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What's that smell???
Board: Tools of the Trade
Apr 4, 2007 9:47am
Thread (disabled) Board
My mother in law was cleaning my kitchen and said, "Someone around here must have some really bad breath!"
And it wasn't because there was a smell. It was because I had 20 Altoids cans on the microwave. I'm addicted to Altoids gum and Altoids chocolate covered mints.

The obvious assumption is that I eat these things so I can use the containers for letterboxing, but it's sort of worked in reverse. In 2002 (before I liked Altoids), I took a friend's Altoids tin and used it for a letterbox. The thing ended up FILLED with tiny bugs or larva within 6 months. I never considered it a very good tool, but now I'm inundated with Altoid tins!

I did a search of the message boards here for "Altoids" and found that many people commonly use these. Here are my questions:

Are there certain smells that attract bugs? (mint, cinnamon, etc.)

Are there certain smells that keep bugs away? (I've heard that lavender is repulsive to fleas and someone mentioned that cinnamon keeps mosquitoes away).

Does putting Altoid tins INSIDE plastic containers STILL attract insects, or does the plastic provide enough protection?

And lastly, for those of you that use magnets with the tins: What kind of magnet? Where do you put it? What do you hold it in place with?

If you want to answer only one of these questions, feel free to change the name of the subject as it might help other people who were wondering the same thing.

-Quiet Place (<<< currently smelling minty fresh)
Re: What's that smell???- my experience with altoids tins
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #83251 by Quiet Place
Apr 4, 2007 10:21am
Thread (disabled) Board
I have used altoids tins several times. Always, I have made them magnetic. I get 1" circular magnets and super glue them to the top of the box. I use 3 or 4 usually.

My problem has been that they always rust a bit over time and the lid becomes hard to remove. I have one that is an indoors environment and it hasn't had this problem, though.

I've never had bugs, but I do wash the tins well before use.

Desi
Re: What's that smell???- my experience with altoids tins
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #83257 by drgdlg
Apr 4, 2007 1:46pm
Thread (disabled) Board
if you use stronger, smaller rare earth magnets... you can even place one directly inside the tin in the bottom. it is strong enough to magnetically attract thru the tin. that is better usually than messing with glues that will eventually come loose. I have some magnets left of the original stock... I am debating on whether to continue to supply them...at this point I think I will.
Re: What's that smell???
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #83251 by Quiet Place
Apr 4, 2007 7:54pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I use Altoid tins a lot for urban plants, but they have to be prepared correctly. Spray the inside AND the outside with Krylon's Paint for Plastic. Then tape the outside with your tape over lapping the little swivel joints, to prevent the most moisture. I use rare earth magnets if I am going to use any at all. They work better than anything.

This gives me about twice the life on an Altoids tin. I've had some of them out there like this for over a year..and throughout the winter. Hope that helps!

LW PhD
"Nice Counts"
Re: What's that smell??? Chocolate-covered ginger 'toids!
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #83251 by Quiet Place
Apr 4, 2007 7:57pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Mmmmm...they're my favorite....

I use these too, but I scuff up the finish a bit with fine grit sandpaper, then spray with white primer. Then I get out the Sharpies and have fun! Take a look here:

http://www.atlasquest.com/lboxes/showboxinfo.html?gBoxId=34292

I don't as a rule put photos of my boxes on AQ, but since this is an HH and I don't show the actual stamp (which is an unrelated image) I went ahead and put this on. This is actually a MINI Altoids tin - only a couple inches long.

I have some tins I planted last summer that seem to be holding up pretty well, but they are in semi-protected areas. I really do think the paint helps a lot, plus it's really fun to color!

There was a recent thread about camoflaguing boxes where someone talked about making camo bags using heavy-duty freezer ziplocks and duct tape - basically wrapping the ziplock in a layer of camo duct tape which makes it both sturdier and hard to spot - I may try this for another Altoids plant I'm planning that's in an area where it might get exposed to wet.

~rozebud
Re: What's that smell??? Chocolate-covered ginger 'toids!
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #83315 by rozebud
Apr 4, 2007 8:13pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote There was a recent thread about camoflaguing boxes where someone talked about making camo bags using heavy-duty freezer ziplocks and duct tape - basically wrapping the ziplock in a layer of camo duct tape which makes it both sturdier and hard to spot - I may try this for another Altoids plant I'm planning that's in an area where it might get exposed to wet.

I have also wrapped the altoids tin in Camo Tape and it helps to disguise it.

-Amanda from Seattle
Re: What's that smell??? Chocolate-covered ginger 'toids!
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #83320 by Amanda from Seattle
Apr 4, 2007 8:27pm
Thread (disabled) Board
hmm, I have wondered about altoids boxes and such tins. How do they hold out
in our coastal Pacific weather? Don't they rust?? what types of locations
do you use them in?
Pilgrims