sandbags?

[hdctx]

I personally don't want sand anywhere close to any of my photographic equipment, what do you use for weight in the "sandbags" you place around light stands? Aquarium gravel? Kitty litter?

[KenJulio]

There have been threads about this with suggestions like getting ankle weights instead of using loose material such as gravel/kitty litter.

[hdctx]

I bought the zipper bags, just trying to figure out what to put in them. weights would probably work.

[nate.smith]

I "double bagged" the sand in ziplock bags and the placed them in the double zipper sand bags. No issues so far.

[picman]

Pea gravel or larger - the idea is smooth round pebbles. I use two bags that have it in for years- stays clean, no leaks, no problems
I would recommend washing the rocks first to get the dirt and sand off.

[MT Stringer]

I have used the playground sand bought from Lowe's. I put it in a zip lock bag and then into a regular sand bag bought from B&H. Two years - no problems with any type of leakage. I haul them back and forth to basketball tournaments.

Also, I had a couple of 10# barbell weights that I wasn't using so I put one each in a craft style hand bag and tie wrapped the opening shut. I use the handles to hang it off the stand. Seems to work just fine.

[ggeen]

I, too, recently bought a pair of double zip sand bags and had the same question. I just had not searched on it yet. My thoughts were pea gravel, sand in zip lock bags (both mentioned above), or rice (in zip lock bags).

My concern was that pea gravel would be too heavy and that rice might not get heavy enough. Looks like pea gravel and double bagged sand seems to be working. Has anyone tried rice?

[Patti Edens]

I've seen people mention using dried beans, but that might be the same as rice - not heavy enough?

[Abel]

I bought a 25lb bag of some #8 lead shot from Carter's Country. It's used for making your own shotgun shells etc..

Its VERY dense and VERY heavy. I double bagged it..

The bag was like $40 but I had enough to make two 10lb sand bags... it works great.

[Flores]

Originally Posted by picman

Pea gravel or larger - the idea is smooth round pebbles. I use two bags that have it in for years- stays clean, no leaks, no problems
I would recommend washing the rocks first to get the dirt and sand off.

pea gravel (if you wash it good first) is probably the cheapest, least messy solution.

I looked into lead shot, but just couldn't justify spending 5x what the gravel cost :D

if money is no object though, lead shot is probably the winner!

[craigb456]

What about Aquarium gravel you can buy big bags of it cheep

[ggeen]

I think Abel wins for thinking out of the box...or shotgun shell box, anyway. I would have to load my bag up 124 grains at a time.

[BenE]

Originally Posted by hdctx

I bought the zipper bags, just trying to figure out what to put in them. weights would probably work.

Go to a sports equipment store, like Academy. Get some BBs.

[andyz]

Pennies weigh about 1 lbs per 180, according to Yahoo. So $18 in pennies is 10 lbs. Use pennies and you at least have the same value when you're done with them as when you started, and they're marketable.

[Abel]

Originally Posted by BenE

Go to a sports equipment store, like Academy. Get some BBs.

hmm good idea... wonder if pellets would be heavier... arent they lead?