# DIY, Portable Mini Round Soft Box, dirt cheap!



## FITBMX (Oct 21, 2015)

I am going to be taking some photo this weekend at an reunion  Camp Quality Kansas > Home, I did this last year and it is in a huge "Gym" type of a building, with worthless lighting. Last year I only had a pop up flash, this year I have a speed light! But I have to have the light on camera because I will be moving around, however I don't want the light too direct.
I watched reviews on mini round soft boxes, they said even though they look dumb they work good. I didn't really have the money to put out right now (even though they are only 20 bucks) so I built one out of stuff I had laying around.
So here is how you can build your own! 


I made circle 14" across out of black foam board (http://www.amazon.com/Elmers-Boards...UTF8&qid=1445457890&sr=8-1&keywords=foam+core)  you could also use cardboard to save money, but I had this left over from something else. Then I cut a circle out of the middle of one, leaving a 1.25" edge.










The solid circle was then covered with heave aluminum tape (used for heater duct work it is expensive but I also had it on hand for some home repairs)  you could also use tinfoil and glue it down, or chrome spray paint.






Using scrap pieces of foam board and cut into the right shape, I then glued them to the back to reinforce it.






Using some scrap felt cloth I got for free (but any cloth would work) , I cut a piece the circumference of the circle and around 4" wide. Using "thick" Superglue (Cyanoacrylate Adhesive, 1500cps) and standing the circle on edge I glued one end of the cloth to the edge of the circle. As I rolled the circle slowly down the cloth I put a drip of glue every inch to hold the cloth to the circle, I made sure to leave one inch of over hing off the back side of the circle to secure to the back later.





Using two boxes the approximate thickness of my light (2") to hold the front ring up to the right height, then gluing the felt down using more super glue.  Making sure not to glue the cloth down or together at the seem, leaving a spot large enough for the light to fit.







Then wrap the edges around to the inside, and glue them like so.






I glued two "Tabs" of cloth that I then glued Velcro to, as you can see in the photos.


 




Using more foam board scrap, I cut four squires 2" in height to space the ring and the circle apart, and glued them in place.




I also lined the inside wall with aluminum tape, But I forgot to take a photo!





This is the one thing I did buy  Nylon Rip Stop White Fabric for a diffuser, I used strait pins to hold it in place while I marked it.









I then cut it into a circle, and light melt the edges with matches keeping it from unraveling.
Using more super glue to install it to the front of the softbox. Glue isn't the best way, but it is cheap and works.






And pulled the felt cloth over the back edges, *and it is done!!!!*




This cost me around $2 to make, but a lot of that is because I had a lot of stuff already laying around left over from other projects. It should cost you around $5!


----------



## tirediron (Oct 21, 2015)

Very cool - I love DIY gear.  Can we see some examples?


----------



## Scatterbrained (Oct 21, 2015)

Nicely done.


----------



## FITBMX (Oct 21, 2015)

tirediron said:


> Very cool - I love DIY gear.  Can we see some examples?



I will get some photos of it on my camera, and I'll get some example shots with it. I was going to earlier but I had to charge the batteries for the flash.


----------



## Derrel (Oct 21, 2015)

Cool. Hey....they is some nice cardboard boxes down be hind the Wal-Marts out off of 122nd Avenue and S.E. Hillfolk Drive...what say we take yer truck down there t'night, say round midnight, 1 am-ish and steal em all? If we git enuff of them, then we can get that new man cave built for ya'll this weekend.


----------



## FITBMX (Oct 21, 2015)

Derrel said:


> Cool. Hey....they is some nice cardboard boxes down be hind the Wal-Marts out off of 122nd Avenue and S.E. Hillfolk Drive...what say we take yer truck down there t'night, say round midnight, 1 am-ish and steal em all? If we git enuff of them, then we can get that new man cave built for ya'll this weekend.



Sounds good, but I need to order more super glue, I am running low for a build like that!
This is the only velvet covered softbox you will most likely ever see!


----------



## Derrel (Oct 21, 2015)

Not sure why ya'll went with round when there's an even easier DIY softbox for on-camera flash...get a small styrofoam six-pack size "ice chest" (this size often sold as a _bait cooler_ in many regions), and using a steak knife, cut out a press-fit flash-sized hole in the bottom of the chest...put the flash inside...cover the top opening with tracing paper....BOOM! $2.99 or so in the summer....SUPER light-weight....I have actually used these with full-sized studio flash heads before...

(I am of course, teasing you about the round one...it don't matter none!)


----------



## EIngerson (Oct 22, 2015)

Cool. Very creative. How heavy is it?


----------



## FITBMX (Oct 22, 2015)

Derrel said:


> Not sure why ya'll went with round when there's an even easier DIY softbox for on-camera flash...get a small styrofoam six-pack size "ice chest" (this size often sold as a _bait cooler_ in many regions), and using a steak knife, cut out a press-fit flash-sized hole in the bottom of the chest...put the flash inside...cover the top opening with tracing paper....BOOM! $2.99 or so in the summer....SUPER light-weight....I have actually used these with full-sized studio flash heads before...
> 
> (I am of course, teasing you about the round one...it don't matter none!)



Were in the heck was that idea a few days ago???

Mine looks neater, than a dumb foam cooler!


----------



## FITBMX (Oct 22, 2015)

EIngerson said:


> Cool. Very creative. How heavy is it?



The weight is 6 oz. It doesn't feel too heavy when it is on the camera.


----------



## tirediron (Oct 22, 2015)

FITBMX said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > Not sure why ya'll went with round when there's an even easier DIY softbox for on-camera flash...get a small styrofoam six-pack size "ice chest" (this size often sold as a _bait cooler_ in many regions), and using a steak knife, cut out a press-fit flash-sized hole in the bottom of the chest...put the flash inside...cover the top opening with tracing paper....BOOM! $2.99 or so in the summer....SUPER light-weight....I have actually used these with full-sized studio flash heads before...
> ...


 'Cause you wanted ROUND catchlights of course...


----------



## FITBMX (Oct 22, 2015)

tirediron said:


> FITBMX said:
> 
> 
> > Derrel said:
> ...



I didn't think of that.. I should have made it star shaped, so I could put stars in their eyes!


----------



## FITBMX (Oct 23, 2015)

tirediron said:


> Very cool - I love DIY gear.  *Can we see some examples?*



Here you go, the little softbox used on a monkey and the dog! 



 

With the light.


 

Without light.


----------



## FITBMX (Oct 24, 2015)

I used the Mini Softbox for over 2 hours today and it held up and worked great. But a had a ton of people ask what in the heck it was!


----------

