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lead shot for shotbags okay?
I’ve only used sandbags, and want to add some shotbags. Are there any environmental or health issues to using lead shot in a shotbag? I’d be filling it once, probably putting it into a zip-loc bag before putting it into the shotbag.
Bob C
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6 Replies
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Bob,
Grip equipment suppliers have long ago replaced “lead-shot” sandbags with “stainless steel” shot bags. They are more expensive, but have no environmental hazard. I suggest you do the same!
JS
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You could also try Crossman “copperhead” bb’s; I use these for model boat ballast, no rust, no lead dust, still pretty heavy. You can find it in the sporting goods section at Walmart. The plastic pellets used for “Airsoft” pellet gun games can also be used, I suppose, if you want a beanbag without much weight. If you must use lead, I think it has to at least be coated or painted these days to keep out of trouble.
Something else you can find in the sporting goods section are screw-on bottle tops with a pad eye in them. Very cheap and compact. The idea is to turn any water bottle or jug on location into a variable weight you can attach a bungie cord, tent rope, etc. to. This is clever because most anywhere you have people, you are likely to have a source of water nearby, or they will have bottled water near to hand. You bring the empty bottles, or just the bottle caps, use the bottles on location, empty them down the drain when you’re done, you travel very light. Understandably you might be concerend about leakage on a set. I have not seen it happen yet, then again, if a sand or shot bag breaks, it’s almost as bad of a mess.
I recently tore a pair of jeans beyond mending, so I’m about to cut the legs off them and sew them into beanbags/sandbags, probably will use smooth river pebbles instead of sand or shot. Have not decided on adding zippers yet, probably not really needed for my kind of work, they’ll probably never leave my studio. Any suggestions on the dimensions I should make them is welcome. I was going to just hem across them at the middle and again about 8 inches from each end, so there’s no weight int he center just the ends, so it can drape. That sound right?
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Mark,
Our Matthews 15lb. shot bags are 6-3/4″ long from each end of the middle seam and 8-1/2″ wide.
Mark D’Agostino
http://www.synergeticproductions.com -
Thanks for the tip!
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Why not go to a gardening shop and get landscape rock? Or gravel?
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sure.
My wife makes em for me as I need em. Regular old BBs in a nylon bag with a little bit of… well, to her credit, alot of hand-sewing.
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