Just an interesting note for you. I've been wanting to get some "Baby Soda Bottles", these little beaker/test tubes made from unformed soda bottles. Normally they're about $2 each, but I found a place where they're only $.50 each! I just placed an order for like 30 or 40 of, because there's one catch...shipping is about $15. I hemmed and hawed, but eventually I decided that even with shipping, I could get 40 of them cheaper here than I could get 15 of them at the next best place I can find them. These things should be very, very, very durable- and waterproof to boot. I want to use them for storing survival matches and medications, maybe use one for storing honey for my FAK. Even something like alcohol or Hebiclens should work well. I ordered mostly clear but about 10 of the blue ones, along with some plastic test tubes.

Something I should have thought of before is a group buy. Oh, well...maybe next time! If anyone is interested in this product I'll let you now how the service is once I get 'em.

Wellllll... I've used them for years and I wouldn't be so enthusiastic without further testing. They are only as leakproof as a soda bottle which you re-cap: the threads wear eventually and I find that volatile liquids escape in time. They are very thick, and you won't be able to squeeze out thicker substances (honey, peanut butter, first aid creams or ointments, etc. You can get them out, but will have to scrape the tube to get much out of it. I do find that they are great for sorting, protecting, and organizing small gear. Pills, matches, hooks and split-shot, etc. And I augment the waterproofing by putting waterproof tape over the cap and threads. IMHO they're neat little tubes, but TEST them.

same product, another source ( with caps) http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/product/1367

Good to know. Yeah, I'd obviously test them first. That second source is probably a better deal- oh, well live and learn. I do think they're probaby sufficiently waterproof for organizing stuff like bandaids and matches, maybe some paracord. They'd probably make decent economical improvised sharps containers, too.

Cool find.

BTW, it won't be a huge deal if the threads wear out. At $.50 each I'd consider them somewhat disposable. Hopefully they're work nice in my first aid/survival kits.

Look like great seed holders for the garden.

I don't know.
Seems to me alot cheaper to just have an eye for containers while shopping in your favorite stores. Most stuff you get comes in some kind of container and many of them are cute.

I have used some of these free containers for tiny first aid kit and anything else you can think of. Sometime ago I bought a perfume that came in a nice pouch. That pouch is now where I keep my passport and other stuff.

Lately I have been looking for a container for cotton/petroleum jelly. I can't think of BUYING a container when everything in a drug store, food store, mega store, or any store comes packaged in something.

A valid point Mr. Chisel. The problem is this, I'd rather have something that I know works than search for something that MIGHT work.

I've got 2 similar containers that I got from CountyComm, they're durable, watertight, pretty much perfect for what they are meant for.

The ones I ordered are the same material so I know that they're watertight and durable and they come with what looks like a better and more useful cap.

It costs me about 50 cents per mile to drive, I'd rather spend 8 bucks and have something I know will work delivered to my door then spend half that much in driving costs and who knows how many hours of shopping to find something that may work in a store.

Like using soda bottles for water storage, I don't buy soda, I'd rather spend a bit more and get better containers then buy something I don't use and pour it out just to salvage the bottles.

Different strokes and all that.

P.S. as for improving their sealing abilities, I've found that a short piece of teflon tape works wonders for almost any threaded container.

I exclusively use PET bottles for every day drinking container (cheap, reusable, extremely durable, recycle whenever it gets unpleasant). Based on those experiences I got some of these baby PET bottles a while ago.

Sorry to say, but for me they became a solution looking for a problem. The things I would like to keep absolutely waterproof typically don't fit in there, or would be a pain to remove. The things that do fit ... do not require such a sturdy, bulletproof and waterproof container, and will pack much smaller in other bags, pouches or containers.


The only thing I could use them for would be liquids in small quantities and the cotton / vaseline trick (using a small string or whatever so I don't have to pull them out with a stick). I have filled some cooking oil into one and put a regular drinking cap on for easy pouring. This is a semi-long term test of how this solution will endure temperature fluctuations and long term abuse. Cooking oil is something I really would like to keep absolutely sealed in such a small container and not worry about spilling oil on my gear. The weakest point is the drinking cap, I have some doubts about that one.


Oh, remembering today's USB stick thread actually I could use them for my USB memory sticks... That's 3 applications that actually could be useful for me. Hm... maybe my impulse buy wasn't so bad after all.

Guilty as charged! I confess that I'm a "gadget guy." I can't resist buying crap that looks cool. And I'm the kind of guy that can go into OfficeMax for a box of staples and come out with $30 of specialized notebooks, index cards, report covers, etc.

JohnE

I didn't mean you go driving around just to find the perfect container. What I meant is you are shopping around as usual and while you are buying peanut butter, honey, cookies or anything else, you take notice of what kind of container it comes in.

We mostly favor a brand over the other because of price, taste or whatever. Just add the container as another category you may use to choose. Sometimes I have chosen one brand over the other (when everything else was about equal) depending on the "possible uses" of the container.

re; cotton balls/petroleum jelly. The problem has solved itself. A small petroleum jelly jar is perfect for the purpose. It is plastic , wide mouth, and as a bonus has a "petroleum Jelly" label on it.

Don't forget those folks who have the monthly burden of taking meds (think the elderly). Those prescription jars come in a wide variety of sizes. Waterproof? No, but you could use that silicone tape as a sealant. Free? Yup.

I like the "peanut butter jar" solution/outlook.

My $.02

If your ever in MN stop in at AX-Man. They have items you just wonder where they get soem of the stuff. Jus t don't go unless you have a lot of time.

the new in box range finder for a tank has been gathering dust for some years now,this might be the time to try and get a good deal on it.my Daughter when she was still in Jr High thought the iron lung was a good demo on the advancement of science.the French Army mess kits went fast and the electronic parts isle is a good place to come up with parts for your death ray.the Ax Man is one of the last of the real surplus/overruns/ stores around,
tip--they keep the good stuff under glass at the check out counter.

Does the Axe Man have a website?.

Lee

http://www.ax-man.com/

They really don't have a lot on the site. The store needs to be visited to really be experienced.

I once built an electronic fully articulated metal arm for a project at work entirely from junk parts I got at Ax Man. It wasn't as good as the "Six Million Dollar" mans arm, but it was a whole lot cheaper.

Well, my order showed up today! Overall I'd have gotten a better deal with the other place you guys linked (live and learn) but I also got some of these 10ml tubes and these 5 ml tubes, both with lids. The items were well packed and arrived pretty quickly.

The BSB's are really nice! They're unbelievably thick and solid- it's hard to imagine how you could break one. The lids fit tight and are very waterproof, at least to start. Even if they loosen over time, at $.50 each I should get my use out of them. I got mostly clear ones but while I was at it I added 10 blue ones. Not sure if they're dark enough to filter U.V. (for medicine storage, etc) but we'll see.

The transport tubes are also very cool. They seem water tight, and I've seen them used for storing medical supplies like alcohol for backpacking. The larger one should be perfect for storing a pair of tweezers or some cotton swabs.

If I get any more I'll probably try that other company but so far I'm happy with my purchase.

Here's what the transport tubes look like.

5 ml:



10 ml: