Softbox Attached to Hot-Shoe Flash

At one time or another, most every photographer has wanted to adapt a softbox to fit onto the hot-shoe flash, or attach a honey-comb filter or barn doors by simply attaching the adapter to the tripod, and adding the flash and the softbox. Well, it is not quite that simple. First you have to build the adapter.

After making these parts, the ring and angle are connected with rivets. The hot-shoe and retaining screw can be bought at a specialty photography store.

In terms of materials, you need one aluminum rail (or strips) measuring 30 mm x 3 mm x 295 mm, and a second aluminum rail for the holder measuring 30mm x 3 mm, with the length dependent upon the measurement of your flash. These aluminum rails can be purchased at a home improvement store. For tools, you will need a rubber hammer, drill, vice, riveter, and metal file. After cutting the rails to size, you need to drill the holes. Next, the 295 mm aluminum rail must be bent into a circular shape resulting in an outer diameter of 95mm. The ends need to remain flat so that the rivets (which later will combine ring and angle) will not exceed the diameter of 95mm. A uniform circle is best achieved if you bend the aluminum strip around a cylinder (....