So, my first intro to caches were some by bluelens, made of PVC pipe. I had a look at bunnings...and just walked away wondering what the hell i need....
So, tell me...what the hell do i need? Do i buy a great length of tube and have to cut it down? What end bits do i need to get? How much all up should each cache cost to make?
PVC Caches...how to make?
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rogainer
- 500 or more caches logged
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Yes, buy a length of PVC pipe (3m I think is the shortest) - either 90mm or 100mm would be better. (Or visit a building site at night 
)
One end cap, one inspection opening (with screw cap fitting) and some solvent (small pot of blue stuff).
Cut the pipe to your desired length, use the solvent to fit the end bits and thats it.
Cost will be around $20 to start with, but you will have some pipe and solvent left over for the next one.
Some people use a TEE piece as the cache, but I find those a bit awkward to get things in and out of.
)One end cap, one inspection opening (with screw cap fitting) and some solvent (small pot of blue stuff).
Cut the pipe to your desired length, use the solvent to fit the end bits and thats it.
Cost will be around $20 to start with, but you will have some pipe and solvent left over for the next one.
Some people use a TEE piece as the cache, but I find those a bit awkward to get things in and out of.
Spot on, in all respects. Bunnings too!rogainer wrote:Yes, buy a length of PVC pipe (3m I think is the shortest) - either 90mm or 100mm would be better. (Or visit a building site at night
One end cap, one inspection opening (with screw cap fitting) and some solvent (small pot of blue stuff).
Cut the pipe to your desired length, use the solvent to fit the end bits and thats it.
Cost will be around $20 to start with, but you will have some pipe and solvent left over for the next one.
Some people use a TEE piece as the cache, but I find those a bit awkward to get things in and out of.
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unbreakables
- 1 or more caches found
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- Joined: 03 February 06 9:55 am
- Location: Bathurst
Sometimes local plumbing supplier's are quiet a bit cheaper than Bunnings,
With regards to the blue glue some is now green, you will need a pot of pink primer, wipe the primer on with a rag then add the glue, it will seal a lot better, watch out if you have a cut on your finger though!!!
When you cut your pipe run a file around the edge of of the cut to remove the ruff straggly bits,
do the primer thing,, then the glue, when you push it together twist it a little, this will give you a good seal!!!
My 2 bobs .....
With regards to the blue glue some is now green, you will need a pot of pink primer, wipe the primer on with a rag then add the glue, it will seal a lot better, watch out if you have a cut on your finger though!!!
When you cut your pipe run a file around the edge of of the cut to remove the ruff straggly bits,
do the primer thing,, then the glue, when you push it together twist it a little, this will give you a good seal!!!
My 2 bobs .....
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caughtatwork
- Posts: 17017
- Joined: 17 May 04 12:11 pm
- Location: Melbourne
- Contact:
100mm plastic pipe 2.5m long.
1 end cap.
1 sleeve.
1 screw on cap (with inner sealing ring).
Blue or green plastic gluey stuff.
Paint on the gluey stuff on both the outside end of the plastic pipe and the inside of the end cap.
Sniff. Hmmmmmmmmm.
Push together, hard, twist once, leave to set.
Paint on the gluey stuff on both the outside end of the plastic pipe and the inside of the sleeve.
Sniff. Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!.
Push together, hard, twist once, leave to set.
Decorate to suit.
I used a grey spray primer from Bunnings to cover the plastic and give it a bit of tooth.
The using a mission brown and black spray cans, one in each hand, press the nozzle, cross the streams, wave backwards and forwards in random patterns. After the glue sniffing, it's easy peasy.
Find a fallen tree, hide underneath. Instant (well, almost) large, 20l cache.
Total cost, probably around $40 to $50 (not including about $60 worth of trade items).
1 end cap.
1 sleeve.
1 screw on cap (with inner sealing ring).
Blue or green plastic gluey stuff.
Paint on the gluey stuff on both the outside end of the plastic pipe and the inside of the end cap.
Sniff. Hmmmmmmmmm.
Push together, hard, twist once, leave to set.
Paint on the gluey stuff on both the outside end of the plastic pipe and the inside of the sleeve.
Sniff. Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!.
Push together, hard, twist once, leave to set.
Decorate to suit.
I used a grey spray primer from Bunnings to cover the plastic and give it a bit of tooth.
The using a mission brown and black spray cans, one in each hand, press the nozzle, cross the streams, wave backwards and forwards in random patterns. After the glue sniffing, it's easy peasy.
Find a fallen tree, hide underneath. Instant (well, almost) large, 20l cache.
Total cost, probably around $40 to $50 (not including about $60 worth of trade items).
Doesnt sound too hard..hubby said he would do it for me. Though, I'm wondering whether i will even end up doing it. Locally, i can't think of anywhere to put one where there arent allready one or more hidden. We go away several times a year to different campsites that i think should have one, but I am unlikely to be able to service on demand, so i probably shouldnt place them. Sigh.
