[TheGreekSeekers]

I have this idea to lock an ammo can and hide the keys a lil ways away in a film can. I figured out how to lock the can but i am gettin the idea that puttin a locked ammo can in the woods and hiding the keys is a bad idea. What do you think???

[briansnat]

Maybe try a combination lock instead of one with a key. Use some sort of puzzle to provide the combination.

[Panda Inc]

TheGreekSeekers, on Aug 3 2010, 06:04 PM, said:

I have this idea to lock an ammo can and hide the keys a lil ways away in a film can. I figured out how to lock the can but i am gettin the idea that puttin a locked ammo can in the woods and hiding the keys is a bad idea. What do you think???

Use a combination lock and make it a multi. First cache has the combination and lat/lon of the final .... or get a combo lock that you can set the numbers on and set the combination to the last 3 digits of either the latitude or longitude.
Cheers,
Panda Inc

[TheGreekSeekers]

I originally was thinking of putting a combinating letter lock on it found one at dicks for 10 bucks???
Would that work alot better

[dbrierley]

GCHVZH is a multicache with an ammo can and combination lock as the final. It seems to be working well.

[Derf69]

Panda Inc, on Aug 3 2010, 06:09 PM, said:

TheGreekSeekers, on Aug 3 2010, 06:04 PM, said:

I have this idea to lock an ammo can and hide the keys a lil ways away in a film can. I figured out how to lock the can but i am gettin the idea that puttin a locked ammo can in the woods and hiding the keys is a bad idea. What do you think???

Use a combination lock and make it a multi. First cache has the combination and lat/lon of the final .... or get a combo lock that you can set the numbers on and set the combination to the last 3 digits of either the latitude or longitude.
Cheers,
Panda Inc

Or to be truly diabolical, make the coordinates to the locked ammo box. Draw or paint on the outside of the ammo box the lat and long of a film canister that has the combination.

This post has been edited by Derf69: 04 August 2010 - 06:20 AM

[Clan Riffster]

TheGreekSeekers, on Aug 3 2010, 10:11 PM, said:

I originally was thinking of putting a combinating letter lock on it found one at dicks for 10 bucks???
Would that work alot better

I like the idea of a locking ammo can. Been perusing that through my grey matter for some time. If my thoughts ever come to fruition, I would use a lock that can stand the elements, such as one of these. Seminole County Natural Lands uses these on their gates, and they've been in place for years and still work. I've seen locks similar to what you've described at Ace Hardware. They didn't look very sturdy. Perhaps it might be OK if used in a location protected from the elements?

[Andronicus]

why is a key lock a bad idea. Sounds fun to me.

[Clan Riffster]

Andronicus, on Aug 4 2010, 12:13 AM, said:

why is a key lock a bad idea. Sounds fun to me.

I don't think it's a bad idea at all. In fact, one of my all time favorite finds involved finding two keys, hidden at two different locations within a park, then finding the 'treasure chest' containing an ammo can in the same park, unlocking it with the two keys. The reason I personally would prefer going with a combo is I feel there would always be a chance that the key would grow legs and wander off. I wouldn't know about it till I read a DNF describing the fact that the seeker couldn't open the box. Since most of my hides require a significant investment in time and energy to reach, (nipple deep in a swamp type locations), I'd feel bad if someone was thwarted by a missing key. Just my personal preference.

[briansnat]

Clan Riffster, on Aug 4 2010, 12:05 AM, said:

TheGreekSeekers, on Aug 3 2010, 10:11 PM, said:

I originally was thinking of putting a combinating letter lock on it found one at dicks for 10 bucks???
Would that work alot better

I like the idea of a locking ammo can. Been perusing that through my grey matter for some time. If my thoughts ever come to fruition, I would use a lock that can stand the elements, such as one of these. Seminole County Natural Lands uses these on their gates, and they've been in place for years and still work. I've seen locks similar to what you've described at Ace Hardware. They didn't look very sturdy. Perhaps it might be OK if used in a location protected from the elements?

