B&H has Impact Saddle type sand bags for $23.95 USD. If you are a member of NAPP there is no shipping cost. Not sure about to Canada or another country.
Saddle Sandbag, Empty - Black - 35 lb Capacity (Impact)
SBE-35B or B&H# IMSBE35
____________________________
The lead shot can be purchased from:
http://lawrencebrandshot.com/
Each quantity of 1 shall be for (2 - 25lb Bags) of selected shot. Price includes shipping. I got No. 9 shot.
____________________________
I made my packages in 5 pound increments.
What's nice is that as long as I'm driving I can throw the bags in the trunk and take them loaded with me. If I need to travel by walking into the back country or on an airplane they can be unloaded and some zip lock bags stored inside so when you reach your shoot you can use rocks etc. for the weight. If you are on the beach just load up the zip lock bags and tape them shut & put in the bags.
The nice thing about vacuum packing them is that you can decide just how much weight you want in each pack. I will be vacuum packing some in smaller weights so that I can make small weight bags about 1 in. in diameter and maybe 6-7 inches long sewn up with a tab on the top fitted with a brass grommet for hanging.
Tad,
The bag cost $23.95 like it says above.
One 25 lb. of #9 shot $40.00.
The vacuum bags cost about .04 cents ea. (10 bags per = .40 cents) Total $64.35 including lead shot.
Total No Lead + bags $24.95. In this case you could probably find clean sand box sand really cheap and use it instead. So add that cost per bag.
It's the lead that really kills the price.
When I started looking for lead shot I was at my house in PA. and thought well as many hunters that live here no problem, wrong. I couldn't not find it anywhere, I even tried in New Jersey no luck. They were telling me it has become hard to get and the cost is sky-rocketing, do in part to the Chinese buying as much lead as they can get there hands on. There is some other country that is buying up large quantities of lead but I don't remember the country.
The nice thing about the lead shot is the weight to size ratio. Those bags I used are called 8in. bags so you can see how small they can be and be heavy.
I have the plastic bags around because I vacuum pack a lot of food for myself.
T
Here's the trick on the lead . See if you have a local trap and skeet club and find out if they sell their reclaimed shot . I picked up 300 pounds for $200 last month cash money . There is also a guy on E-bay that sells it from time to time and I think it is for $60 for around 75 pounds mailed to you . Gunbroker.com also has it from time to time . I'm pretty sure this is the guy on E-bay http://myworld.ebay.com/sloop22
I got lucky about 8 years ago, bought 4 lead shot weight bags from a photographer closing his studio, 35-40# bags for $5 each. So keep your eye open for studio closings. Also I find that sand bags are much more flexible, literally which adapt to different stands much better than less maluable lead shot bags.
If you want an inexpensive sandbag, buy dry bags used for water sports, buy play sand and you'll have 25# sand bags (many size and weight choices) with clips built in for maybe $10-$20 each depending on size. These are great for the large Bogen and Calumet booms to weight down the base.
But what is your time worth? Seem like alot of hassle for very little savings. Better to buy a few at a time until you have enough that you need. If you're not using C-stands then you might want to look into Boa Bags. They're not cheap, but they work better with conventional stands than the ones shown above.
I think empty waterbags are easier to transport, and cost much less. I don't think I would get far with two 25 pound lead-shot bags, or the weight of a standard cement bag. Just curious, what in the wilderness are you photographing that needs lightstands? Wouldn't a pro grip on a tree work, or possibly burying the bottom part of the stand in the dirt or in the sand?
Bumping up a fairly old topic, but how much weight do you really need to hold down a speedlight stand with umbrella? I had one go down last week which wasn't fun.
Also any thoughts on using ankle weights for working out as sand bags and strapping them to light stand (using the vecro)?
15lbs is the minimum, but it really depends on the stand height in relation to leg spread, modifier, strobe weight, and of course the wind speed or the likeliness of someone tripping over it. I've been using cine stands with casters lately, even outdoors in grass, and it makes it much harder to just tip over since it's not stuck to the ground.
And you can use ankle weights just fine, but you'll need at least 6 outdoors to make any difference. You can also use tent stakes if you're in grass or a simple cord and hang your camera bag or Pelican/light case off it. Or if there are any spare children around, you can get one of those chest harnesses...
Try your local trap or skeet range and find out when they reclaim the shot on the range and buy it then. I am an avid shooter and use this shot when I can for CAS events and it is a lot cheaper than new shot.
I normally use either a refillable water bag design re as a weight or angle weights when I need to stabilize a light stand.
I just bought 2 Photoflex bags from Adorama and I am completely amazed at the quality and they have two zippers inner and outer on each side for 20.00 each..They come with large D rings also.
I was thinking initially thinking of making my own but at this price and from what I had read about the bags I opted to buy them. Glad I did.
Now to fill them up with?
Would Pea Gravel work as well as lead shot encased in baggies?
loggerhead wrote:
Littlebike, your sandbags seem terrific, but your making one bad assumption. That is thinking everyone has a sewing machine!
I made no assumptions. I offered information that may be helpful to those resourceful enough to have, or have a friend with a sewing machine. These are ridiculously easy to make.
BTW, the PDF I created with instructions has been do downloaded well over 1000 times since I first posted it.
I have a gun nut friend of mine searching various ranges for used shot for me, hope to make some wicked heavy bags for outdoor use.
The cheapest solution I've found, before I got real sand bags was to get them from construction sites. You've all seen em on barricades, yeah those ones. Free. a bit messy though.
jonathanwilson wrote:
The cheapest solution I've found, before I got real sand bags was to get them from construction sites. You've all seen em on barricades, yeah those ones. Free. a bit messy though.
Or just go to Ft. Knox and grab some of those gold bars; they are really heavy. But wait, that would be stealing wouldn't it
An alternative to consider outdoors which is lighter is tethering. One of those corkscrew gizmos used to tether Fido in the front yard under the middle of the stand and a bit of rope will keep it in place as will a good old tent stakes and cord. Not the solution in all situations, but one that is lighter to carry.
jonathanwilson wrote:
The cheapest solution I've found, before I got real sand bags was to get them from construction sites. You've all seen em on barricades, yeah those ones. Free. a bit messy though.
Wonder if you would squawk if someone grabbed your camera bag.
