FAQ

PRODUCT INFO

Q - Can your time capsules be engraved?

A - Yes! The best lids to engrave are the 6-inch Mr Future or the 5.5-inch Mrs Future Lid. Now you have a choice between the Laser method (an engraved marking method that is a high quality indelible marking that lasts hundreds of years), or the simple Diamond drag engraving for simple letters and numbers. 

Q - Can you bury your time capsules in the ground and be sure it will keep all moisture and corrosion out?

A - Yes. All of our time capsules, unless otherwise noted on the product (e.g. the Indoor Sally 3x12 Time Capsule #35121) can be buried in the ground safely. Each of the time capsules comes with easy to follow instructions for extending the life of the seal. Please note that we do not always include the sealant with the time capsule. Packages or bundles do include a sealant, but for others, you may need to order the sealant option if you want it.

Q - Are your time capsules inner or outer dimensions?

A - Please assume the cylinder time capsules are of outer dimensions. 

Q - What material and what grade are your time capsules made of?

A - Our Time Capsules are made of 304 Stainless Steel.

Q - Is a vault necessary if we need to bury our time capsule?

A - No, although there are sometimes reasons for doing so, such as for physical and mechanical protection from earth-moving equipment, as well as some protection from earth movement. If you construct a vault, or use a pre-fabricated one, pay attention to how it drains. As for placement, the time capsule should not receive more water than usual. If you are considering a garden setting, be aware that no water should be near the time capsule area. In the same vein, never wrap our time capsules in plastic. Again DO NOT wrap the time capsule in plastic. The plastic will hold moisture to the metal, and instead of protecting it, it would hasten corrosion over time.

Q - Why aren’t your stainless steel time capsules as thick as the aluminum ones sold by other companies?

A - Stainless steel is a stronger material than either aluminum or copper, and this, in addition to its superior corrosion resistance, makes it a preferable material for time capsule fabrication. Simply put, you don’t need as thick of a wall with stainless as you do with aluminum. Less of it is eaten away over time.

Q - Why does the artwork for a plaque or engraving need to be a certain format? What do you mean by ‘vector’? Why can’t I use a web picture, a Word file, or a *.jpg file?

A - Pictures for the web and those embedded into a Word file are not of good quality, but even a high quality *.jpg or *.tif is still not vector art.Vector art, or "vector-based art," is a technique that creates paths and points in a program such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDraw. It is often the original program that created your logo or art. Such a program keeps track of the relationships between these points and paths. Vectors are any scalable objects that keep their proportions and quality when sized up or down. They're defined as solid objects, and can be moved around in full, or grouped together with other objects. You create vector art by using a vector illustration program. The equipment that does the laser engraving only uses vector formats.

When you submit artwork to us, it must be:

Acceptable file formats include:

Fonts: Unless we can find a similar font or unless it is a standard one, any special fonts should be converted to curves or outlines.

Q - What about polyethylene zip bags for protecting items?

A - They are better than nothing, but don’t expect them to do much. While the uncoated polyethylene isn’t harmful to your items when properly stored, all polyethylene is limited in its protection abilities. People expect too much from its protection. People hear stories about plastics lasting forever, hurting our landfills and so forth. Naturally, they think their items will last inside of them forever. Not so. Be prudent in your use of plastics. You can still use them (and use any that are in our kits or packaging) for segregating things inside the container that you might not have better enclosures for, or for an outer enclosure for the good paper envelopes, for instance.

Q - How long will your time capsules last? I have seen companies claim their plastic capsules will last hundreds of years.

A - Well, plastic may last hundreds of years but this does not mean the items inside will fare well over time in them. Plastics crack, and they change at the molecular level over time. If you decide on a plastic time capsule, limit the time of storage and limit any adverse environmental limitations placed on them. We would recommend against burial of those time capsules.

