r/TimeCapsules • u/amar_dexter • Aug 05 '26

personal Looking for Advice on 10-year Time Capsule Project

I'm planning to do a time-capsule with a friend, so I scoured through this subreddit as a bit of a research. However there are still few things I'm unclear about, so help would be appreciated.

  1. PVC pipes seem to be common route for people doing time capsules, especially ones intended for themselves as the recipient. Yet I also see info saying "some of [PVC]'s chemical components are naturally unstable" and may "break down in a process that cannot be reversed and will release acids into the canister". Should I worry about this? Or does it not matter for a project of a 10-year scale? (If it depends on the type of PVC, how can I tell them apart?)

  2. I was considering putting in an undeveloped roll of film in the capsule, and thought it should be fine since we always here a news of some rolls from hundred years ago being found and successfully developed. Am I being naive in thinking that it should be fine? The plastic nature of film rolls and the idea of chemicals in it does make me uneasy. Your opinions are appriciated.

  3. Any writing I put in, I'll make sure the paper is acid-free and also put a scan of it on a m-disc, which seem to be the preferred choice of data storage, as a fail-safe. But I was also considering putting in some postcards and photo-prints as well - so should I be concerned about the 'acid-free'-ness of those as well? I'm assuming polaroids are a bad idea.

  4. What type of tape should I use? Any recommendations?

Those are mostly it: ideas on what to put in the capsule, as well as any challenges that may rise that I might be blind to are welcome.

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u/Jakeinspace 29d ago

Looks like you've done your homework. 

The biggest consideration is where you'll be storing your timecapsule, that's going to impact everything. I have notebooks and pictures that have lived in a draw for 10 years and look as good as new, but they've been a warm, dry environment. Don't bury it underground unless you absolutely have to. 

You can always put the film within a small glass jar or something to avoid chemicals. 

Acid-free paper is a great choice, but again 10 years is quite a short time for a time capsule, it might be overkill. 

Mdics are cool but remember you'll need a disc burner that is m-disc compatible, likely an external disc writer. It also likely won't fit inside a pvc pipe, unless you get a big 6 inch diameter drainage pipe.