Wood choice for a 'buryable' treasure chest?

[Pvt_Ryan]

I dunno.. We are in a recession and a 9mm bullet is cheaper than a flight to iraq...

 

[Froggy]

We seem to have gotten off track slighty here - sorry.

 

[tekno.mage]

Not sure the data on the USB stick will survive 18 years, even if kept in dry controlled conditions. USB sticks contain flash memory and this will gradually lose it's data over that many years, so it's likely even if you could find a USB reader in 18 years time the stick would be empty :-(

You might do better with very high quality write-once CDs. Avoid DVDs and re-writable CDs. Of course if you had access to a paper tape reader/writer and used mylar paper tape, that probably would last for 18 years, even without keeping it dry!

Your best bet (inside the Elm box with soldered-shut lead lining) would be be vacuum pack and seal all the contents seperately in very stout polythene. The MOD used to do this (the vacuum packing in stout polythene, not the elm & lead box) with spares that were kept for up to 10 years in very damp storage premises and the method worked well.

 

[pren]

Hi guys! Thankyou all so much for your responses! Been offline for a few days so haven't been able to keep up on here!


The 'store in the attic' idea was rejected on the grounds on it not being 'romantic' enough :lol: Also, she's constantly moving house/country so keeping hold of it safely is unlikely. :roll: :lol:

Sealing a box within a box within heavy duty plastic is looking like being the best option. I guess the whole excitement of getting thru the layers like a Russian doll / pass the parcel game would add to the fun.

I agree that a decent CD would be a better bet than a USB drive. Also more likely to be readable in 18yrs. Maybe make a couple of copies and include them in the chest just in case.


My friends father is a roofer, so wrapping and soldering in lead would be fairly straight forward to achieve.



So.... the plan at the moment is to seal the goodies in a strong, airtight poly bag with some dessicant. Pack that into a 'chest' made from Iroko that has been finished in oil and sealed with compressable seal. That's going to be wrapped with some sort of tarp/oil skin and packed into a metal trunk/flight case. The whole lot will be wrapped in lead and soldered shut. The entire circus will be buried in an area that is highly unlikely to be turned into a carpark or similar, in a pit with large gravel at the bottom to allow for drainage.


<phew>


Ow's that grab ya? :lol:


Thanks again for the help! Looking forward to this one!

 

[Pvt_Ryan]

I'd note the GPS coordinates of the package as well when buried.. Better to be SURE you can find it even if you don't give her the coordinates.

 

[Nick69]

These USB sticks have been well tested an proved:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ATP-Waterproof- ... B001PO5YZG

 

[johnjin]

The manufacturer only reckons on ten years for the data and pren is looking for nearly double that.

John

 

[Nick69]

Oh sorry didnt notice that.

 

[dickm]

When we last moved house, we found a box containing the paper tapes that had all the data from SWMBO's PhD work. They were last used er.... considerably more than 20 years ago. And since the tapes held what was confidential data, we thought we'd better destroy them. Took one heck of a time even to get them to burn!
So if you want permanent storage, I guess the suggestion of Mylar paper tape is the answer. Of course whether there will be a paper tape reader outside a museum by then is another question; there probably aren't (m)any in use even now

 

[pren]

I guess the suggestion of Mylar paper tape is the answer. Of course whether there will be a paper tape reader outside a museum by then is another question; there probably aren't (m)any in use even now

I daresay this is going to identify me as a yoof, but ..... what's paper tape? :duno: :lol: Cassette tapes were on the way out when I was old enough to know owt about owt! :lol: :lol:

I assume if a CD is kept away from moisture and scratches, it should last the duration I guess.

 

[DeanN]

Paper tape was used to program computers, using a series of holes punched in the tape to represent different commands. My first job as a computer operator involved punching cards for an old Honeywell machine (DPS6 I think). This was phased out around a year later.

 

[MickCheese]

Have you considered a pretty glass jar inside the box? The jar could be sealed with a screw top and a rubber sealing ring (like those posh jam jars), the treasure could then be kept safe in the jar even if the box succumbs to rot.

Mick

 

[wobblycogs]

A video speaks a thousand words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnIovFDwjrc&feature=related

Prior to tape they used cards with holes in that you fed in one at a time. The idea came from the textile industry which used cards with holes in them to "program" the looms to weave different patterns.

 

[dickm]

Prior to tape they used cards with holes in that you fed in one at a time. The idea came from the textile industry which used cards with holes in them to "program" the looms to weave different patterns.

Great fun if you were carrying a stack of cards and dropped them. Took forever to get them back in order. DAMHIKT.

 

[jimi43]

We spent one maths class hand punching the cards and then assembling them so that the master could take them over to "Thames Polytechnic" so he could run them through their (hugely expensive and rare) computer!

I then had to learn how to actually read 5 Unit tape (telex not computer)...now THAT was an art in itself but a huge waste of time about 5 years later!

By selecting the right letters the tape produced could be made to make other letters to use as Christmas bunting!!



Jim

 

[Melinda_dd]

I luuuuuuuve this idea! I'm now thinking about doing something simular for my sister, I'd enjoy it, even if she didn't!!!

 

[Harbo]

There has been concern that DVDs and CD's might only "last" for 10 years before the data deteriorates.

Libraries, Museums etc have been recommended to re-copy all their Digital stuff every 10 years as a just in case measure.

Rod

 

[planetWayne]

This thing reminds me of 'National Treasure'

Good film!

Anyways - there is a set of 'Resolute Desks' which contains a hidden locking mechanism that opened secret panels ... Mmmm sounds like a plan? Maybe a piece of furniture thats passed down the generations... heck you could even come up with some real cool 'story' of how they came in to being.... ;-) Sounds like fun!

Good look with this one!

 

[Pvt_Ryan]

Thinking on this, print the pics off in tescos and put the physical copies in.. It's going to be safer than relying on digital media..

The main problem is digital media hasn't been around long enough to test longevity and I for one wouldn't trust anything for 18years except perhaps an LTO tape in a climate controlled room..

 

[TrimTheKing]

She'd really like it to be made from wood and look like a proper, piratey treasure chest. It's only going to be around the size of a largeish shoebox.

Not wanting to pimp myself too much, but you mean like this one...one wot I made