Our time capsules are made from 304 stainless steel, which is low in carbon. Our welders are skilled and certified, and our quality inspector looks for seam problems and fabrication errors before we ship any of them. Even our irregular cylinder time capsules are inspected as to function, so any irregularity in them will be in slight cosmetic appearance only.

How long your time capsule will last really does depend on the conditions the container must withstand over the number of years in storage. The following estimates for our buried time capsules are far less than if they were stored indoors or in a cornerstone, as we are conservative in our estimates. We provide the sealant & optional wax to extend the potential successful storage time.

• Cylinder Time Capsules “Future Line” 6 x 24” MR FUTURE – 50 to 75 years or more when buried according to instructions and recommendations (should have a sealant kit)
• Cylinder Time Capsules “Future Line” 5.5 x 22” MRS FUTURE – 50 to 75 years or more when buried according to instructions and recommendations (should have a sealant kit)

Q - I have a few questions about the Sally 3 x 12" (35120) time capsule. I am considering it as a buriable (but later recoverable) container for pet (cat) cremains. Would this container be suitable for that?

A - Yes, it would be fine for that purpose. I would recommend some additional desiccant (maybe 2 packs of ½ unit size) or silica gel packs (2 of the 10 gram). You should order a sealant kit with the time capsule.

Q - Are the time capsules shipped with the label attached?

A - No, the Time Capsule Label is provided blank and is not applied. You can fill it out with a Sharpie pen or omit it entirely.

Q - Can you tell me what the benefits of buying a time capsule from you, over using a stainless steel flask? We have a vacuum stainless steel flask which is designed to be air tight, but we're not sure if we need to purchase something specifically designed for time capsule use. We want it to last 50 years. It seals with a heavy duty plastic screw cap with a stainless steel cover.

A - No, it would not be comparable. The capsules we sell have a threaded cap, and they are 100% stainless steel. Your flask is only partially stainless steel, and the stainless steel cap is designed to be used as a cup or cover – it is not a real lid. The plastic screw cap is not good enough on its own. If you insist on using it, I would recommend against burial, certainly. If you still wish to bury it, you should consider at least sealing the cover part where it meets the bottom, with a sealant such as our Silicone Sealant Kit. IF you are sealing stainless steel to stainless steel, this type of container would be most similar to our older style Sally, which has a friction fit lid that just pops open. We do not recommend that container be buried. In addition, the most common stainless is grade 302, an inferior stainless grade to the 304 which we use. There is more chance of corrosion over the 50 years you want it to last (and not leak). In short, the flask container you wish to use was not designed to be a time capsule container.

Q - My sorority is having a 100 year celebration and are considering burying a time capsule in the garden at the ceremony. Could you suggest a product for us to use?

A - It would contain photos, newspapers and other items. We’d like it to last 50 years. Most popular for many customers is the 6” x 24" Mr. Future Time Capsule. It does need to be placed in an upright position (think post hole digger) and do not place in an area that is watered regularly (place large rock or paved area above it (with plaque) for security). We recommend that you make it a bundle with the matching preservation kit and oxygen absorbers, and sealant. 

Q - I went to Mercy Cross High School & graduated in 1987. We buried a time capsule I believe in the mid 80s. It could have been purchased by the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi or the school it’s self. We’re in Biloxi Ms. 39530. Does your company have records from that time? 

A - We formed the company in 1986. In 1987 we did quite a few time capsules for places near us, in Southern California. Sorry, but we did not do yours. I would normally recommend contacting the International Time Capsule Society in Oglethorpe, Georgia, but they did not form until 1990. I suggest reaching out to those who were janitors and food service workers (as well as teachers and secretaries) for the school, at the time? Best of luck!

Q - Looking to install a cylinder time capsule in the ground. What sizes are available?

A - We have 4 sizes: 3.5" diam. x 11.75" H, 7.75" diam x 9" H, 5.5” diam x 22” H, and 6” diam x 24” H. Some sizes may be out of stock. Please see: https://www.futurepkg.com/future-line-time-capsules