# Building another stash (cache)



## sinbad (Oct 27, 2009)

Now you have guessed I am nuts about stashing or caching things for a rainy day !!

I am now preparing a drop-and-forget kind of stash in my car trunk. 
There are several objectives here. One is to have some basics to supplement any BOB or kit I am having in the car, second, it is a test for other stashes I may drop and forget elsewhere.

*The kit will be in the car trunk in Category 5 summer heat half of the year. 
( We only have summer, and something like spring ... LOL ) .*

This is NOT a BOB or survival kit. It is a box or bag to stay in the car just like the tool box. You hope you never need it, and like the tools in the tool box , they shopuld have endless shelf life. No food or water, no nothing with expiry date.

Remember that beside this kit there is the usual car toolbox. Also, when I am going anywhere outside my daily routine, I will throw in the trunk an emergency pack (GHB). So, the kit I am building as a stash or cache is something like a support to the real emergency pack. And if I am caught without any emergency pack , I want to be able to tackle many situations.

My list have already started and items are listed with no order or category:

* Spoon / fork / knife
* Small Bottle of detergent
* Small bar of soap (from hotel)
* Tissue packets
* Paper towel
* small towel
* Cheap sewing kit
* Scissors
* Cheap safety googles
* N95 face masks 
* Garbage bags, ziplok bags
* First aid items (Guaze and cotton balls)
* Work gloves 
* Latex gloves

OK, latex gloves may deteriorate in time, but if they fall apart I will toss them away. They are not like rotten food which will poision me.

So, can you help me add more items ?

The kit is NOT an emergency kit perse. It is a kit to help fall back to in any awkward situation, be it emergency or just an inconvenience.

** You notice I havent included a tool ( or multiutool ) because the tool box is there.

** Also , no fire starters because it gets real hot and I dont want a butane lighter or matches in my car trunk near paper towels and near the gas tank. Besides, in the last decade I havent met one situation when I needed to make fire.

Oooops. Only once. We were in a gathering of several families in a suite type lodging and after leaving, the Mrs told me she and other ladies wished to use the kitchen range but didnt have a lighter !!

  &^%$^%#$^
Never mind.

** No food in the trunk, bacause it will spoil in the heat, and because I am in an urban area. If SHTF, I will stop immediately and grab a few water bottles. Usually there are always one or two bottles on the driver seat or back seat.

Can you help make such a "trunk cache" taking these considerations into account ??

Many thanks.


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## sinbad (Oct 27, 2009)

I just remembered something to add , 


can/bottle opener
a small tarp
paracord & wire ties
Whistle with lanyard
old CD ( improvised signal mirror ) 
scarf or bandana

hmmmm

It's almost same as the BOB except for the food and fire stuff.


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## allen_idaho (Oct 21, 2009)

Have you considered getting one of those cheap mini air compressors that plug into your car lighter? Might be useful. 

And maybe a flashlight or two and some spare batteries. Unless you plan on only having an emergency during the day. 

And some road flares. They are cheap and long lasting. Can be used for safety, for signaling, and to start a fire in a pinch. 

I would also suggest a small bottle of bleach rather than detergent. Mainly because it can be used both to disinfect water if needed and can also be used with some old aluminum cans to make an aluminum-air fuel cell fairly easily.

I would also suggest a fire blanket. In addition to saving you from a fire, it can also help keep you cool if you set it up as a shade. 

And maybe a fire extinguisher. You never know.


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## sinbad (Oct 27, 2009)

Thanks Allen


Starting with the extinguisher, it is there already. 
Air compressor ? To inflate tires ? It's there too. 

A flashlight may go in the kit but not the batteries. They will die or leak . 
Remember this is a kit to be hidden somewhere and forgotten. 

As I mentioned, this is NOT the Get Home Bag (GHB) or BOB. This kit sits in the trunk and forgotten totally, for ten years or more. The idea is developing a stach for other locations. 

My friend is going tomorrow to a very remote area for doing some engineering work . He is not the prepared type of guy and he goes there frequently. If I were the one who goes there every now and then, I would like to stash something in the company's camp just in case. If I have another trip and need it, that is good, otherwise I can forget about it. 

As I said, whenever I have to go a non-routine area, I throw my GHB in the trunk as well. In the GHB, I have flashlights, headlisghts, batteries, even a sewing kit. The GHB is always updated/upgraded. So, unused batteries go to the house or EDC bag where they are used, and fresh battery pack is added there. The "Trunk kit" has no batteries because it should be removed from memory and not bothered with later. 

It sounds like having TWO GHBs but it is not. This kit has items with unlimited shelf life, and if need be, can be filled with used ietms from around the house. Take the socks for example, I can put the ones I am thinking to throw away, or the ones with a small hole. 

