A box listed as abandoned on the letterboxing.org site really
only means that the planter has not taken responsibility for
the box on the website. They may or may not still be maintaining
the box. In the previous incarnation of the website it was not
necessary for someone to be responsible for each box and a
tremendous load fell on the webmasters. Now they have set it up
so that someone must be responsible to answer questions that
come up about a box. If a placer doesn't know about the changes
on the site or doesn't want to fulfill that requirement the box
is listed as abandoned.

For a micro- or mini-box you will definately want to take along
a pen, stamp pad, and a SMALL stamp. The logbook will be small
so there probably won't be room for a large stamp.

--Mahjong

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Pam Kleingers"
wrote:
> Abandoned boxes: Does this mean they are defintiely gone or simply
that no
> one is caring for them so they might be gone?
>
> Microboxes--Are small, film cannister sized, right? Anything else
I should
> know?
>
> And for everyone else whomight be new at this--lessons I have
learned:
> Socks, decent shoes and bug spray are essential! Also, a good
cobweb stick,
> tho that can usually be found on the way.
>
> Trying not to be too green,
>
> Pam
> F1
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Good morning, Pam - and welcome from another newbie!

My understanding is that an abandoned box is one that the planter
can't check on after it is planted.... such as one that was planted
on a vacation and is far from the planter's home... or possibly one
that was planted by a letterboxer who is no longer involved in the
sport. Sometimes these boxes are 'adopted' by another letterboxer
who lives nearby, and doesn't mind checking regularly and taking
care of any box maintanence needed.

As for the micro letterboxes, as far as I know, film cannisters
qualify. Also, I have seen Altoid boxes discussed as micros,
although there is some hesitancy in using those because, of
themselves, they are not waterproof.

I have quite a few letterboxes waiting to be planted and the
majority of them are micros in film cannisters. I am also a
scrapbooker, so use LOTS of film, and rarely throw away a film
cannister! LOL! I made my logbooks for these canisters long and just
slightly narrower than the cannister is tall - about 1 1/2" wide and
5 1/2 " long. I coil up the log book around the small information
paper and the small box stamp and put it all in the cannister. Then
I use strong mailing tape around the cannister (avoiding the lid, of
course) to attach the little identification etc. label. It works
pretty well. I am in South Texas, where there are not that many
letterboxers so I think my little logbooks inside the cannisters,
which will hold about 15-30 signatures will last a long time.

Welcome to letterboxing!
Wanda (Busy Bee)

This is a question that just occured to me. What size stamp and
logbook does everyone use. I know we are all different just curious
what is more widely used. Purple Iris
>
> For a micro- or mini-box you will definately want to take along
> a pen, stamp pad, and a SMALL stamp. The logbook will be small
> so there probably won't be room for a large stamp.
>
> --Mahjong
>

So far we use small 3 x 3 acid free scrapbook type books. I figure
when we get into the big numbers we'll graduate to something nicer,
maybe something fancy like the "big boys" use that I've read about in
past posts. "Big boys" includes big girls too, really, any seasoned
boxer would fit.
:-)
catbead


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "sandymess" wrote:
> This is a question that just occured to me. What size stamp and
> logbook does everyone use. I know we are all different just curious
> what is more widely used. Purple Iris

I use the 3x5 spiral bound notecards from Walmart (I don't have a big budget
and they are only $1 a piece). Even though they have lines on them, I flip
the whole thing over and start at the back of the book on the blank side of
the pages. I even got creative and covered the front and back with
decorative paper and fancy 'titles' (Book 1, Book 2, etc.) I keep my
carvings in a separate book and have needed to start a second one of those
as well.

Scoutdogs
F-166 P-27 (but have carved many more) E-5 X-62

*****You can see my carvings on my website at: www.Scoutdogsboxes.com
*****(& I updated the picture on the home page for those that want to be
able to see me (in the previous picture, you couldn't see my face). If you
see me on the trails, be sure to ask for an exchange!



> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "sandymess" wrote:
> > This is a question that just occured to me. What size stamp and
> > logbook does everyone use. I know we are all different just curious
> > what is more widely used. Purple Iris

Where do you find 3 x 3 books? I haven't found anything that
small.

--Mahjong

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "ehughes52" wrote:
> So far we use small 3 x 3 acid free scrapbook type books.

I found them at Michaels in the scrapbooking section on sale.
:-)
catbead

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "abacus00" wrote:
> Where do you find 3 x 3 books? I haven't found anything that
> small.
>
> --Mahjong
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "ehughes52" wrote:
> > So far we use small 3 x 3 acid free scrapbook type books.

Thanks. It's back to Michaels to see if I can find any.

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "ehughes52" wrote:
> I found them at Michaels in the scrapbooking section on sale.
> :-)
> catbead
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "abacus00"
wrote:
> > Where do you find 3 x 3 books? I haven't found anything that
> > small.