I've had the same lock on my boat for 3 years. It has held up well. Needed a shot of WD40 a while ago, but it still works fine.

Quote

why is a key lock a bad idea. Sounds fun to me.

Not necessarily a bad idea. There is of course the possibility of the key going missing, or depending on how the cache is set up, it might be unavailable if someone is working on the cache and another cacher gets there.

This post has been edited by briansnat: 04 August 2010 - 12:19 AM

[WVangler]

I did one based on this one...

Creative Caches Blog

But if you google ammo can lock there is actually an aftermarket lock made for them.

[Highland Horde]

One thing to remember about the locks that you can set the code is that most of them you just need to have them unlocked to change the code which opens up the possibility of someone changing the code on your cache then even you cant get into the cache. There may be a way to make it tamper proof/resistant but I am not sure. At least with a key you can have spares if they do grow legs. The other issue I have heard of (I dont know if this is fact or supposition ) is that if people have to return keys to the first location some wont bother. I was thinking of using one of the combination locks myself but havent got it yet....

[Andronicus]

WVangler, on Aug 4 2010, 03:18 AM, said:

I did one based on this one...

Creative Caches Blog

But if you google ammo can lock there is actually an aftermarket lock made for them.

That is kind of cool. I think that would be quite easy to do yourself. I guess you would need to apply some silicon (or something) to close up the hole you would have to drill in the can.

[Castle Mischief]

Clan Riffster, on Aug 3 2010, 08:05 PM, said:

TheGreekSeekers, on Aug 3 2010, 10:11 PM, said:

I originally was thinking of putting a combinating letter lock on it found one at dicks for 10 bucks???
Would that work alot better

I like the idea of a locking ammo can. Been perusing that through my grey matter for some time. If my thoughts ever come to fruition, I would use a lock that can stand the elements, such as one of these. Seminole County Natural Lands uses these on their gates, and they've been in place for years and still work. I've seen locks similar to what you've described at Ace Hardware. They didn't look very sturdy. Perhaps it might be OK if used in a location protected from the elements?

Second that notion. We have a local TB hotel in the area that is currently on it's third lock. The first one, a letter combo, became more and more difficult to properly lock once opened due to exposure to the elements. It lasted about a year or so. The second one worked on a two axis "joystick" combo. It made it a few months. I haven't seen the current model, but I'm told that it's a much sturdier build, made for use in an "aways outside" environment.

[the family bu]

we had a series out there that the bonus cache was a locked ammo can. In some of the other caches there were numbers that people had to collect (the caches had to be done in a paticular order). The numbers were a combination for a key safe that was screwed to the back of the ammo can. Cachers then had to open the combi lock to get out the key (which was welded to a chain) to open the ammo can. Worked really well until some of the caches got muggled and we forgot what clues we had put in what caches - so we archived the series, but we are going to put the ammo can out again with a similar idea. I just love locked ammo cans - means people have to put in a little bit more time getting the keys or combo. All I can say is if you hide the keys nearbu you will have to rely on people putting them back ready for the next person.

This post has been edited by the family bu: 04 August 2010 - 12:15 PM

[dbrierley]

GC1JKXV is a key-locked ammo can and the 2 keys are travelbugs: TB29KPG and TB29KPF. The owner has requested that the keys stay within a specific geographic area near the cache.

[StrivingforCamelot]

I have seen three locked ammo cans now, from the same owner, and they are all combination locks. Usually Multis with info gathering and puzzle solving. The advantages of the combination lock are that there are no keys to lose, and it keeps maintenance down. GC1ATX0

This post has been edited by StrivingforCamelot: 04 August 2010 - 06:23 PM

[Cachercats2]

As a new member I would add just one caution. Be careful putting a locked ammo can in an urban public area or anywhere with a lot of foot traffic. As a former member of a bomb squad I can assure you that such an item will get the squad called out. If you do place such a cache be sure that it is clearly marked and has a phone number so that the police can call you to check out the item. Even with all of that I almost guarantee that the cache will be "explosively" opened!!

Oh, by the way, I’m really enjoying geocaching!!

