Oil is not a very effective rust inhibitor. Non-soap based grease is much
better. Cheap grease works much better. Buy it at farm stores in 5-gallon
buckets and put a thick coat (dip it) on all of your parts.
Wrapping pieces in wax paper and masking tape is not very effective in
preserving parts. The test is to hold it underwater for some time and if it
stays dry inside it is okay.
Polyethylene bags are not good to keep stuff dry over time. Water will
migrate through polyethylene (as can be seen by freezer burned food caused by
water migrating out of it’s polyethylene wrapping).
"Zip Locking" on bags is not an effective seal. At least use a hot
seal on a bag.
Make sure your burial boxes/tubes/etc are polypropylene (for the same reason
as #3 above). You can buy pipe end-caps without raising suspicions.. some people
use screw-on fittings and others say to glue both ends in place. You can stand
your tube on end in a deep hole and your metal objects will be deep enough
underground to thwart most metal detectors, while still allowing you easy
access.
Some people are worried about being photographed by satellites flying
overhead. The Photographs taken of the earth’s surface on routine flybys are
not that detailed. Even our benevolent government can not keep track of every
square foot of the millions of square miles of this country. They can, however,
zoom in on something that is of interest to them. The way they find stuff of
interest is with infrared photos and ground penetrating radar. In dry conditions
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) can penetrate the earth for miles. Underground
rivers in the Sahara were found two miles down with satellite based GPR. So the
second to the last place you want to bury something is out in the middle of
nowhere, someplace where it does not belong. It will show up like a pimple on
your forehead on both the infrared and GPR Photos. The Infrared photos can be so
sensitive that they will show where the heat transferred from your foot to your
foot prints for several minutes. The IR photos can show where the dirt is a
different consistency, or where there is a void under the dirt causing the
temperature to be different.
The defense is to bury stuff where it is not out of place: Abandoned
landfills or junkyards are good. Another chunk of metal is not unusual in this
setting. Another good place is near power lines. The electromagnetic force (EMF)
also interferes with radar of almost all types. And "hot insulators"
that are leaking and are warm are common, which throws off IR detection. Under
Bridges or other metal bearing structures are also very good. One admittedly
bizarre place is to stick stuff in new graves (Hey, the digging is easy). Just
make sure the coffin is made out of metal so that the metal you stick in does
not look out of place. Note: Steel coffins are cheap; therefore poor people’s
coffins are almost always made out of steel.
The absolute last place you want to bury something is on your property. Our
benevolent government confiscates assets at the rate of 250,000 times a year.
This is almost 1000 times a day on a 5 day week. So DO NOT bury stuff on your
property or leave a trail back to yourself.
Lastly, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. If a person who is making caches makes it known
that they are doing so, then the cache is worthless...
HOW TO BURY YOUR TREASURE by Jimi Hendrix
THE LITTLE DIGGER
Copied from Edition 6 of the Australian Lock Stock &
Barrel Magazine
This Article was first printed in LS&B Edition 2, Nov/Dec 1981, but seems
particularly relevant today. We have reprinted it due to popular request,
considering there has been a marked interest in "Gardening recently!"
TREASURE: My Collins dictionary describes this as 'accumulated wealth, hoard
of valuables, that which has great worth' -seems to cover firearms quite nicely.
Numerous books have I seen on the subject of finding treasure and/or how to dig
it up, but these days there seems to be a need for one on how to bury it.
AUSTRALIAN GARDEN CLUBS SPRINGING UP LIKE WILDFLOWERS
This article was prompted by a whisper on my grapevine ( a flourishing
grapevine it is too ) that innumerable persons in Victoria were taking a sudden
interest in gardening, or at least digging and planting, but without too much
interest in having the planted item come up - in the immediate future that is.
All this seems to stem from Mr Cain taking over leadership of the Victorian ALP
Mr Cain being an advocate and co-compiler of item 151 on firearm control (see
Lock Stock & Barrel, Edition 1. Page 53). (as per the note at the start of
this article, it appears to be even more relevant throughout Australia today!)
No doubt many readers at one time or another have been faced with the
situation of having to hide something in a hurry (the in-laws may be coming to
stay and their kids are holy terrors who get into everything). You slink around
the house putting your " treasure" first here and then there, but as
soon as it's hidden, you get the feeling that where you have put it, is probably
an obvious place for someone to look. So you move it again and again, and the
in-laws will be here in half an hour, panic sets in, sweat forms on the brow and
the tongue goes dry.
BE PREPARED
Lesson number 1 - Arrange your hiding place long before it is required -
unless you are a 007 type, you'll never find one when you're in a hurry. Whereas
most houses these days are without wood paneling, revolving bookcases and the
like, it is not practical to hide treasures in your home building. Up in the
ceiling or below the flooring are definite no-no's. It has to be hidden amongst
that which there is plenty of, and that which is not subject to movement or
rearrangement. Pirates of old figured a hole dug in the ground to be just the
ticket and there seems to be no better place even today, in spite of modern day
grand scale earthworks. Just be very careful where you dig your hole.
Depending on the treasure you want to hide, there are varying degrees of care
in the packaging required to afford protection to the item. If it is a gold bar,
virtually no protection is required at all, just fling it into the bottom of the
hole and fill the hole in again. When, years later, you dig it up again, it will
be just as good as the day you buried it.
YOUR FAVOURITE THINGS
But let's take another example, something awkward, something
perishable....um...let me think...ah...how about a rifle!?
