What to fill light stand sandbag with??

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Archive 2012 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

no_surrender
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p.2 #1 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

DanBrown wrote:
no_surrender wrote:
Any idea where to buy these one pound lead ingots? Are you referring to lead fishing weights?

Just go to Ebay and search for lead ingots.

Thanks Dan, I was thinking more locally...wasn't even thinking about ebay. Didn't know what an *ingot* was anyway, but I do now!

Cheers! Kevin

Apr 17, 2012 at 05:36 PM

no_surrender
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p.2 #2 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

BrianO wrote:
no_surrender wrote: Any idea where to buy these one pound lead ingots? Are you referring to lead fishing weights?

I haven't seen 1-pound ingots there, but Bass Pro sells 5-pound ingots for about $23.00. They're used for casting one's own fishing weights for those who are into DIY stuff like that.

The Bass Pro shop in Las Vegas has a 10% military discount. It's only offered on certain days, so call ahead if you're interested.

Thanks BrianO, my sand bags are in a crate on the way to Korea now...

Only been to the Vegas Bass Pro once, nice store!

Apr 17, 2012 at 05:38 PM

sic0048
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p.2 #3 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

Sheldon N wrote:
I've had no issues with sand. Use gallon size heavy duty ziploc freezer bags to put the sand in, then put the bags in the canvas sandbag holder. I double bag each individual ziploc and then put one in each side. I use the quart size for smaller sandbags.

I've dragged the sandbags around, dropped them, abused them, and never had a grain of sand leak. The canvas protects the ziploc and the ziploc holds in the sand.

That is exactly the same technique I use, except I don't double bag the ziplocks (but I do use the bags with the double seal). One bag seems to be protection enough. Like you said, the canvas bag does a great job of protecting the ziplock bags. A full one gallon bag fits perfectly in each side of the Manfrotto sandbags I have. Each bag weights about 12lbs.

Apr 17, 2012 at 05:45 PM

Jon Uhler
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p.2 #4 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

I pick up those little lunch bag coolers that places give out to promote their businesses. You know the little lunch bag coolers things that zip up. They usually have their logo's on them. They hand them out at community events like BBQ's and music shows.

Easy to carry around, free and they are just the right size for sand, gravel or little dumbells like I use.

Works like a charm....

Apr 17, 2012 at 07:40 PM

DanBrown
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p.2 #5 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

Great ideas in this post. Proves the old adage, "there's more than one way to skin a cat."

Apr 17, 2012 at 07:42 PM

Chad S
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p.2 #6 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

Somebody left some cans of really crappy, undrinkable beer at my house. I've been using that.

Apr 17, 2012 at 07:48 PM

ozpall
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p.2 #7 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

DanBrown wrote:
ozpall wrote:
Lots of.pennies!

The current penny weighs 2.5 grams. So about 181 pennies to the pound, 1810 pennies for 10 lb of weight. That's $18.10 in pennies for 10 lb. While that might be convenient to use penny rolls, that's not cheaper than buying surplus lead ingots at one pound each.

Surplus weights are not gonna buy you lunch after a shoot, my pennies would

Apr 17, 2012 at 08:31 PM

watkinssr
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p.2 #8 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

I use USPS tyveck shipping bags, free at your post office (they will even mail them to you for free). Fill with playground sand, tape shut with priority mail tape (they give that out free too) and then put the bag inside of a second tyvek bag and fill tape shut again.

I've abused the hell out of them, they never leak, and all you pay for is the sand.

Apr 18, 2012 at 07:49 AM

markd61
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p.2 #9 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

Small washed ornamental gravel at Home Depot. 10lbs for about $5.

Apr 18, 2012 at 10:47 PM

boshek
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p.2 #10 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

rare gold coins

Apr 18, 2012 at 10:50 PM

no_surrender
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p.2 #11 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

boshek wrote:
rare gold coins

LMAO!

Apr 18, 2012 at 11:15 PM

boshek
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p.2 #12 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

no_surrender wrote:
boshek wrote:
rare gold coins

LMAO!

thanks, i will be here all week!

Apr 18, 2012 at 11:57 PM

Waki
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p.2 #13 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

Try this one....I used a few thousand cast lead bullets I had laying around from my old reloading days. I was going to give them away then the light bulb went on and they work beautifully. I put them in heavy ziploc's then into the canvas pouch....perfect. And heavy.

Apr 20, 2012 at 03:01 AM

D Smith
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p.2 #14 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

My cat weighs about 15lbs, you can have it for free, I'll eat the shipping costs too...

Apr 21, 2012 at 05:58 AM

teebat
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p.2 #15 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

no_surrender wrote:
Really don't want to deal with sand on location and rocks don't weigh enough per volume. Any suggestions of what to use that I can find locally?

Can't find any small lead weights or steel shot locally that don't break the bank. I don't need precision reloading shot...that costs too much. Looking for low budget solution for 20-30 lbs of material. I looked into some chain at the local hardware store, but it's a little too expensive for this application.

Need this by tomorrow so please give me your suggestions.

Thanks! Kevin

Shotgun shot, fine pellets like #9 birdshot.

Apr 21, 2012 at 11:18 PM

clarence3
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p.2 #16 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

DanBrown wrote:
The current penny weighs 2.5 grams. So about 181 pennies to the pound, 1810 pennies for 10 lb of weight. That's $18.10 in pennies for 10 lb.

Or use pre-1982 pennies... they're 95% copper (instead of 99.2% zinc) and it only takes 145 to make a pound ($1.45).

Plus, once the penny is removed from circulation, you'll be able to scrap it and sell the copper, which is currently selling for $3.68 - more than doubling your investment.

Apr 24, 2012 at 01:19 AM

Ben Horne
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p.2 #17 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

I went down this road in the past. I was convinced that I didn't need to buy commercially available sand bags, so I tried to make my own. In the end, I still bought the sandbags, so I ended up spending much more in the long run than if I had just bought the sandbags to begin with.

Apr 24, 2012 at 01:25 AM

Roland W
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p.2 #18 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

Fairly small metal shot is the best as far as handling and conforming to shape. The catch is getting it at a low enough cost, and ideally without paying for shipping. Buying a bag from a photo supply store that is prefilled with metal shot may end up being cost effective. Most modern bags are filled with steel shot rather than lead. Lead shot on its own is harder and harder to find, and can be expensive.

Steel shot is not as dense as lead, but can still be very effective. I have looked for a local source of steel shot in my area that will sell in small quanity, but have not found one yet. My goal was to avoid shipping costs with a local buy. I did run in to one source on line that might work out as far as cost and shipping, but have not tired them yet. Here is the link: http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Steel-Ballast_Cast-Steel-Shot-bag_10/productinfo/SHS780/

Penny coins could work if all else fails, but they will not pack as well as shot, and they are not cheap. But they are available at the bank with no shipping charge, and they do have a life time money back return policy. Any metal solution, including coins, will be two to three times heavier than gravel or sand for the same sized bag, because rock just is not all that dense compared to steel or zinc.

Apr 24, 2012 at 03:21 AM

Jim Sanderson
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p.2 #19 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

Apr 24, 2012 at 11:28 PM

ozpall
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p.2 #20 · What to fill light stand sandbag with??

when i used sand, i put the sand in ziploc bags and then wrapped em with duct tape so they were solid, then put em in the weight bags. if you look at my weight bags, it look like i was carrying illegal drugs

but no spills ever.

Apr 25, 2012 at 03:35 AM

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