Introduction: Spider Geocache

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This is an older geocache that I made. Originally I didn't make an instructable for it, but since I had to bring it in from the wild for repairs I thought I would take the opportunity to retroactively show how it was made.

Materials:

  • Scrap wood
  • Sample jar
  • Protein powder container
  • Screws, washers etc.
  • PVC pipe, PVC joins, ends, PVC cement
  • Pantyhose
  • Spray paint (red, black, white)
  • Wood stain
  • Metal brackets

Step 1: Making the Head/body/fangs

For the head and body I used a scrap fence post that I had. The piece was round on one side and flat on the other, I have seen these sold in most hardware stores. One end I cut at a slow angle which I then shaped with a hand sander for the face. The other end I cut at a sharp angle so when I attached the abdomen it would rise at a slight angle.

For the eyes I used metal washers which I spray painted white. The screws I used to attach them I painted black. For the fangs I cut two scraps of wood and screwed them in place. In retrospect it would have been easier to just buy two wooden door stops instead.

Step 2: Making the Legs

The legs were made from PVC pipe. Each leg was made from three pieces connected by one 135degree join and one 90degree join. Each pair was connected by a central piece of pipe. I used 135degree joins to connect each leg to the central pieces. The legs were then attached to the body with metal brackets, I also screwed through the actual PVC pipe into the body for added strength.

I positioned the front legs up in the air to give the spider an attack pose. Those front two legs I added PVC ends too.

Step 3: Making the Abdomen/geocache

For the abdomen I used an old protein powder container. This was so it could be screwed off revealing the geocache inside. The actual geocache container was a simple sample jar.

To give the spider added shape I first added a wooden disk to the body. I bought this at a scrap shop for 50cents but I have seen them in hardware stores for about $5. This was screwed in place first with a long screw in the middle. Then I attached the lid of the protein container to the wooden disk with three screws. One of these screws also went through the bottom of the sample jar to keep it place.

The protein container was white so I had to paint it black. To give the paint added traction to stick too I covered the container with pantyhose which first I glued in place with PVC cement and then painted with walnut wood stain to take away the blue colour. When it was dry I spray painted it black with red highlights.

Step 4: Painting/the Final Product

When I originally made this painting was done as the final step. First I painted the whole spider in primer then spray painted it black. Then I used red spray paint to add highlights to the joins in the legs, fangs and the abdomen. After that was done I added the eyes last.

I then placed it in the bush for geocachers to find. Unfortunately, over time the original abdomen curled in the heat. I don't know if the pantyhose will give added sun protection, but I guess time will tell. Also, a couple of the legs had fallen off. The legs that had fallen off had done so at the joins closest to the body. For added strength I added some screws to these joins.

Now that the geocache has been fixed, the last thing to do is to release it back to the wild.