Sand Bags (weighting set etc).

[richardash1981]

The set of sand bags which weight the french braces (ish) for canvas flats (and some rather wobbly display boards) at church are getting increasingly prone to tear/leak sand. They are at least three decades old, so not a great surprise, but I would like to get the (dry) sand out into new bags before it goes everywhere!

Apart from the Flints bags intended for hemp flying (which are listed as Canvas, and supply issues) the choice seems to be between woven Polypropylene bags (I think this is what the current ones are, and have gradually degraded) and hessian / burlap bags. (search result links, but Mudfords seem to be one of the ones that keeps coming up in the UK).

Hessian latter are usually said to rot quicker, but hopefully won't do so in a dry environment! The UV stability ratings of polypropylene are quite limited, so presumably this is why some of the existing bags have torn. However I wonder if hessian will also be prone to loose more dry sand through the bag in use?

Anyone with experience of either/both have views on which will be least hassle in use?

[Jivemaster]

I have a woven plastic (PP?) bag that doesn't leak simply because it has a welded closed HDPE bag inside. The woven bag takes the wear damage and the plastic bag holds the dusty contents inside.

 

[sandall]

Sounds like what highways contractors use for holding things down (which they then leave behind in the nearest hedge!!😥)

[kerry davies]

You can get all sorts of gazebo and marquee sandbags but for the truly extravagant there are branded 20 kg. Forza goal sandbags though ebay has others which, all of them being weatherproof, might suit. 

[boatman]

20 litre plastic containers (ex-cleaning companies) filled with water? Oh, and they're free!

[J Pearce]

Any reason not to use stage weights? If the french braces are made from 3x1 (or 18mm ply) then the notch in a stage weight secures them in place well on a french brace.

They're easier to handle so improves manual handling, they won't leak sand, won't get damp and go mouldy, they stack securely when not in use - lots of advantages. They'll cost a little more though.

[Robin D]

If stage weights are out of budget, you can make your with a few square kids beach buckets, thin strips of timber and bags of postfix cement plus a cheap screw in handle for each weight. Cut the strip of timber to fit the bucket then an offcut of timber screwed to it at least the depth of the lip on the brace.  Place in the bottom of the oven with a couple of layers of clingfilm over it. If the bucket has ramparts, cut a sheet of ply to cover them. 

Next cut some strips or squares of timber slightly longer but at least two knuckle widths of the handle size and at least as deep as the handle once fitted. .  

Cast the concrete, then insert the top squares of timber such that the concrete comes above the final handle height. Allow to set. and turn out, Drill the finished item to fit the handle. Do it properly and they will stack, albeit not as tidily as the proper stage weights. 

Did this for an Amdram group near where we lived years ago, but can't find the photo's.  If I remember rightly, it cost us a bucket per weight as we ended up cutting the bucket away. 

[sunray]

1 hour ago, J Pearce said:

Any reason not to use stage weights? If the french braces are made from 3x1 (or 18mm ply) then the notch in a stage weight secures them in place well on a french brace.

They're easier to handle so improves manual handling, they won't leak sand, won't get damp and go mouldy, they stack securely when not in use - lots of advantages. They'll cost a little more though.

Not something I'm particularly suggesting to do: At school we had lengths of railway lengths about 15-18inches long, very historic even back in late 60's stamped with '40lbs' and some half the size. I assume made in the metalwork shop with a couple of links and a 'T' handle which laid in the groove on the top (the rail laid on it's side) when not being lifted.

EDIT: no,got that wrong, thinking of something else. they had several holes through the web and a separate handle arrangement to hook through a hole and lift them:My proportions are wrong but the basics show and of course the profile of railway track is now very different.

They were stackable as the head and web were fairly similar sizes

Edited March 5 by sunray

[Dave m]

I use a mix of 5ltr sceenwash/ other containers. 5ltr water is 5kg.  5ltr dry sand is 8.5

Water is brilliant for temporary stuff as the containers are light when empty and water is almost everywhere

I also use cheap saddlebag type bags from Amazon type suppliers which are nylon and double zipped. I used to fill them with polythene bags of gravel but use heavy chain (expensive) now

last couple of stageweights I bought were £50 inc delivery and weighed 12.5kg.

stageweights bought today will still work as well on day one as when all of us are long gone.

[ANDYLASER]

I use these for adding weight to speaker stands.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Photography-Saddlebag-Backyard-Transparent-4-Basic-Black-Kit/dp/B07XCP8XJQ?ref_=ast_sto_dp