Sand and shot?

This post comes up every few months! Lead shot is best, the smaller the pellets [higher #'s of bird-shot], the more dense the pack.

Some cautions...as Elizabeth mentioned, lead can have toxic effects, and needs to be disposed of properly [recycling or giving to a gun store]. Rinse the new shot pellets a few times in a bucket to remove the dust. WEAR A DUST PROTECTION MASK WHILE DOING THIS!!! And don't worry about pouring the water down the drain, but DO NOT pour the rinse water into the ground. When the shot dries, CAREFULLY pour it into the stand filler holes, and then seal the stand up. Use a funnel, if necessary, and be sure to inspect and remove any and every pellet that has fallen onto the floor. You're all set...no worries.

Children are very susceptible to lead poisoning. The method of exposure primarily involves eating lead paint chips, which supposedly have a sweet flavor. Lead paint is no longer available to the consumer market, but it still does have industrial applications. Inhalation of lead dust or vapor is also very dangerous. Again, interior house paint used to contain lead, so you just can't sand it down and repaint! It involves a HazMat removal, which can cost several thousand dollars...or more!

Also, it requires a prolonged and repeated exposure [inhalation or ingestion] for toxicity, but the effects can be permanent. It's a material where small non repetitive exposures is nowhere near as dangerous as the media hype portrays.

Hello and thanks to all who have replied. I did go to Lowe's yesterday and purchased the play sand they had(only one I saw). I think I will forgo the lead shot at this time. These stands are not high dollar and I will probably replace them in the future. My next go round will have a mix of sand and shot. Nice thread on the cautions. Good listening, Bret

One point which has not been made here is that sand and lead have different absorptive/deadening properties which complement one another. I mix the sand and lead shot together and have found the combo to be very effective.

I have not completed building the stands so I may reconsider adding the shot. I'm also in need of some blu tack for the top plates. The stands come with foam pads but I rather use the blu tack. Anybody have a wad they would like to sell? Also what can I use that is similar that I can pickup at Lowe's. Ahh the pains of a phile :)

Use Blu-tack ONLY! The other "generic" stuff sold in hardware and office supply stores is CRAP...I had to find out the hard way.