Shot Bags

[photomc]

Does anyone use a shot bag to hold a print in place while mounting? If so, where did you get one, make it? Size, fabric etc. Been thinking about making one using lead shot but what to put it in and what size.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[lee]

downtown near the Water Gardens and Saint Patricks there is a store that deals with things that architects need. They have them. I think it is Main St. and it is right next to Thomas Rubber Stamp. Beware of sticker shock. I have 3 of them that my wife got from her boss that I use.

Mine are 4" in diameter and are made of leather and sewn together. They weigh 1lb and 5.5 oz each. K+E is stamped on the leather. What you are suggesting is really just a bean bag and really anything should work. Get the knife out and cut off the legs of jeans and use that material.

lee\c

edited for spelling

 

[ann]

check a drafting supply company. they make leather "bags" for holding down drawings.
One of the graphic supply houses in town has some very fancy ones, beautiful leather, but very expensive in their office supply section. This company "Sam Flax's" has had several items that i picked up on sale that work just fine; paper weights. I also used a lupe that was made for proof sheets; about 8 inches round, solid clear plastic.
I have a leather bag that came with a Zone VI mounting jig that is full of dried peas. Dropped a bag of peas into the leather pouch. It is about 6 inchs long and 4 inchs round.

 

[Aggie]

use the old cotton golves or such and put BB's in them. Cheaper shot and cheap material. Or you can use a well washed old sock . My suggestion is to double up what ever you use. That way no shot will leak out. I actually used popcorn instead of metal shot. Much much cheaper.

 

[geraldatwork]

I would pick up one of those shot bags if I had a chance but I use one of those beer pint glasses upside down. A little too light but if I'm careful it works OK.

 

[Aggie]

call me crazy. I just made one using one of my old vitamin bottles. I lightly sanded the bottom with an emeryboard, and then filled it with old pennies. My hubby tends to throw those into a jar. It is nice and small foot print wise and is heavy. I think I just replaced my old glove with popcorn.

That is what I get for thinking while reading this forum.

 

[Foto Ludens]

In the frame shop where I work we use leather bean bags made by Larson Juhl (our supplier). Really, any bean bag would work, just make sure it's not a harsh material or don't bump into them(sooner or later they will move around and scratch your prints if you are not careful). One thing I'm going to get my hands on eventually, however, is Larson's 1 1/4" photo corners. Much much better than those wimpy ones you usually get in stores (they make them in 2" and up as well, but that's just TOO big).

edit:
Oh, Larson has a warehouse in Carrolton, so you (we) might be able to get their supplies directly... just a thought

 

[photomc]

Thanks everyone..
Lee and Ann - Thanks for the tip, was hoping one or both of you would have some input.

Aggie, interesting idea about the pennies.

André - will have to check out Larson, mounting corners? In place of dry mount, right?

Thanks everyone

 

[Foto Ludens]

Mike,

The mounting corners are acid-free clear corners you use to hold down the... uhm... corners of the print. As long as the print is relatively flat, the mounting corners will only hold it in place, while the pressure against the mat and glass will flattent the print out. The main advantage of mounting corners is archivability & reversability, you can take the print out whenever you wish, no damage done.

BTW, I know that there is a debate over the superiority of dry-mounting vs photo corners, and I do not wish to start it over (however, the frame shop where I work does not dry-mount photos/ limited edition art, just to be safe).

 

[kenmeyersphoto]

I bought a couple of shot bags from a local civil engineering supply company, but I had a friend that bought some bags from Lenz Arts in Santa Cruz.
www.lenzarts.com

-Ken

 

[Deckled Edge]

I'm a little late jumping into this thread, but here's what worked for me. I got a faux leather bag at a camera store. It was supposed to hold a rather large telephoto lens for a medium format camera. It has a draw string cord and measures 4 in. in diameter and is 9 in. long. I filled it with pennies and it works great. The leatherette does not scratch a print. Anything smaller may not hold your prints firmly enough.

 

[Eric Rose]

I don't bother with a shot bag. a couple of full 9mm Browning clips do the job.

 

[Flotsam]

I have seen inexpensive wrist and ankle weighs, made for excercising that contained packets of metal shot for weight. These would be ideal and much cheaper than anything that was made for the purpose. I'm going to look for these for myself.