Fake Rock Hiding Space |
Overview
There is always a need for a small, secure outdoor hiding space for your intelligence gathering follies. You too can be just like a professional agency, and hide your secret device directly in plain site. Fake tree stumps, rocks, squirrel nests, and logs all have been used by intelligence agencies at some point in time to hide their data collecting devices or to act as a drop site for contacting agents in the field.
For this project, we'll show you how to convert one of those stupid thrift store "plastic rock pictures" into an excellent outdoor hiding space for various objects.

This was a fake rock in Russia which was implanted with electronic communications equipment so MI6 officers could contact and exchange information with their Russian assets. Oh, if the communications link breaks - don't kick the rock.
Construction Notes & Pictures

Look! A rock!

No, it's just a stupid plastic fish picture.

Lets drill the bastard!
Use a 2.5 inch diameter (or larger) hole saw to drill into the plastic rock.

Use a file to clean up the edges of the new hole.

You'll need to paint over the picture on the rock and also touch up the support base with different shades of camouflage spray paint. A little bit of gray, brown, and green where used here. You'll also need to fill the injection hole with some silicone sealant. You may want to try the hobby store for more realistic-looking paint or other artificial touch-ups to add to the rock.

Completed paint overview.

Now, onto sealing that big hole. A good method is to use a piece of sheet gasket rubber from the hardware store. The gasket rubber shown here was from a "Make Your Own Gasket" plumbing kit. Use a compass to draw a circle a little larger than the hole you drilled into the rock. Then cut out the rubber patch using a pair of tin snips.
Next, you'll want to load your device into the rock. If the ultimate weatherproofing is required, fill the entire rock with silicone sealant. Be sure to leave room to get at any batteries.
Finally, to attach the rubber patch over the hole, squirt some removable weatherstripping sealant along the outside edge and place the rubber gasket over it. Remove any sealant overspill and press down on the patch until the sealant dries. Since the weatherstripping is removable, you can easily remove the patch and get access to the inside of the rock. Be sure to also paint the rubber patch.

Another possibility for sealing the hole is to use some threaded PVC adapters. You'll have to make a little divot for the rock to sit in, but this could be really handy for any seismic sensors which may need to be placed in contact with the ground.
It could also be handy for adding a "ground" heatsink to avoid having your fake rock detected by a professional counterintelligence agency using thermal imaging equipment.
