Geo-blogger EyeD10T Jones found himself between a rock and a hard place – not once, but twice – while creating this cache tutorial for It’s Not About The Numbers.

“Winter was pretty brutal here in the American state of New Hampshire, so I spent a lot of time indoors working on creative cache containers – including this large Fake Rock (which measures 25 inches at its widest point and 14-inches tall).

“It’s taken a few months to get it right, though. The reason is I kept testing the rock to make sure it would hold up outdoors but failed on the first few tries. So I put the project off until the weather got colder and went back to work on the container for what I hoped would be the final time.  I was thrilled when it finally withstood the elements.

“Before we start, I must admit that sometimes (read far too often) I decide I don’t need any background or instructions for a project. I get it into my head that I want to do it MY way; sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. This creation took a lot of trial and error (again, self-imposed) before I finally got it right. I am sure there are better ways of completing some of my steps and encourage people to share if they have a better solution.

“Now that is all on the table, here’s my creation …”

FAKE ROCK CACHE

INGREDIENTS

1 x Plastic container with squeeze-release lid

Expanding spray foam

1 x PVC endcap (preferably with a plug-type cover)

Ready-mix concrete

Hacksaw

Can of primer (grey)

Folk-Art Outdoor Paints (in black, white and grey)

Sponge or paintbrush

Craft moss

Roof adhesive

STEP ONE

First, I chose an old spaghetti container that had a squeeze release top. Here is a picture of one that is similar in style. Any container will work, but you should use a lid that is easy to remove, or plan your rock around the opening to your container.

STEP TWO

Next, I covered my container with expanding spray foam. The images above show what it looked like after that foam had set.  Note the depth from the outer side of the rock to the top of the container lid.

STEP THREE

Originally, I’d planned to create an end-cap out of expanding foam but, while rummaging through my “junk drawer”, I found a PVC end-cap with a plug-type cover.  I wasn’t able to find a picture of the one I used but here is an example that would work.  The diameter of your PVC needs to cover the diameter of your container.  Put this all onto the container before you apply the expanding foam.

STEP FOUR

In the final version of this cache, I plastered my rock with a ready-mix concrete – after using a saw to level out any expanding foam that was too uneven.

STEP FIVE

I then applied a few coats of grey primer, before sponging a combination of the black, grey and white Folk-Art Outdoor Paints onto the rock as an overcoat. (If you need to vary the colour to match the rocks in your area, there are many other excellent shades available.)

STEP SIX

Finally, I attached craft moss to the exterior of the rock with a roofing adhesive. I’m still trialling this product – suggested to me by another geocacher – but it made sense that the adhesive should hold up to various changes in weather.  According to the other cacher, the moss may need to be re-applied from time to time.

VOILA

The end result … well, for my second trial rock (before it failed its field test).  I’m still putting the final touches on my latest version (plus it looks substantially different now and I don’t want to give away too much of a spoiler).

I hope this cache brings joy to the many that will find it.  I also hope I don’t hurt myself when I go to hide it as it’s fairly hefty in weight.

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NB: If you make your own Fake Rock cache, don’t forget to send us a photo of your handiwork.

*You may know EyeD10T Jones better as American geocacher Jim Jones. Last year, the New England resident and father of one (GC handle: EyeD10T) founded the Where The Cache Is geo-site. You can also hear more from him at his self-titled blog, a new-look Where The Cache Is store and Facebook group, as well as geocoin site EyeD10T Designs.