Sandbags
 

You know those sandbags for weighing stuff down? They're usually green, and divided into two parts? Where can I find these? Are they really $40 apiece? The only place I found in town that had em priced them at that much. Also, they said they were 10x 10. That'd make them square, wouldn't it? the ones I've seen are rectangular.

Try Mole-Richardson's Studio Depot. Yes, it feels a bit silly to spend $40 for bags of sand, eh? I would imagine that with some ingenuity you could probably make your own.

Well, I found these little black bags linked together, like a belt, filled with. . .something that has something to do with lifting weights in our garage. I don't know what they are, or if they're heavy enough, but maybe I'll look into buying more.

You probably found some ankle weights. ("Something to do with weightlifting" suggests that it's a topic foreign to you <g>.) If so, they're a bit light-weight but pretty well configured for the job. I don't think you'll be saving yourself any money buying those, though.

Are they also $40? Don't they have anything bigger?

Actually, if the ankle-weights are sufficient for what you want wal-mart generally sells them really cheap.

On the other hand, I have had very good success using a hot-glue gun and contractor-grade clean-up bags (the really heavy duty garbage bags.) I've used these to anchor antennas, tripods, etc. Of course, we have little shortage of ready sand here in Florida but a bag of sand from Home Desperate comes in for real cheap and makes quite a few anchors depending upon what you want held down.

Those heavy-duty bags are always packed right next to my duct-tape and hammer wherever I go. They make nice panchos when then chips are down, the rain has started, and there's 5 miles between you and shore and you just remembered you washed your nice pretty rain slicker and forgot to repack it.


Cheers,
Rob

Do they tear easily? Where can I get them?

Last time I needed weight, I filled garbage bags with kitty litter. Now, there's kitty litter all over the roof outside my girlfriend's window.

The one's I use are made by Husky and are 3 mil / 32 gallon
Heavy-duty to say the least. No they do not tear easily

Check out Home Depot for bags and sand.

Josh, there are plenty of production facilities in Houston (I used to shoot there a lot). Call around to places that sell "expendables," and see what you find. Tell them you would be happy to take used bags. You should be able to find something for twenty bucks. Remember, real studio bags and made of heavy duty canvas, are stitched down the middle so they will drape over the leg of a C-stand, and have a carry handly built in, so they are way beyond a sand bag that's used for holding back the levee.

I hate to tell you this but I bought 10 brand new ones that were used for a convention expo for 10 bucks apiece. Forty dollars is out of the question.

Josh,

Old theatre trick for making sandbags.

Cut off the legs of blue jeans.

Fill with sand (Or cat litter)

Stitch the end closed, stitch across the center.

Voila... double bags.

(And cut-offs for the beach)

- Richard

Most "sand" bags use lead shot these days, it seems. The good ones are very well built and I've never had a puncture or a spill with them. I use American sandbags, same company that makes the nice light stands. Markertek sells some that have zippers, so they ship empty and you get your own sand or shot. I don't know if these are still available, but Lowel used to sell some weights that looked like flexible plastic water jugs, with a hook on top so you could hook it to a C-stand or light stand or whatever. I always had a couple of those packed away when I traveled by air a lot--dump the water and fold them up.