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CraigRat
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Dik:
- 500 or more caches logged
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Some things you need to know about PVC:
There are 4 commonly used pipe types:
Stormwater :- commonly 70mm & 90mm, cheap pipe & fittings, thin walled, poor quality plastic, relatively easily damaged. There is a variety of quality in the pipe, look at the wall thickness. Mottled colour usually indicates very poor quality with too much regrind, that's what is usually "on special" at the local hardware store.
DVW :- drain, vent & waste pipe, heavier duty than stormwater. Sizes 32mm to 375mm.
Sewer Pipe - bigger sizes than DVW
Pressure Pipe :- is graded according to the pressure it withstands. Class 4.5 isn't much better tham stormwater, Class 12 is pretty tough to handle up to 1200 KPa. Most fittings are Class 18. Sizes 15mm to pretty huge, but it gets very expensive as sizes go up.
Pipe and fittings are not usually interchangable between the types, although you can get stormwater to DVW adapters, and DVW connects to sewer. This is deliberate so that sewer doesn't get connected to pressure pipe (YUK).
PVC pipe is UV sensitive. It turns purple and becomes brittle with UV exposure. It is easily protected from UV with a coat of paint. Wipe the surface with jointing primer or sandpaper before painting, but not too much as the primer can weaken the plastic.
Information on jointing from:
http://www.iplex.com.au/iplex/products/ ... ssemb.shtm
Personally my preference is for some good quality 90mm stormwater pipe, a 300mm offcut from a rubbish skip is ideal, an end cap glued one end, a threaded adapter glued the other and a threaded inspection cover with rubber seal to close it off, and a painted camo finish.
There are 4 commonly used pipe types:
Stormwater :- commonly 70mm & 90mm, cheap pipe & fittings, thin walled, poor quality plastic, relatively easily damaged. There is a variety of quality in the pipe, look at the wall thickness. Mottled colour usually indicates very poor quality with too much regrind, that's what is usually "on special" at the local hardware store.
DVW :- drain, vent & waste pipe, heavier duty than stormwater. Sizes 32mm to 375mm.
Sewer Pipe - bigger sizes than DVW
Pressure Pipe :- is graded according to the pressure it withstands. Class 4.5 isn't much better tham stormwater, Class 12 is pretty tough to handle up to 1200 KPa. Most fittings are Class 18. Sizes 15mm to pretty huge, but it gets very expensive as sizes go up.
Pipe and fittings are not usually interchangable between the types, although you can get stormwater to DVW adapters, and DVW connects to sewer. This is deliberate so that sewer doesn't get connected to pressure pipe (YUK).
PVC pipe is UV sensitive. It turns purple and becomes brittle with UV exposure. It is easily protected from UV with a coat of paint. Wipe the surface with jointing primer or sandpaper before painting, but not too much as the primer can weaken the plastic.
Information on jointing from:
http://www.iplex.com.au/iplex/products/ ... ssemb.shtm
Personally my preference is for some good quality 90mm stormwater pipe, a 300mm offcut from a rubbish skip is ideal, an end cap glued one end, a threaded adapter glued the other and a threaded inspection cover with rubber seal to close it off, and a painted camo finish.
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Bundyrumandcoke
- 5000 or more caches found
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I have a few PVC pipe caches out there. The Great PVC Challenge, http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... ccc063d3e2 The Lesser PVC Challenge, http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 6ca3981a56 and CARORICA, http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... c9118e1370 are just 3. I have found the 100mm pipe better, simply because the screw caps have an O ring in them that seals the lid. I havent seen a 90mm cap with one. The trouble is, that makes them more expensive.
Its also possible to get PVC tube down to 16mm, great for those intermediate waypoints. Just use plastic chair tips for end caps.
And dont forget black plastic irrigation poly. The 25mm in ground lawn sprinkler risers come in various lengths, with threads at both ends. And the screw on caps come with a rubber washer pre installed. The seal perfectly, totally waterproof, as they are designed to keep water in. These are great for those long holes in dark places. No camo needed, and they dont biodegrade. I have a couple of these out as well, unfortunately no links for these, it may give the game away.
Cheers
Bundy
Its also possible to get PVC tube down to 16mm, great for those intermediate waypoints. Just use plastic chair tips for end caps.
And dont forget black plastic irrigation poly. The 25mm in ground lawn sprinkler risers come in various lengths, with threads at both ends. And the screw on caps come with a rubber washer pre installed. The seal perfectly, totally waterproof, as they are designed to keep water in. These are great for those long holes in dark places. No camo needed, and they dont biodegrade. I have a couple of these out as well, unfortunately no links for these, it may give the game away.
Cheers
Bundy