorthridge who asked if we could set up an email subscription. Not a problem, if you go to the right side column of either of our blogs and you will find an email subscription widget. Put in your email and do a quick comformation and anytime we post you will get the update. You can also visit our California friends of northridge by going to this link: http://emcofnorthridge.wordpress.com/ and thanks again for the suggestion!

Upcoming Article About Glues

Been asking around by people who know, a.k.a fellow cachers, as to what are the best adhesives we can use to make caches. For example, what is the best glue to use for connecting a magnet to a 35mm container or what do you use to connect PVC pipe to concrete. I have been getting some really interesting information of which will be shared to you when I get back from my Boston trip. If you have any comments or suggestions, please send them in.

GeoSnippits You Tube Videos Welcomed

If you go over to my "I'm Not Obsessed" blog or put headhardhat in You Tube's search field you can see my first edition of GeoSnippits which will be a series of tutorials about everything geocaching. I have received a host of nice compliments and suggestions for other videos. Even though I am not even close to running out of ideas any from you will come to the top of the list so send them in.

Well that's it for now. I should be able to get at least some posts in next week but if not I will at least send in a postcard from Boston, Mass.

See ya soon,

HeadHardHat

The Simplistic Genious of the Bison Tube

Micros, either you love them, hate them or love to hate them. They are small and usually just big enough to hold some small log sheets and that is about it. Caches in the micro size range from small bags, 35mm containers and bison tubes.

Bison tubes are very popular and can be used in a multitude of ways. They are small, water proof and designed to drive the average cacher completely out of their minds.

They come in every color of the rainbow but the most common colors are silver, black and green.

A bison tube is made of three main components:

• A small ring attached to the bison tube top
• The bison tube top itself
• The tube base which screws to the top
  

The bison tube ring is very useful for hanging the bison tube cache just about anywhere. You can find bison tubes attached to trees branches, on string, fishing line or chains. This allows the cache to be hidden in very creative places not easy to spot. Want to drive a cacher crazy? Hide a bison tube in a heavy grape vine. I get the heeby-jeeby's just thinking about it.

The bison tube top is smaller on the inside than the tube base. This is important to know because if you want to put the log book back correctly it has to fit in the top section first before you can put everything back together. - a helpful hint from HHH


If you would like to print off your own bison tube log sheets, you can go here: http://www.techblazer.com/geocaching-log-sheets for a variety of log sheet choices.


Ideas for ingenious places to hide a bison tube:

- In the top of small bendable trees

- On a chain or string in a fence post

- Any place that has many hiding areas in the search area (grape vine)

- Inside a piece of wood or log (drill hole and insert)

- Covered with pine cone components

So as you can see a bison tube can be a real bugger in the hands of a real ingenious cache hider. They can go anywhere (with permission) and are not easily spotted. For every cacher that loves these as a challenge to find there is another who can't stand looking for them. I personally love to hate them. I will cringe every time I go after one but the puzzle of the placement always keeps me glued to the find. The choice as always is up to you, have fun!