A problem is that with time, bumps and bangs, etc. the container will distort and develop a pinhole leak somewhere, compromising the waterproofness of any container. I would shrink wrap the interior contents or at least those that had to be dry in order to start a fire. Perhaps a Tupperware or Rubbermaid container with a good snap tight lid might work as well, although they are bulky compared to a good metal container.

i use an old sweets tin which i seal with electrical tape,this is completely waterproof, but, i store many of the contents seperately in small `sealable` bags ,similar to the food/sandwich bags but much smaller at about 1"x2".

the best thing that I have found so far is a candy container that is much like a snuff can that I will try to water proof. And every one in Texas has one in their pocket.<br> Thanks again

I have found tape, shrink wrap, and other more permenant waterproffing to be more of an anoyance than neccessary. If I had my altoids tin wrapped in tape and the containance shrink wrapped I would never open the thing to retrieve a simple bandaid for a small cut while at work. This is because I would rather bleed that have to re-tape and re-shrink wrap the thing when I got home!<br><br>A viable solution has been with a simple 1 inch strip of inner tube, stretched and snapped around it. A standard innertube may be too small. Buy a 2.3 inch or larger mountain bike tire tube. <br><br>These 1 inch tube strips have many other uses as well. Like holding down straps, flopping equipment, ect.

This works the best for me as well, The inner tube bands have many uses. I have tried an otter box, but it is heavy and bulky it also splits in the center so it becomes a balancing act when you open it because all of the contents fall out. Too bad we don't get our ideas together and invent a container.<br><br>Ted Fisher<br>VCSAR<br>

I have loved the heavy duty rubber bands cut from inner tubes since I first read about the idea on this forum. It never occurred to me that they would work very well to waterproof an Altoids type tin when cut to the correct width, but that makes a lot of sense.<br><br>And yes, I agree. If I kept supplies that I'm likely to use often in my PSK, I would not seal it up like I do. But, I'm one of those guys who keeps first aid & medical supplies separate from fire/shelter & water/food supplies. My first aid tin is dedicated to that task alone, and I have never sealed it up. I keep it open so I'm encouraged to use it at the first need of any of its contents. My PSK I keep taped as I described earlier, then wrapped with cordage. My preference is that the act of opening it should be difficult, since I feel it should be a ritual "declaration" by which I announce... to myself, if no one else... that, yes, it has now officially become an "emergency". It can't help but be a focusing tool and an attitude adjustment that way.<br><br>So thanks for the idea of using the rubber bands for waterproofing! That'll be a great way to seal my first aid tin against water! Up until now, my first aid tin has just not been waterproofed at all, since the only way that had occurred to me was taping. I love getting good ideas from the people on this forum!

Also, I forgot to mention:<br>if you get a small diameter tube (from a road bike tire (70 mm or smaller)) it works like a champ to make a zippo or similar lighter not only waterprof but also prevents accidental opening and that annoying fluid evaporization that occurs during storage.<br><br>Glad to be of help, concidering how much help I have recieved here

Thats great info. thanks and I have upgraded my kit with a medicine container shaped like the old wiskey flask with a wide lid that fits good in my jeans pocket. <br> PS watched cast away last night that boy should have looked on this web site!

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>I wrote:<br><br>So thanks for the idea of using the rubber bands for waterproofing! That'll be a great way to seal my first aid tin against water!<p><hr></blockquote><p>Unforunately, I can't seem to make it work. I've tried bands cut from inner tubes ranging in size from 1.75-2.35 & 1.95-2.125 mountain bike tires up to 4.25/4.50 motorcycle tires. I cut them to different sizes. I wrap them around different size and shape tins in different directions & different ways. Then, I dunk them under water in my sink for a while, take them out, open them up & dump out the water, every time.<br><br>It sure sounds like a nice idea, and the idea of using them as rubber bands, tinder or simply interesting raw material for improvisation's sake is one I still like. But I haven't yet made them successfully work for waterproofing a tin. If anyone has actually tested this idea and found it to work, would you mind posting a detailed description or pictures, if you have the means? Thanks.

J.T. - waste of time with an un-modified Altoids tin, IMO. The major fly in the ointment seems to be the bulge caused by the "hinges".<br><br>I fiddled a little with one and you CAN make it waterproof, but there's gotta be a better way... basically I bent the hinge tabs back in flush and soldered them up, then made a gasket for the lid and THEN the ranger bands bind it together. Gee, sounds sorta like a pipe tobbaco tin then...<br><br>For a lot less work: 3M PVC electrical tape CAREFULLY wrapped around the lid-body seam works MUCH BETTER if the hinge tabs on the body are bent back in flush or removed. Two complete wraps is sufficient. In cold weather, it's hard to re-seal completely in the field, but not impossible.<br><br>I used a WAVE to modify a tin (works), but using other resources in the workshop was quicker, neater, and more "satisfying". Sometimes, ya just gotta put things between a hard place and a hammer... pliers alone don't fully remove the crease in the "hinge" tab.<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Scouter Tom.