The two greatest enemies during long term storage of a rifle, are oxygen and
moisture. Yes I know that moisture is 33% oxygen but in this exercise, in
practical terms, getting rid of one doesn't assuredly get rid of the other.
First thing to obtain is a container which can be assembled at home, is
waterproof, acid proof, everlasting, and economical. A tall order? No, not
really.
Initially you will need to know what size you require. This can be determined
by laying your rifle (with scope removed) flat on the floor, with the toe of the
butt and the muzzle against the wall. Then measure from the wall to that part of
the rifle which is furthest from the wall. The measurement plus 10mm
will give you the diameter of the tube which the rifle will fit into. Measure
also the length of the rifle as this will give you the length of the tube
required. Most rifles will require a 150mm diameter tube. The barrel and action
on it's own would fit into a much smaller tube, but the stock wouldn't, what
then would you do with the stock?
WHAT MATERIAL?
Stainless steel may be classed as the best material but it cannot be rapidly
sealed off by the average handyman at home, nor would it comply with the economy
requirement. The next best is - believe it or not - PVC sewerage pipe. Do I
detect gasps of dismay at placing your valued rifle in a sewerage pipe? Well, I
don’t mean that you should use a used one. Buy a new piece of course, and rest
assured that if it was designed to keep sewerage in, then when sealed, it must
surely keep it out.
So off to your plumber where, unless he has a really big plumbing business,
you will be told that they don't stock 150mm sewerage pipe but only get it in
for special jobs. You may be lucky enough to find an off-cut or you may be
forced to buy a full length - about 6 meters, which will cost you about $40 but
at least you will have enough for about eight rifles. Also needed will be two
end caps and a small tin each on PVC Priming fluid and PVC Cement. The regular
glue-on end caps cost approximately $5 each. Hopefully, your plumber will cut
your piece of tube off square, but if not, make sure you get a piece that will
be long enough when you trim it off square. It can best be cut with a hacksaw.
The end of every full 6 meter length is expanded for about 100mm so that another
length can be slipped into and easily joined (cemented) to it. This end, you do
not want as an end cap will not fit over this enlarged section.
Joining instructions should be on your PVC cement tin but basically the
process is:
1) clean squared end of burrs.
2) clean both end cap and pipe with PVC solvent
3) apply PVC cement fairly liberally to both surfaces, firstly the end cap then the pipe end.
4) immediately assemble by pushing the pipe to the
full depth of the end cap and hold there, without
movement, for 30 seconds
This results in one end being permanently and fully sealed. If a screw-on
end is to be put on the other end, then screw cap coupling (the part the screw
screws onto) can now be attached the same way. Unfortunately, the screw-on cap
has shown that after a 12 years trial, the rubber seal was unsatisfactory and
it allowed water into the container, however for shorter terms, they may be
adequate. Two cemented ends means the only way in is via a hacksaw.
MOISTURE EVACUATION NECESSARY
Now that you have your "time capsule", the next task is to ensure
the evacuation of oxygen and moisture. First, the moisture. It is not
necessary to bake your rifle in an oven to dry it out, though if you live in a
damp climate some preliminary drying would be helpful. The cheapest and
easiest to obtain absorber of moisture is silica gel, available from your
local chemist at a cost of about $20 per 500 grams.
Depending on how long it has been in stock, it may be blue or pink in
color. It should be blue, but if it is pink, then it has absorbed all the
moisture it can and will need to be dried. This can be easily done by
spreading it thinly on a large plate or dish and baking it at 250 degrees in
an oven. Leave the oven door slightly open to let the moisture escape.
The silica gel will turn blue around the edge at first and gradually all
will turn light blue. Stirring seems to hasten the process but increasing the
heat seems to make little difference. The whole pink to blue transformation
can take about an hour. Most turn blue in 10 minutes but the last 10% seems to
take forever. Once blue and cool, the silica gel can be stored in an airtight
plastic bag where they will remain until needed. Your 150mm capsule some 120cm
long will actually hold two rifles placed top to tail comfortably, plus there
will be room for ammunition and other odds and ends.
BE PREPARED - THAT'S THE BOY SCOUT MOTTO
It would be as well, if only for peace of mind, if the usual precautions
for the long term storage of firearms were carried out first, i.e. thorough
cleaning and light coating with protective oil to both inside and outside
metal surfaces. Even Ron Owen's 'snake oil' preparation "gunshiner"
would be ideal for the job and you could coat the woodwork with it as well (As
with any long term storage protection after you bury it, don't forget to
thoroughly clean the internals before using the firearm ).
Into the capsule with the oiled rifles etc. should go about 500grams of
blue silica gel. These should be in a separate non air-tight package,
preferably a plastic bag which has numerous tiny holes in it. A cheese cloth
bag would do but take care the bag does not touch the metalwork, (It probably
wouldn't harm the metalwork if it did, but I have this ingrained aversion to
stored firearms touching cloth - rust is the result all too often but in the
capsule in a no oxygen no moisture environment, rust should not be able to
form ).
Placing the capsule upright with the open end uppermost, the treasure and
silica gel in place, the next task is to evacuate the oxygen. This can be done
in a number of ways, depending on what is available in your area.
GET RID OF THE AIR
If you live in a country town where the local veterinarian engages in
artificial insemination, then you may be able to buy some liquid nitrogen or
some dry ice. The latter should be available if you live near the coast as
fishing boats sometimes use it in deep freezers. Dry ice and liquid nitrogen
are both extremely cold, 170 and 192 degrees below zero so don't touch either
with your bare hands. They vaporize very quickly and can only be transported
in highly insulated non-sealed container like Esky's - the polystyrene foam
type will do. The attributes of great cold is not what we are after, however.
Each rapidly turns into gas at anything warmer than a typical winter day in
outer space.
USING GAS
This gas, nitrogen from liquid nitrogen, and carbon dioxide from dry ice,
is heavier than air and if either one of these substances is allowed to gasify
in and near the top of your capsule then the gas released will fall to the
bottom of it. As the gas fills it from the bottom, the regular air containing
oxygen and moisture needed for rust formation, is forced out the top. It is
easy to see when your capsule is full of gas. The gas being so cold causes
condensation where it contacts regular air - the moisture in the air freezes,
the same moisture that causes rust - so when clouds spill from the top and
flow down the outside of your capsule and you can see clear "air"
inside it through the thin cloud on top, then it is full and the container of
liquid nitrogen or dry ice should be removed - you don't need to freeze your
treasure. If you used liquid nitrogen your capsule would now be filled with
nitrogen, if dry ice, then carbon dioxide. Sure, carbon dioxide is carbon and
oxygen but carbon dioxide won't readily part with its oxygen to enable iron
oxide, rust, to form.
About 2 dessert spoonfuls of either liquid nitrogen or dry ice is all that
is needed to produce enough gas to fill the capsule but, if it takes an hour
to get from supplier to your home, then you will need to buy about a liter to
compensate for evaporation during transit. Be careful not to spill it
especially in your lap, as very bad burns will result from its contact with
skin. Once the capsule is filled with nitrogen or carbon dioxide, keep it
upright until the end cap is cemented on or until the screw cap is screwed
firmly on, otherwise the gas will "pour out" the same way as would
water, and be replaced with air. The end cap is cemented on as previously
described. This must be checked to ensure it is undamaged and clean. Should
liquid nitrogen or dry ice not be available, carbon monoxide from your cars
exhaust could be directed into your capsule. Nitrogen gas is available in gas
bottles (as in oxy/acetylene bottles) and so too is carbon dioxide, but
neither of these are too convenient to obtain unless you work at a hospital.
OR LIGHT ME A CANDLE
Another trick is to burn a candle in the capsule during and after sealing.
When all oxygen is burned up, the candle goes out. The candle would need to be
suspended part way down the capsule, while still standing on its sealed end,
so that the flame would not melt or burn the PVC. Only a small portion of a
candle would be needed, half a birthday cake candle would be plenty.
On the subject of metal preservation by eliminating water and oxygen from the
cache tube the author recommends; along with the good ideas of dry nitrogen and
carbon dioxide; "carbon monoxide from the exhaust of your car" or
a burning candle. Ye Gods!!! (All of them!) The components of car
exhaust are the result of burning a hydrocarbon fuel (gasoline) or a
carbohydrate (alcohol) in air, consisting of about 20% oxygen and 80% nitrogen.
This will indeed produce some carbon monoxide from incomplete combustion of an
over-rich mixture. It will also produce a great deal more WATER
from combustion of the hydrogen in the fuel!
We are therefore introducing nitrogen and carbon dioxide (good preservatives)
and a great deal of STEAM (NOT a good preservative!!!) along with
some oxides of nitrogen ([N Ox], or SMOG! This stuff not only attacks steel, it
also corrodes stone, see the Parthenon of Athens!) into intimate contact - for a
long period of time - with our rifle. Oh, yes, there is also the SULFURIC
ACID from a catalytic converter if your car has one!
He also seems to think that a candle does not contain a hydrocarbon fuel.
Paraffin wax is just that, a hydrocarbon, and will produce carbon dioxide, water
and carbon soot (which is hygroscopic, therefore attracting water to the steel
that it condenses on) as it's exhaust products. May I suggest that we replace
the candle with a sheet of cheap paper, such as newsprint, to oxidize slowly in
the cache tube like the sacrificial zinc anode on a boat?
Perhaps when we dig up our "former weapon" we can pour the
resulting sludge over the head of a politician and rust him to death. We can
then use the plastic pipe to beat the invading soldiers over the head and defeat
them as well as we defeated the corrosion of our rifle.
I know that you cannot proof all of your library files, but this one is bad.
May I suggest that you insert a warning in it about the dangers of car exhaust
and candles?
Best Wishes, Michael T. Bradshaw
50 years of progress!
1943 to 1993
Warsaw to Waco.
REALLY MAKING SURE!
Admittedly, evacuating oxygen from the capsule and placing silica inside to
absorb moisture seems to be doubling up but were I about to store a couple of
thousand dollars worth of pride and joy, I would want to be doubly sure that
100% protection was being obtained. Also, even with oxygen removed, there must
in time, be a release of moisture and/or oxygen from the woodwork which could
react on the metalwork, hence I advocate both protective measures.
Now that your encapsulated treasure is sealed, where should you bury is so
that it is safe from prying buzzers of metal detectors?
There are several choices:
1) where metal detectors cannot get near it and
2) where metal detectors will confuse it with something else, or
3) a combination of both.
