Camouflage an Ammo Box

Do you enjoy geocaching? Are you to the point where you'd like to hide your own caches, but you think the ammo cans in the army surplus stores are too rusty or ugly for use? You can do it yourself, prepping and decorating for own ammo cans to save money and have fun.

Steps

1. Obtain the ammo cans.
2. Look for the least amount of rust and a good inner seal.
3. Sand the outer surface of the can to remove any rust or previously stenciled lettering.
4. Wipe away sanding dust before applying paint.
5. Obtain spray patch your natural surroundings. Rustoleum brand works very well, as it prevents further rust from developing.
6. This should be a well ventilated area with some sort of protection for the floor and ammo cans. Flattened cardboard boxes work very well.
7. Open the ammo can and lay it flat (or even remove the hinged lid altogether.)
8. Remove the lid of the spray paint can, shake up the spray paint and start spraying. Keep an even distance from surface being painted to get an even coating and avoid lingering in one spot too long and causing
9. Spray somewhat random patterns. You need a blotchy sort of final product with no recognizable pattern.
10. Allow the paint to dry.
    

STENCIL

1. Measure the ammo can.
2. Write your message in a word processor, using a large, block font such as Arial Black. Size the font to fit within the measurements of the ammo can.
3. Print your message (in the example, only the word "Geocache" was used).
   • You can use cardstock as a temporary stencil, or a thin sheet of plastic for a more permanent stencil (a roll up kitchen cutting mat was used in this example).
4. Transfer the stencil to heavy paper or plastic. The roll up kitchen cutting mats are translucent. This author taped the printed letters to one side, traced with a thin marker, and then cut the letters out using scissors and an exacto knife.
5. Cut out the stenciled letters.
6. Hold the stencil over the ammo can.
7. Spray evenly across the stencil.
8. Remove the stencil and allow the paint to dry.

Things You'll Need

• Ammo Can
• Sandpaper
• Spray paint, preferably a rust inhibiting brand such as Rustoleum
• Stencil Materials (optional)
  • Kitchen roll up cutting mat, or cardstock (optional)
  • Exacto Knife or sharp scissors (for cutting stencils)

Related Articles

• Create and Hide a Geocache
• Have Fun Geocaching
• Go Geocaching
• Do Letterboxing

See also

• Make Wire Bookmarks
• Solder Wire Sculptures
• Reuse Wire Hangers
• Create and Hide a Geocache
• Make a Wire Tree Sculpture
• Go Geocaching
• Forge a Knife
• Make Metal Rust
• Make Fake Gold from Nickels
• Color Metal

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What links here

• Create and Hide a Geocache