This post has been edited by Leftyvette: 04 August 2010 - 07:28 PM

[Zander87]

I think thats a really good idea ,but make sure the key isn't to far away

[JesandTodd]

I did a locked cache that was a large book exchange. The key was in a magnetic key holder and attached to the cache. So you still had to search for the key, but muggles wouldn't just happen upon the key. Anyway it was a strange huge metal container out in the middle of the desert so kinda muggle-free.

I always love locked caches though!

This post has been edited by JesandTodd: 04 August 2010 - 09:40 PM

[ipodguy]

I have two locked ammo can caches:
Locke Up and in Trouble - multi with a combo lock

Yes, Master! - the key is a Travel Bug

Read some of the logs on these caches - they have been very well received.

To install a lock on an ammo can, I bring the lid of the can in with me to the hardware store and look at padlock hasps. 50cals have a smaller hole on the locking hasp than 30 cals. I simply find a hasp with a loop that will fit through the hole on the ammo can's locking hasp. I pop-rivet the hasps on to the can and waterproof with JB-Weld. That's it.

[scmp]

We did one a few weeks ago and it was great fun!!!
There were 3 keys hidden in trees in camo bags and only one would fit the lock! needless to say we had to find all three of them before we got the right one lol


GC20Q0B

[dwlover]

Derf69, on Aug 3 2010, 07:20 PM, said:

Panda Inc, on Aug 3 2010, 06:09 PM, said:

TheGreekSeekers, on Aug 3 2010, 06:04 PM, said:

I have this idea to lock an ammo can and hide the keys a lil ways away in a film can. I figured out how to lock the can but i am gettin the idea that puttin a locked ammo can in the woods and hiding the keys is a bad idea. What do you think???

Use a combination lock and make it a multi. First cache has the combination and lat/lon of the final .... or get a combo lock that you can set the numbers on and set the combination to the last 3 digits of either the latitude or longitude.
Cheers,
Panda Inc

Or to be truly diabolical, make the coordinates to the locked ammo box. Draw or paint on the outside of the ammo box the lat and long of a film canister that has the combination.

And to be truly diabloical, someone will destroy the ammo box or take the lock home with them. I havent done a lot of caches but if i get to one expecting to be able to log it and i see a note saying sorry you got more work to do then i can tell you that something about that is going to change.

[JesandTodd]

dwlover, on Aug 15 2010, 02:07 PM, said:

And to be truly diabloical, someone will destroy the ammo box or take the lock home with them. I havent done a lot of caches but if i get to one expecting to be able to log it and i see a note saying sorry you got more work to do then i can tell you that something about that is going to change.

??? What? That's the whole point of a multi. If you don't like extra steps then just skip them! I can't imaging anybody destroying an ammo box because they don't want to search one more step.... That makes absolutely no sense!

[WinnieThePoohNL]

I've seen a number of locked caches, also all combination locks where the combi was found in the multi answers or in other caches in the series. While the caches where ammo boxes, the locks where not on the ammo box itself but on the box that contained it which where fixed to the environment somehow, one was dug in the ground, the lock on the lid on top, one was in a big bird house, and one was in a big mailbox. That way any muggles that don't know the combination can't take it home to break the lock open. And I found it adds a little extra to find them that way. I loved finding these caches, though I sometimes forget to put the combination back to something like 000, once I remembered when i got home i forgot to change the combination, went back (40 min drive and 10 min walk) the next day to put the lock on properly. But that's just me

[redsox_mark]

The only locked ammo box I've found was locked using a chain and combination padlock. The combination was in a stage of the multi-cache. The only tricky thing was for the chain to work it needed to be installed in a specific way. The cache owner provided clear instructions however on how to lock it up.

The other day I found a locked box with a word lock on it, needed to solve a puzzle to get the word. The locked box was not waterproof; but inside of it was a lock and lock box for the cache.

[dwlover]

i didnt know what multi was. i looked it up and that would be ok. as long as i know im supposed to find more than just the locked ammo can that could be fun. i would just get frustrated if someone sent me to a cache and i found it locked not expecting it.