No 1 is very difficult as detectors cant be turned slightly to one side to
take readings other than directly below. Anywhere that a detector can't get near
will also be very difficult place to situate the capsule. No 2 is easier. If you
have a large cast iron water pipe going through your back yard, bury your
capsule about 20cm underneath this and lined up with it. Any large concrete
slab, a garage floor for example, with plenty of steel reinforcing in it would
be a good place to dig down below and slightly under. If none are available, I
have had it suggested that you bury lengths of pipe, and other old iron in
scattered pieces all over your backyard just to confuse the issue.
Another good idea is to bury the capsule on its end, this gives a smaller
target for a metal detector to zero in on. The hole is a lot harder to dig of
course but could be worth the effort. Even better is to dig out a fence post,
deepen the posthole to take the capsule and put the post back, leaving 10cm of
soil between the top of the capsule and the base of the post., this gives you an
excellent disguised marker as well.
WHY THIS ARTICLE IS NECESSARY
This would have to be the stupidest article ever written. Here we have the
decent honest people contemplating hiding their firearms so that the police
won't find them. The police are supposed to be a friend and helper to the honest
person, in times of need. Here we have unthinking and knowledgeable politicians
alienating the two. How are the police going to cope by being offside to the
honest as well as the criminals?
"But the honest should hand in their guns" says the anti-gun
legislators, "and police-people relations won't be affected" bull.....
if my friend the policeman comes and asks me to hand over 100's or even 1000's
of dollars worth of property without compensation and for no other reason than
some so' n' so politician changed a law, then not only will I not be too
friendly towards that policeman, who is actually totally blameless for the
problem, but I will tend to be downright unhelpful to all police from then on.
POLICE - NOT YOUR FAVORITE PEOPLE
What about the police attitude? Talk about meat in the sandwich situation.
They will be stuck with having to do what most of them don't want to do, plus
the prospect of alienating themselves against at least 20% of the population.
Take a look at the Western Australian situation. Nowhere else in Australia can
you find so much police arrogance, no doubt brought on by them trying to impose
laws that a high proportion of average persons are not too happy about obeying,
what kind of working relationship is that?
All this - and what good will it do? Will it reduce armed holdups? Will it
reduce murders ? A definite no is the answer. In summing up, that is how to
successfully build a capsule for the long term storage of your treasure. But if
everyone of you spent half the time required to build it, in talking to and
making known your views to your local parliamentary representative, then you
almost certainly wouldn't need to build one.
METHODS OF LONG TERM UNDERGROUND STORAGE
WILLIAM N, NELSON AND STANLEY A. CATLOW
Reprinted by the permission of:
MAGNUM ENTERPRISES
P. O. Box 621
Ephrata, Washington 98823
PREFACE
The purpose of this book is to give the reader some basic ideas on how to
prepare various materials (coins, firearms, etc.) for long term storage below
ground. The reason for this book is, or should be, obvious. Namely the political
and social climate in this country and the rest of the world. History has shown
that during major social or natural upheavals the people who survived were those
who prepared for the worst. During these times the most valuable items were:
Food, firearms, and a valuable medium of exchange. (i. e., gold, silver,
precious gems, etc.) The authors considered this book just the first edition. We
urge our readers to send us any criticism, comments, suggestions or different
methods which they have tried and found successful, so that we may pass it on in
the next edition. Some of the prices of the materials which we quote are based
on the current costs in our area. (Eastern Washington state) They may vary
according to location, inflation, shipping, etc., their main purpose is just to
give the reader a rough idea on costs.
We would like to thank the following people for their assistance and advice:
Roger Cattow
Don Chumley
Ken Hankins
Harold Meyers
ABOVE GROUND
The long term storage of materials above the ground and indoors is relatively
simple. The main concerns are spoilage (food) and corrosion (metals, except
gold, which does not corrode or deteriorate). One of the handiest methods is the
use of "Seal-N-Save" (Sears) or "Seal-A-Meal " (Montgomery
Ward) type sealable plastic pouches. The basic units cost $16.00 to $19.00 and
are a very good investment. The plastic bags come in 3 basic sizes, 8" by
6", 8" by 9" and 8" by 12". They are intended for food
freezing and cooking, but they have many other uses. Dried food can be stored
indefinitely when protected from air. By using a moisture absorbent pack of
silica gel they work well for storage of silver, ammunition, small handguns,
etc., for long periods of time. Be sure to remove as much air as possible before
sealing. There are a number of small sealable plastic buckets and square
containers made for industrial use which also work very well for indoor storage
of materials. The best of these have gaskets for a complete and long lasting
seal.
There are a number of excellent books on long term storage of food above
ground. One of the best of these is "Family Storage Plan" by Bob R.
Zabriskie. This and other books are available from "Survival, Inc."
(See appendix D) This book goes into fine detail on the storage of food and
water and we highly recommend that you obtain it.
All of the following methods can be used above ground.
An excellent method for storing ammunition, handguns, coins, etc. is the use
of G.I. ammo cans. To begin with, put the items in the can along with silica gel
or V. P . I . and/or cosmoline as you prefer. Next, liberally coat the rubber
seal around the edges of the can with Vaseline to keep the rubber from drying
out. Close the can. Next, take a sheet of fiberglass cloth and wrap the can like
you were wrapping a birthday present. Use a heavy thread and needle to sew the
ends shut. Next, mix a small quantity of hardener (as per instructions on the
can with some resin. Then coat one side of the can to seal it, and allow it to
dry (cure) We recommend you do it one side at a time for two reasons. First, it
is easier to handle. Second, the resin generates a pretty fair amount of heat
when curing and we would hate to be around if a can of sealed ammo happened to
reach a critical temperature. Make Sure that the can is completely sealed, and
it will last a long, long time. You may also seal them in plastic bags. (see
next section 3)
(NOTE: The fiberglass system may also be used on wooden boxes with equal
results.)
