Warm Up The Boilers! The Gears Must Turn!

There are few things more annoying than trying to find a micro in a tree, but one of those things is searching for that micro in the wrong tree. But that’s a complaint for another day. It was welcome after my previous attempt at a cache, which I aborted because I didn’t feel like tromping into a grove of bamboo. All of that was secondary, though. I had left the house to get a cache and returned home …

… with a 3-D printer and associated accoutrements! I didn’t expect it to be a resin printer rather than a filament printer, but it brings up a lot of the same questions from a cache creation perspective. We often must consider the natural elements when making a cache: sun and rain, humidity and wind, and the possible perils of wildlife. We also consider the qualities of a cache container: shape, size, magnetic properties, expense to create, and others not important at the moment. With my newfound ability to manufacture caches, I will soon be going down a rabbit hole of material properties of different types of resin. Are there resins that are better suited for sun exposure? One of my most popular caches is 3-D printed using standard PLA filament, which is of dubious durability with heat and sun exposure. How does resin fare against that? Theoretically better since light is used to cure it. But how will moisture affect resin? Not a clue. While I have a number of friends well versed in 3-D printing of several types, I don’t begin to know more than the basics.

But I’m sure I’m just next in a long line of cachers who have opted to use technology to create an experience for finders. While I have no doubt we all appreciate finding an ammo can or a large bucket in the woods, who doesn’t totally dig an awesome gadget cache? Who doesn’t get a charge (pun intended) out of pulling out some batteries to load in place to make the gadget turn on or to power a motor to make something happen? Who doesn’t enjoy finding an interesting doodad that makes for an exciting and different container? Who wouldn’t want to find a puzzle box or experience an actual, legitimate reverse Whereigo in a GPS-locked case? We all yearn for something new and different—whether it’s location, terrain, climate, complexity, or challenge. I’m finally in a position to give some people the kind of experience I’d like to encounter myself! What a heady feeling!

But not yet, though. I have a geocaching obligation (it is a pleasure, but I do consider it a contractual obligation) around the corner that I will have to get through first. But soon, people! SOON!!!