This kit is a backup and support to anything I already have in the car. It is separate and different, just as the occasionally carried and rarely needed GHB is different from the EDC bag which is carried and used every single day. 

Road flares: 
They are not available in my country, and don't even know if they are legal or not. 
Plus I would always be worried about accidently igniting themselves inside the trunk. 

Bleach/detergenct: 
Problem with bleach in very sunny areas is that it doesn't last for long. Detergent can be used to clean things, clean hands ..etc. I can also use it to prepare a bubbly solution to detect gas leaks. 

Fire blanket: 
I will use a tarp for shade, but I have been looking for a fire blanket for its primary use. I wanted one for the kitchen and another in the garage, but the few ones I found are expensive and intended for industrial use. 

Oh, forgot to add that I have a fleece blanket too . 
I like this small , light and warm thing. It can be used for shade as well.


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## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

allen_idaho said:


> I would also suggest a small bottle of bleach rather than detergent. Mainly because it can be used both to disinfect water if needed and *can also be used with some old aluminum cans to make an aluminum-air fuel cell fairly easily*.


Is there a practical off the shelf survival use for this fuel cell or at our level is it just fun science?


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## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

sinbad said:


> It's almost same as the BOB except for the food and fire stuff.


I think I am thinking similar to you. I have a son who lives 150 miles away. One of two routes back to us, both thru mountain passes.

I've built a couple of disposable BOB's from garage sales and excess gear. In the next month we are going to pick the most favorable route and stash some bags along the way in watertight buckets. A little later in the summer do the same along the other route.

The bags serve either of us in either direction.

Magnesium fire starters instead of matches. No food or sugar or soaps so bears will not disturb the caches.

Fishing gear and traps to help with food gathering. Am also planting some stealth berry and nut trees a ways away from each location.

If I do it once right, the caches will be good for 20 years?

Just planning on visiting the plantings a few times the first couple of years to make sure they "take". Walnuts, Raspberries, Huckleberries are about my only choices.


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## allen_idaho (Oct 21, 2009)

SurvivalNut said:


> Is there a practical off the shelf survival use for this fuel cell or at our level is it just fun science?


Yes. You can use an aluminum-air battery to provide simple lighting by hooking it up to an led light or flashlight bulb. If you connect a few of them in series, you can power a full sized lightbulb.

By connecting several in series, you can power any 12-volt system for a short period of time. They will continue to produce electricity until the aluminum has fully oxidized.

You can also use the small electrical charge created by one of them to start a fire.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

allen_idaho said:


> Yes. You can use an aluminum-air battery to provide simple lighting by hooking it up to an led light or flashlight bulb. If you connect a few of them in series, you can power a full sized lightbulb.
> 
> By connecting several in series, you can power any 12-volt system for a short period of time. They will continue to produce electricity until the aluminum has fully oxidized.
> 
> You can also use the small electrical charge created by one of them to start a fire.


Can you share more of this information with us in the Electricity section? I would love to do a test of it :wave:


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

Sinbad, I have a box like yours in my travel trailer, it also includes a roll of aluminum foil.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

sinbad said:


> Now you have guessed I am nuts about stashing or caching things for a rainy day !!
> 
> I am now preparing a drop-and-forget kind of stash in my car trunk.
> There are several objectives here. One is to have some basics to supplement any BOB or kit I am having in the car, second, it is a test for other stashes I may drop and forget elsewhere.


I don't know if I would want to use a car-trunk as a stash-point - what happens if you "forget" about the car for too long and end up needing a locksmith to help you get back into the trunk (lost keys).

I personally love campers because they can be very simple, provide a place to sleep, a place to eat and can carry everything that you need to survive for long-term (weather dependant).

My dad and step-mom have a LeeSure Lite camper that they can tow behind their Harley Davidson motorbike (or car or truck). It has room for sleeping, a place to cook and two add-on rooms (or awnings depending on what is required). A spot on the tongue of the trailer can hold a cooler full of food... leaving it setup ready to use full of tools, supplies, etc.

The trailer can be outfitted to match the weather - take off the wheels and put on skids for sliding on snow - take off the highway wheels and put on ATV wheels for better floatation / traction when towing it with your 4x4 quad to your favorite camping zone.


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## TimB (Nov 11, 2008)

As far as a flashlight, anyone have any experience w/ one of these (or something similar) ?

LED Flashlights: Direct From The Manufacturer

I'm about to order a couple of those on sale for $5 and throw one in the truck. I've always wondered about these things...