PLASTIC BAGS
The use of plastic bags is very simple and very effective. First, (assuming
it is a firearm) take the stock or grips and anything using plastic as a
component and put it in a separate plastic bag and seal it with plastic tape.
(Or if the items are small enough, use a "Seal-A-Meal") Expel as much
air as possible before sealing. If it is a small item (such as a handgun or
coins) you can also use the "Seal-A-Meal" method. Next, place all of
the metal parts in a plastic bag with a liberal (hate that word) amount of
silica gel* (* best in a ventilated contained, rather than making direct contact
with the metal.) Or, if you prefer, coat the metal with cosmoline using one of
the methods described in Chapter 3, then place in the bag and seal the bag with
plastic tape. Be sure to place Styrofoam or something similar over the sights
and all sharp points so they won't cut through the bag. Next, place both plastic
bags in a third bag and seal with tape. Now, add as many other bags as you feel
necessary to insure that it is completely protected. (Use at least three bags.)
The use of PVC pipe is more complicated and costly, but in the end, well
worth the time and trouble. It is impervious to just about anything and will
last long beyond your lifetime. The biggest factor is cost . The cost of the
pipe itself is not too bad, but the cost of the end caps normally used with PVC
pipe is OUT OF SIGHT! (See appendix J.)
To save the "out of sight" cost of the PVC end caps, the best
alternative is to use PVC or Plexiglas sheets cut to size and glued to the ends
of the pipes. However, you must be sure that the ends of the pipe are square.
The best thing to use to insure this is a radial arm saw. Lacking this, the next
best thing would be to make a miter box out of scrap lumber and cut it with a
hand saw.
To begin with, PVC pipe comes in many sizes and strengths. For our purposes,
probably, the best sizes would be 5" or 6" in either 63 pound or 100
pound strength. You can get it as small as 1 " or as large as 12". The
small sizes would be useful mainly for coins, parts, etc., and the large sizes
would hold a number of rifles, etc.
To prepare the pipe for use, first seal one end. Seal must be air tight.
Next, drop in enough plastic (Styrofoam) beads to cover the sealed end. Put a
length of copper tubing down to the bottom of the pipe. Insert the item to be
stored centering it in the pipe. Fill up all of the remaining air space with
more plastic beads. Turn on the Freon can attached to the copper tubing. Slowly,
(Be sure the can is upright so that Freon gas comes out rather than liquid.)
Hold a match at the opening of the pipe. When the match goes out, the pipe is
full of Freon. (Lack of oxygen makes it go out.) Then, remove the tubing
(carefully) and immediately cap and seal the open end of the pipe. It would be a
good idea to insert a packet of silica gel inside the pipe before sealing to
take care of any residual moisture that might be present.
COSMOLINE
Cosmoline is very resistant to moisture, chemical, salt water and small
amounts of abrasion. It is non-drying and will prevent rust for long periods of
time. It's main use for our purposes would be long term storage of firearms.
However, one thing to note carefully. DO NOT apply it to stocks, grips, scopes
or anything made out of plastic. Also, when removing cosmoline from a firearm
(use a petroleum solvent) be sure to thoroughly clean ALL surfaces, especially
the bore.
There are two main methods of applying cosmoline. The first method is by
dipping. The firearms should be clean and dry at the time of application. The
cosmoline should be melted to a temperature of from 180F to 200F and the firearm
should be allowed to remain in the solution until the temperature of the metal
is about the same as the cosmoline. The cosmoline will be thinner and bond to
the metal better. This method takes larger amounts of cosmoline and special
equipment, although in the end it uses less cosmoline.
The second and easiest method is by brushing or swabbing. Again, the firearms
must be clean and dry. First heat the cosmoline until it is about 140F to 160F.
(Until it is a liquid, but not watery) Then, brush or swab it on, maintaining as
even a coating as possible. If you have use for only a small amount of
cosmoline, Vaseline is the same thing only more purified. It costs more, but is
readily available. If you want a slightly stiffer material, melt Vaseline and
paraffin and mix thoroughly. This mixture can then be brushed or swabbed onto
the item being stored.
Basic Data: - Melting point 160F
Flash point 400F
PLASTIC COATINGS
We have done some investigation of plastic coatings for long term protection.
There are three criteria for a plastic coating to be useful as a corrosion
preventative on parts and equipment. We should point out at this time that a
coating of this type is not for use on complete firearms but only on parts or
tools being stored for long periods of time. The first criteria is a coating
must meet is to be moisture proof. Plastics even in rather thin layers meet this
requirement easily. The second one for our purposes is that it be easy to apply
and third, that it can be easily and completely removed. We have found reference
to three types of commercial plastics that will meet these requirements.
Cope Plastics, 1111 W. Selmar, Godfrey, Ill. 62035, makes compounds called
Plastisols, which are a mixture of finely ground polyvinyl chloride resin and
plasticizer. They are available in a wide range of colors and degrees of
flexibility. All that is required for their use is an oven. (A kitchen oven will
work) The item to be coated is heated to 300¿F. *Dipped in Plastisol for three
to five minutes, then removed slowly. The plastic must the be fused by heating
again at 350F* for five to fifteen minutes, then immersed in cool water. It can
be removed by cutting through the coating and peeling it off.
