Buried Key Storage

pinshape

I initially designed this to resemble a sprinkler, which it still somewhat is. The head features additional components that allow you to paint it to look like a sprinkler. You can also opt not to use this design and instead bury this in the ground as a standard hidden compartment. However, since designing it, I've decided to go with a typical storage for keys. The idea here is that this is a much safer option than hiding your key under a mat, over a door, or anywhere else someone might guess to look. You could hide your key in a planter as is, but it'll get ruined with soil over time. Burying it in foil seems like a waste of resources and could be noticeable if a piece of it shines in the light. My intention with this design is for you to have a compartment that's safe and easily hidden in dirt, soil, or mud, but still easily accessible should you need it in the future. This design is water-resistant based on a series of tests I performed. When completely closed and submerged under water, the keys and inside of the compartment were not wet at all. The threaded design stretches over 20 mm, giving you plenty of protection from external harm that could seep in over time. This design is primarily for keys; however, I'm sure you could store other items similar to a key. What those items might be, I'm unsure. I was able to safely store 7 keys on a keychain in here with room to spare. The default diameter measures 40 mm in length, so you should have reasonable space for keys. Possible places you can and should bury this include using it as a decoy sprinkler (after painting it to look like one) or burying it at a plant's base or under a bush. You can also bury it completely under soil in an undisclosed area of your yard, just make sure you remember where you bury it! Let your imagination run wild! There are 3 files included in this design. One is the standard head, which has been designed to be used with either of the bodies. The other two are bodies, one slimmer than the other in appearance, but both have the same capacity with a default diameter of 40 mm. The slimmer design can give this a "mushroom" look, while the thicker design can give it more of a pill shape. Some tips for printing: Print the bodies with the cone facing upwards and use supports. I went with standard supports. Print the head with supports as well; I used standard supports. I printed the head upside down (hole facing upwards), but you can print it however you like. The models in my pictures were printed in beige ABS, which is a standard 1.75 mm filament from XYZ manufacturer. I have not tested other filament materials with this design. If printing as a fake sprinkler, I would recommend choosing black; bright colors such as orange or beige will be more noticeable if exposed. When done printing, place something like paper into the compartment, close it, and submerge it under water. Running water may suffice as a test if your property is not prone to flooding. When removed, if the paper is wet, you have a leak and should reprint or find the leak and seal it using glue or another adhesive. Some tips for use: Do not over-tighten the cap; over-tightening can cause a crack in the plastic. Do not leave the cap slightly tightened; under-tightened can risk environmental harms seeping in quicker than expected. Do not hammer this into the ground using any type of hammer (metal or rubber) and do not use your foot to stomp it into the ground. Instead, gently push it into the ground. You may even twist and turn just a little bit to get it deeper into the ground, but be careful not to loosen or over-tighten when twisting. Pour 1 cup or more of water over the area you want to bury this into the ground if the ground is dry. Depending on the weather, you may wait as little as 10 minutes before burying. This will help loosen the dirt so that you can easily push it into the ground. Check the compartment 1 week after it has been buried to ensure there are no issues.