How to assemble a softbox?

[tecboy]

Jeez, I don't know. I just received an Adorama softbox, and there is no instruction. Can anyone guide me through?

 

[tirediron]

Kind of hard to guide someone through something when we nothing about it... pictures would help. Typically you spread out the cloth body, place the flexible rods in the rod pockets of the body and then bend 'til they fit into the matching holes on the speed ring.

 

[tecboy]

I dunno what I'm doing.

 

[tirediron]

First of all, DO NOT assemble it on the light; one of those rods lets go and you're out a flash tube. Take the speed-ring off of the light and stretch out the fabric body of the SB into it's approximate shape. Take the flexible rods (4?) and insert one each into the rod pockets (little loops of material in the corners of the SB), and then place the speed-ring in the back, and force (and you may have to really FORCE) the rods into the holes in the speed-ring. That should stretch the body of the SB into the proper shape. Mount the speed-ring on the light and then install the inner baffle (if there is one) and the outer diffusion panel (usually with Velcro), and you're done.

 

[tecboy]

Only one corner has a pocket for a rod to insert. The other three corner don't have pockets.

 

[tecboy]

Oh never mind, I found the pockets.

 

[Vtec44]

Typically, the white elastic strings are for you to hang the inner diffuser You stretch the fabric out and bend the flexible rods a bit. The flex will stretch and maintain the shape of the box.

 

[Forkie]

It's a bit like a tent. The flexible rods hold the box open via tension. They can sometimes need a bit of brute force to bend the rods into the pockets though. I hate building them!

 

[waday]

I'm assuming you finished it by now, but a quick web search found this:

 

[tecboy]

Thanks guys. I got it assemble. I was worried I might tear the fabric and permanently bend the rods.

 

[snerd]

You're in way over your head. I'll take it off your hands for $10. You pay me.