* NOTE: We DO NOT recommend it's use on springs as they may lose their temper
& become brittle.
A second type of commercial plastic coating is made by Dipseal Plastics, 2311
23rd Ave., Rockford, Ill. 61101. Their product comes in large sheets which are
heated to a molten state. The item to be coated is dipped in and then removed
and allowed to cool. This is the type of coating usually found on saw blades and
drill bits to protect the cutting edge. This coating is easier to apply than the
Plastisol type because the item to be coated does not have to be heated. It is
also as easy to remove as Plastisol. One problem we had was in finding sources
of small quantities of this material. Dipseal Plastics will not sell in small
quantities and a supplier in our area will only sell it in 25 pound lots at
$1.25 per pound.
The third commercial plastic is called Plas-ti-Dip, made by Plasti-Dip
International, 1458 West Country Road C, St. Paul, Minn. 55113. This product was
designed for coating tool handles and is very easy to use. PlastiDip does not
require heat for curing, it needs only be air dried. The part or tool should be
cleaned, then immersed slowly (1 inch every five seconds) into the plastic and
then withdrawn slowly and allowed to air dry. If a second coat is required, the
first coat should be allowed to dry for at least 25 minutes before the second
coat is applied. It can be used on wood, however it would not be a good idea to
use it on anything with a finish or checkering as it may discolor the wood and
be hard to remove from the checkering.
A homemade plastic coating is probably the easiest to use. Acrylic plastic
such as Plexiglas or styrene plastic from plastic models can be dissolved in
acetone to mal<e a useable dipping plastic. A small scrap of Plexiglas can
usually be had from a local glass company and many drug stores carry acetone. It
only takes about a one inch square piece of quarter inch Plexiglas to a half
pint on acetone to make plastic coating material. It takes several days for the
Plexiglas to dissolve completely and it must be kept in a closed glass or metal
container. The resulting liquid should be about the consistency of syrup. If it
is too thick add more acetone, if it is too thin add more Plexiglas or allow
some of the acetone to evaporate. The styrene plastic can be from the parts tree
of a model kit and is made up same way. To use this type of plastic, the item is
dipped into the mixture and then the acetone is allowed to evaporate, leaving
the plastic coating. These types of coating are more brittle than the commercial
ones and will require more care in handling, but it still meets the criteria
stated above.
The use of a plastic coating to protect small parts and tools has some
advantages. The rust proof coating that plastics provide could well be used not
only for long term storage, but also for storage between uses in your shop or
gun room . Unlike oils, which may have to be removed before use, the plastic
does not require repeated wiping or solvents, it just peels off and in some
cases can be reused .
DESICCANTS
There are two good methods to preserve metals in long term storage. The usual
method is to coat the metal in a petroleum jelly or cosmoline. This method has
proven itself for many years but requires much labor and solvents to remove. A
second method, which will work equally well and requires no labor to apply or
remove is the use of a desiccant in a sealed storage container.
A desiccant is a substance which absorbs water from the air. There are many
chemical compounds which will act as a desiccant. However, many such as barium
perchlorate or phosphorus pentoxide can form corrosive material as they absorb
moisture. Two very good desiccants which are readily available and excellent for
long term use are silica gel and Drierite. Drierite is a product of the W. A.
Hammond Drierite Company and is anhydrous calcium sulfate. Silica gel is
manufactured by many companies and is a precipitated silica acid, but is quite
inert to any chemical reaction.
Both of these desiccants are available in two forms, a regular or an
indicating form. The indicating forms have a small amount of material which
changes from blue, when dry and ready for use to pink when their drying capacity
is exhausted. Although the indicating forms are more expensive, the knowledge
that they are ready for use is well worth the extra cost.
Silica gel and Drierite are available from most scientific supply companies,
generally in one or five pound lots. A list of some of these are in the appendix
(D). The cost is continually changing but at the time of this writing, plain
Drierite was listed at $3.70 per pound. or $13.70 per five pounds. The
indicating type costs about double that of the plain. The indicating silica gel
listed at $8.66 per pound or $30.25 for five lbs. Only the indicating silica gel
is listed here because for static drying the manufacturers recommend only an
indicating type.
Both of the desiccants are also available in prefabricated containers.
Generally they are a round tin about 2 3/4 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch
thick. However, we have found a rectangular silica gel containers 17/32 inches
by 2 1/16 inches by 4 inches. These are loaded with indicating silica gel or
indicating Drierite. The silica gel sells for about $3.50 each and the Drierite
ones for about $2.00 at this time. Again, the cost is continually changing .
These ready-made air dryers contain about an ounce of desiccant and are good for
five cubic feet of space. Silica gel packets can be found in Shotgun News (See
appendix J) at a reasonable price. These have silica gel in porous paper. The
small packets are good for approximately 2500 cubic inches and cost $2.00 for
10. A large packet contains 12 ounces for $4.75 plus postage and it is good for
rather large spaces. Some camera stores handle small packets of silica gel used
for protecting cameras and film.