Scratch the order part- shipping was going to be $14.  I'll have to find something around here. 
Tim


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## TechAdmin (Oct 1, 2008)

A roll of duct tape and a tube of super glue. Super glue can be used to seal wounds, duct tape... well you can always think of a use for duct tape.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

We have a flashlight that we picked up at a Cracker Barrel restaurant that we like a lot. It's one of those wind up jobbies. Ours is green with John Deere logos on it. It's got 2 LED's and it holds a charge for a good few minutes, then all you do is crank it for a couple minutes and it's good to go again. Our toddler son plays with ours a lot and it's holding up to his abuse pretty well. I'm looking at yard sales and flea markets for a couple more wind up lights to put in the vehicles and the house, but haven't scored on any yet.


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## sinbad (Oct 27, 2009)

Anyone knows if duct tape has a shelf life. 

The glue on electrician tape seems to become gooey after a year or so. 
So, how about storing duct tape for 5 years at about 25-30 deg celcius (75-95 deg F ) ?? 

Will it survive ?


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

sinbad said:


> Anyone knows if duct tape has a shelf life.
> 
> The glue on electrician tape seems to become gooey after a year or so.
> So, how about storing duct tape for 5 years at about 25-30 deg celcius (75-95 deg F ) ??
> ...


Duct tape if exposed to the sun over a long period of time seems to dry out and get kind of brittle. It does break down over the course of a year. Some manufacturers do produce a higher quality than others though.:scratch


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## sinbad (Oct 27, 2009)

Thanks sailaway

Since this thread is about stashes and caches , I have a question. From you tube videos and forums like this I gather that many folks have a BOB or get home bag of one type or another. When I laid out my kits on an Excel sheet yesterday, it was clear to me that multiple kits and caches were needed for different scenarios. I tried to trim ( electronically) the number of bags/kits and make some serve for both but that was not possible. For example, my trunk bag had to have NO fire starting stuff and no stuff with any kind of shelflife. OTH, it does contain bulkier items like clothing. The GHB had to be light, so no bulky stuff. The office cache is in an office building, so temp is not a problem. It has water and food but no compass or tools (enough tools are available in the office itself). So different cases and different kits.

Question to all. 
Do you have multiple kits or do you somehow manage with one kit/bag that has everything possibly needed?


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

We have seasonal vehicle related emergency gear in the vehicles at all times. We also have hydration packs with basic survival gear for walking home if necessary (which we have with us when we travel). My office is at home so nothing special there.


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## sinbad (Oct 27, 2009)

Maybe it's Mission Impossible, but part of the challenge comes from trying to cover all SHTF possibilities and doing that alone. 

I am thinking for example (what-if) something happens when I am alone in the office bldg. Sometimes I have to work late till 8 pm almost alone in a 6 story bldg.. There is one security guy down there and that's about it. Believe it or not, a few years ago, when my wife went in labor having our first DD, the same day and time that security guy was calling ME for help 'cause I was a member in the safety committe and there was a janitor trapped by gushing water in high voltage area. 

It was the wrong time to have such problem when my wife was calling me to take her to the hospital. It was our first baby so that situation very much looked like SHTF or even TEOTWAWKI. LOL 

So now what happens if a BIG problem happens just outsde that office bldg and I have to stay put for a night or two (in weekends). I did make a "office cache" for that purpose. Then there is the "car trunk cache" which stays in the car all the time. Then there is the GHB which i carry when I am going somewhere out of my daily routine. There is also, the "travel kit" which goes in my luggage when I travel for a week or so. 

So there are several kits , each one is different from the other in a way. One is small to fit while the other is large but lacks food items. Managing all these kits and trying to update and improve them is a challenge at times. 

I have got a locally custom made organizer. Size is about 12 x 9.5 ionches (something like maxpedition pocket organizer x 2 ) . Now the question is in which bag it should go. Should it go to the gHB which is the most important kit of all, or shoud it go in the luggage with the travel kit because this kit is the least equipped ??? 

Many questions pop in the head in order to have all bases covered.


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

I have multiple kits, depending on the time of the year and or for where I will be. The boat has one, the car, my back pack, my office and home. I also have a BOB (bottle) that is small and near me all the time. I travel with my job, so my major objective is toget home to my wife. I also have a plan to retrieve my daughter who is about 100 miles away and get her home. 

Currently I am working on a bug out trailer and would like to acquire a small piece of land for a bol. I have a couple cache bottles made from pvc, but they haven't been deployed yet. I am also weak in water purifycation, but am working on that. A slow economy has slowed me way down, no stimulous money in the private sector yet!


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## lanahi (Jun 22, 2009)

I would include emergency bars such as Datrex or Mainstay that will keep in a hot car up to 300 F and have many years shelf life.
MAINSTAY™ 3,600 Calorie Food Bar

I'd include a water filter of some type and some type of water carrier.

Lithium batteries for your flashlight have a 20 year or more shelf life and can withstand more extreme temperatures of cold or heat. I'd pack them in their unopened containers.


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