ammo boxes....
bog_baby
2012-02-18 18:52:38
I started a thread a while back about the best container to use for a letterbox. I came to the conclusion from the posts that plastic lock boxes were best although I'm not very keen on them as they so easily look like/turn into litter.
Since then we've started geocaching as we live too far from Dartmoor to letterbox easily. We have found 2 geocaches in ammo boxes and they are sooo cool to find :D One had a large sticker on it clearly identifying it as an official geocache.
Now I know there is an issue with ammo boxes on Dartmoor buuuuut I'm sure Nik or someone suggested they may be acceptable if they were sprayed a different colour? What do people think? If so what colour would be best to spray it? Black? Silver? Brown? Grey? Bright purple lol....
I think we might put it out as a letterbox/geocache hybrid (allows us to find out it's condition/if it's missing from people logging it on the geocache website). I thought we might put the geocache sticker on one side of it, to further identify it as not being military but is there a letterbox sticker for identification? or even one that just says I love letterboxing or something similar? In fact is there any kind of website selling letterboxing related stuff?
So what do you think ammo boxes 'restyled', great fun or a big no no? Don't want to be accused of tempting small children to pick up dangerous stuff......
Dartymoor
2012-02-19 17:13:06
It's a tough call - there are plenty of ammo boxes out there, both letterbox and cache - and they do a great job. But the CoC does say quite clearly;
ยท Metal containers, such as ammunition boxes, are not used as letterboxes. This is at the request of the Ministry of Defence, because metal containers may become confused with potentially dangerous military debris.
Because of that, and because it is a reasonable reason (training people to be less suspicious of military hardware across the moor, live firing zone or no), I would stay clear myself.
Clip and lock boxes are pretty good at keeping the weather out. Anything with a seal ring. Sandwich boxes don't do so good unless otherwise sheltered, or pill boxes - but not so much room in them.
Have to be VERY carefull about any metal container on north dartmoor, there IS military debris on the moor, lots of it and some of it is dangerous.
Sowerby Streaker
2012-02-19 20:19:24
In the early days of letterboxing, most boxes were in those ammo cans because nothing else was available. The containers had to be big enough for the stamp and a large book - even the books are smaller now. Then sadly there was the incident on Great Mis where a young girl got seriously injured (not sure if she got killed) when she picked up an ammo can thinking it was a letterbox but it contained live ammo and subsequently blew up. Since then the DNP and the military have frowned/banned ammo cans from the moors. However there are a few left but fortunately on the south moor away from the firing ranges. Now of course there are a variety of containers available from pill pots to the clip lock plastic containers. I recently found a box which had been put in a pink Vanish powder container!!!!
Gemma
2012-02-20 13:50:30
Since then we've started geocaching as we live too far from Dartmoor to letterbox easily. We have found 2 geocaches in ammo boxes and they are sooo cool to find :D One had a large sticker on it clearly identifying it as an official geocache.
Now I know there is an issue with ammo boxes on Dartmoor buuuuut I'm sure Nik or someone suggested they may be acceptable if they were sprayed a different colour? What do people think? If so what colour would be best to spray it? Black? Silver? Brown? Grey? Bright purple lol....
I think we might put it out as a letterbox/geocache hybrid (allows us to find out it's condition/if it's missing from people logging it on the geocache website). I thought we might put the geocache sticker on one side of it, to further identify it as not being military but is there a letterbox sticker for identification? or even one that just says I love letterboxing or something similar? In fact is there any kind of website selling letterboxing related stuff?
So what do you think ammo boxes 'restyled', great fun or a big no no? Don't want to be accused of tempting small children to pick up dangerous stuff......
But they are no more water proof than the plastic container.
Dartymoor
2012-02-21 07:22:11
But they are no more water proof than the plastic container.
But they don't get brittle with age or break when stepped on or rocks are piled on top!
Nik - KOTM
2012-02-21 07:35:35
I did say the unadorned ammo box is not acceptable, but to paint one a bright colour is more acceptable. As for the girl who was inured by a mortar bomb I believe she lost a leg, sadly.
I always thought the double packaged pill pot was by far and away the best container for boxes, but sadly, these boxes are subject to the heavy handed boxer dropping rocks onto the pots when rehiding them after finishing with them.