Desiccants in the bulk form can easily be made into forms similar to the
premade air dryers. A simple but effective packet can be made from porous cloth
such as burlap or "Handi-Wipes. " Form an envelope by sewing or
stapling, add an ounce of desiccant and close off the end. An air dryer can also
be made by using a small metal can such as a band-aid can and punching or
drilling a lot of small holes in it. The holes must be large enough to allow
maximum air flow, but smaller than the grain size of the desiccant. Then fill
the can with desiccant and close. The can could be permanently closed by
soldering, or you could use plastic tape. One pound of silica gel or Drierite
will make ten to twenty air driers. At this point, it should be mentioned that
although Drierite is a good Desiccant and generally costs less than silica gel,
with rough handling such as when transporting the sealed container, some of it
could powder and coat the contents of the container it is to dry. With careful
packing and handling, this will be avoided .
V.P.I.--VAPOR PHASE INHIBITOR
Another method which is not a desiccant but has a similar effect can be used
to protect metal in a sealed container. This is a white crystalline powder which
fills the container with vapor (displacing the air) rather than removing it. One
of the trade names is "Va-Pro-Tex". (See appendix D) The protection
lasts as long as the articles remain in the vapor. Also because it is not a
desiccant it will not dry out wooden parts. It can also be used with oil type
preservatives. There is a possibility that this method may cause some softening
of some wood finishes or may cause minor discoloration of some plastics and
wood. However, this is uncommon and is more likely to occur when the crystals
are in direct contact with the items. Va-Pro-Tex is easy to use and works best
in air tight containers. The easiest method is to sprinkle it in loose form into
container. It can also be placed in a small pan within the container or even
wrapped in a single thickness of loosely woven cloth or facial tissue, then
placed in the container. The quantity to be used depends on the container size.
A half teaspoon per cubic foot should provide complete protection. This method
can be used for long periods of storage because once the container is sealed the
vapors remain to give protection until it is opened. When the items are removed
a quick cleaning to remove any Va-Pro-Tex in direct contact with the metal,
especially the bore of a firearm, and it is ready to use. (NOTE: Avoid breathing
the dust or vapors from V.P.I.) A Vapor Phase Inhibitor is also available in
paper form. (See appendix D) The suppliers of this type of inhibitor give the
life expectancy of the protection it provides at approximately seven years in a
sealed plastic container or aluminum foil. Because of the limited life
expectancy we do not recommend it for below ground storage. However, it could be
put to good use in your shop or gun room to protect parts, tools and equipment
in limited storage. A good use would be to wrap a mold block in the paper, then
seal with aluminum foil or in a plastic bag. After the mold is used it can be
re-wrapped for further protection. A small piece can also be placed in the box
used to store reloading dies and provide protection between uses. This type of
paper is not recommended for magnesium, cadmium, zinc, copper or Thiokol rubber.
The long term storage of firearms and accessories would be useless if when
removed from their container you find nothing but rust. The proper use of a
desiccator, cosmoline or V. P. I. will prevent this and rendered the stored item
useful even after many years.
LOCATION OF BURIAL SITE, PLACEMENT OF CONTAINER
If you are storing food for a long term for emergency use during some type of
calamity, your house would serve as a good location. However, if you are storing
firearms or the like until the "Crunch" comes, your house or yard is
probably the worst possible location. (Unless you own a large number of acres.)
With today's technology (i.e., metal detectors) any place you bury or store them
is going to be easy to locate. A house or yard can be scanned in pretty short
order. Snoopy neighbors are also a hazard. The best location would be somewhere
relatively remote. There are several things to keep in mind about picking a
location. Be sure as you can that it is not going to be the location of a
development of some kind or in the way of a highway construction project. Also
be sure that you have some type of permanent, natural reference points which can
be used to locate the site at some point in the future when your memory of it's
location can be somewhat hazy. Bury it DEEP. Four feet or more is best. (be sure
the area is not prone to floods or erosion) To confuse possible searchers (other
than yourself) it is best to scatter tin cans and the like a foot or two from
the surface to make it appear as though the area was used as a dump of some
sort.
Another good method is to bury the item directly under a fence post (or fence
posts). However, DO NOT depend on the fence post as a permanent landmark. Use
some other features in the area as reference points. Try to leave the area
looking the same as it was before you buried the items. If there is thick sod
covering the area, cut out a section and replace it in as natural a state as
possible. It is best to bury long, narrow objects (i. e., PVC pipe) end up. The
advantage to burying an object end-up is that it reduces the "target"
profile and makes it more difficult for someone using a metal detector. By the
same token it makes it more difficult for you to recover the object, which makes
it vital that you triangulate the location.
MARKING THE CONTAINERS
If you are burying more than one item in an area, it is best to put some
outside identification on the container so you will know for sure what is
inside. The best method is to obtain some clear plastic sheets used for covering
cards, etc., for protection while carrying in your billfold. These can be
obtained at most stationery stores. They have an adhesive on one side and
usually come in letter size sheets. Type or write the description of the item in
the container on a small card and seal between two pieces of plastic and trim
off the excess, being sure to leave enough around the edges to insure a perfect
seal.
A second method of sealing a I. D. card in plastic is to use a small, trimmed
down "Seal-A-Meal" type bag with the card inside. Whichever method you
choose, tape the card to the container with two separate pieces of plastic tape
passed completely around the container so that it will not come loose while you
are burying it.
Ammo Sealant
HANDLOADER #160 (Nov-Dec 92) has a good article on using an asphalt lacquer
to seal case mouths and urethane varnish to seal up primers. The source of the lacquer
might surprise you. Ortho Prune Seal is a NON-HARDENING asphalt sealant very
similar to that used for US military ammo and is available in most garden shops.
H&H Cartridge Corp also makes (made?) a mil-spec case mouth sealing compound
called "Vapor Guard". One might also make up their own sealer using
asphaltum and lacquer thinner. Urethane (for sealing primers) is common
poly-urethane wood sealer which cures up tough/hard and is formulated to
withstand weather.
!! DO NOT USE ANYTHING THAT DRIES HARD TO SEAL CASE NECKS!!
I suppose this should go without saying, but I'd feel awful if somebody hurt themselves.
If you coated the inside case neck to the seating depth of the bullet with a
hardening lacquer, nail polish, urethane varnish or what ever, you would cement
the bullet in place and could blow up your weapon thus wrecking your afternoon.
Simply putting a ring of something around the mouth of the case (bullet seated)
would probably be iffy also.
The method I use is: (All usual disclaimers in force. This is strictly given
as a "fer-instance" and should not be used in place of an
authoritative source)
A. Size, de-prime, (bell case mouths for hand gun ammo), clean primer pockets, etc. It is very important to get all oil, grease and crud off of the cases, otherwise you're wasting your time.
B. Coat the inside of the case mouths with the *ASPHALT* sealer (about the consistency of pancake syrup) down to bullet seating depth. Use a tooth pick or pipe cleaner to "paint" it on. I am VERY picky about this stage, it's gotta be perfect. No slop allowed! (if the asphalt sealer gets to thick, I use lacquer thinner to thin it) Don't get sealer in the primer pockets!
C. Dry with case mouths down over a screen or other arrangement that will allow for complete air drying for at least one day. Check for EVEN coverage and clogged primer pockets.
D. Make sure priming tool is absolutely free of oil and prime cases. Reject any cases with loose primer pockets. Place cases, mouth down, in a clean dry cartridge box. Apply poly-urethane varnish with a small brush, tooth-pick etc, making sure to just cover the crack between the primer and the case. wipe off excess. Allow to dry one day.
E. Charge cases with powder and seat bullets. DO NOT CRIMP BULLETS AT THIS TIME. YOU WILL UNDO EVERY THING YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR!! Crimp lightly in a separate step if necessary to keep bullets from backing out under recoil, being driven in deeper by an auto-loader or banging the front of a magazine. I haven't found much difference in case mouth tension with the sealer. i.e. if an unsealed load needed a crimp so does the sealed load. Too heavy of a crimp will cause a bulge that breaks the seal.
F. NOW WORK UP YOUR LOADS USING THE SEALED CASES!
G. Test water-tightness by placing a statistically significant (at least 10%) sample in hot water (previously boiled to remove dissolved air) with a drop of dish soap and allowing to cool overnight, checking occasionally for air bubbles coming from the primer or case neck areas. (It is variance in temp and air pressure that defeats the inherent integrity of unsealed ammo.) Disassemble any ammo that fails this test to find out what went wrong. Once you get it right the failure rate will be zero.
H. What a pain, eh? Oh well, I wanted oil tight, watertight, solvent resistant ammo right? I got it. Now all I have to do is keep the brass and bullet from deteriorating.
I hope this helps get you started. I'm sure this is covered in one book or
another but I'm not sure which. Can't find it in anything close at hand. If your
local library carries one of George Nonte's books on advanced handloading I'll
bet that old rascal included something about sealing up ammo. Heck maybe
Hatchers Notebook has it. (Sure cure for insomnia!)
Perhaps the very best storage container I've ever found are military surplus
25mm fiberglass ammo canisters. They measure approximately 14 x 14.5 x 5.75w and
weigh about 11.5 pounds each. The inside measurements are considerably smaller
at about 11 x 11 x 5. The top and bottom both open, hinged with a metal rod
running through the reinforced fiberglass. Both covers have a rubber seal around
the edges for a waterproof seal, and latch down with a heavy duty leverage type
metal catch. There's a nylon strap on both covers for carrying, and inside there
are two fiberglass plates for keeping the 25mm ammo seated (I still haven't
found a good use for those yet, but they look too nice to throw away).
Practically indestructible, they're great for storing heavy supplies such as
tools, ammo, hardware, etc.. Each can will hold over 1100 rounds of 7.62x39
still in the factory 10 round blister packs, and considerably more if filled
loose. I bought 2 of these some months ago at a military surplus store for about
$15.00 each, and was begging them to find some more. These are nice!
The story behind them is that they were used in Desert Storm, where the metal
cans wouldn't withstand getting sand in the hinges. You'll need to wash them off
to get all the sand out of them, and to get all the military stickers off.
Filling these with your long term storage items, throwing in a bag of silica
gel, and then running a bead of silicon rubber around the covers ought to
provide you with a container that will last longer than your great
grandchildren. These work equally well for just using them for tool boxes or for
carrying gear to the rifle range (..look Billy Bob, that boy's gonna be a'
shootin' a 25mm!).
VACUUM packing is not a good idea for any plastic, as the vacuum lowers the
temp that plastics outgas and, will speed the deterioration of all plastics.
Please Read The Website Disclaimer!
Copyright 1986-2012, The Survival & Self-Reliance Studies Institute (SSRsi), All
Rights Reserved
Site conceptualized, designed, created & maintained by MEG Raven
Snail Mail: SSRsi, PO Box 2572 Dillon, CO. 80435-2572