Lock and lock type boxes are excellent, but also suffer the same fate as the pill pots, and they can be expensive! However the plastic container inside a bang box is the best of all...
bog_baby
2012-02-22 13:57:40
Hmmmm thanks for the replies, they were much more against the idea than I expected but for a good reason. I guess I may have to find somewhere else to put out an ammo box and stick to clip locks on the moors. I must admit we haven't even been into the military zone, and that may be just as well with a curious 5 and 7 year old....
MagicHarry
2012-02-22 21:04:10
Bog_Baby - you make so much sense and I'm so glad to see your comments................ Ammo boxes or similar, painted bright Yellow or something and clearly labeled "LetterBox" or indeed "GeoCache" makes a lot of sense - especially on South Moor.... I've found soom Ammo Geo Caches on the moors and to be honest is much more an exciting find than the old style pill boxes and plastic "rubbish" containers. Also, people respect the "Ammo" boxes much more and the contents are clean, dry and quite often much more interesting......
Gemma
2012-02-22 22:24:49
But they are no more water proof than the plastic container.
But they don't get brittle with age or break when stepped on or rocks are piled on top!
But they do rust, they are often hard to open, the "lock" often breaks & I have seen them crushed under rockoflarge. Metal Ammo Boxes are discouraged by DPA & a few years ago the DPA were femoving them.
bog_baby
2012-02-23 11:57:14
I'm still on the search for an interesting alternative to plastic boxes......
MagicHarry
2012-02-23 12:36:27
I'm with you all the way Bog_baby......
Dartymoor
2012-02-23 19:20:26
Wood? Not the best, as it tends to swell/crack and wooden boxes just aren't very waterproof, but a wooden box with a plastic waterproof inner would be "interesting".
But with a ban on metal containers, and glass being a really really bad choice (fires, cuts to people and animals) - plastic is the only waterproof alternative I can think of. Can't think of a letterbox I've found that isn't ammo can, metal tin or plastic.
Brinnie
2012-02-29 17:53:10
You may be interested to know that the DNPA has not banned ammo cans from Dm for geocaches. See the guidelines
http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/geocaching
A friend asked an official about this, their answer was that they wanted to keep to the worldwide guidelines.
So if you want to place your letterbox in an ammo can, I suggest you register it as a geocache letterboxing hybrid, then send your clues out just like a letterbox! The great advantage is that you will get regular updates via email everytime someone logs a cache visit. :D
PS Tony Moore has a memorial geocache at Hare Tor which is a Letterboxing Hybrid.
Nik - KOTM
2012-03-01 06:37:34
That sort of reminds me of a box where the stamp was chained to the inside of the box with one end of the chain welded to the inside of the box... certainly deters the mislaying/misappropraition of a stamp
Sowerby Streaker
2012-03-01 07:47:34
Found a lovely stamp on the lower slopes of King Tor which was in an ammo can. Plenty of large boulders over that way to hide it under and cover it up.
bog_baby
2012-03-01 19:25:56
Ogwell Oddbods
2012-03-01 22:09:30
Very nice but how much!!!!! Think we'll stick to our pink vanish pots :D Not only do they smell nice but we have lovely clean clothes at the moment!
Dartymoor
2012-03-02 06:52:54
http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/geocaching
A friend asked an official about this, their answer was that they wanted to keep to the worldwide guidelines.
Currently, the GAGB agreeement database has the following, http://www.gagb.co.uk/gagb/glad/agreement_view.php?p=69
Which says Geocaches should adhere to the Letterboxing code of conduct, which does ban metal canisters. " Metal containers, such as ammunition boxes, are not used as letterboxes." since the link is broken on that page.
However your link is official and more recent than GAGB's, so I'll let them know DNP have a separate policy now since GAGB is where most folk go.
Thanks for the enlightenment, although I do wonder why they've seen fit to write a separate set to letterboxing.
Brinnie
2012-03-02 08:46:56
[quote
Thanks for the enlightenment, although I do wonder why they've seen fit to write a separate set to letterboxing.
Like I said the DNPA wanted to keep in line with the GC worldwide guidelines.
It is great having some many new GCs on the moor lately, but I do wonder about the mis-use of the line, "Placed with permission of the DNPA", since when did the DNPA give permission for caches to be placed in newtakes?
Nik - KOTM
2012-03-04 19:07:35
The only thing I do know is that charity walks out for more than a day have to have permission... with regards to the rest I will chase that up and get back to you.