Britek softbox assembly

George Ellis · June 6th, 2006, 11:21 AM

Hi gang.

I went ahead and got the Rostronic kit with the Britek softboxes. There is a vague set of directions included, but I must be missing something. The metal inserts do not hold the form open and I cannot figure out what I am not doing. Does anyone have any hints or have a source for better directions?

TIA

Dick Mays · June 6th, 2006, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Ellis

The metal inserts do not hold the form open and I cannot figure out what I am not doing. Does anyone have any hints or have a source for better directions?

Take the metal rod thingys. And then get them to snap into place in the metal ring thingy. All four rod thingys will be laying out flat in a plane, like you can lay it on a table. Lay this star like arrangement on top your softbox thingy. Then you have to BEND the rod thingys to get them to go into place on in the corners of your softbox. The tension from the bend rods is what holds the softbox taut. Finally, attach the front of the softbox, using the velcro.

Dick

"There's a red thingy headed toward the green thingy, and I think were the green thingy."
Guy Fleegman -- Gallaxy Quest

Dick Mays · June 6th, 2006, 12:59 PM

George,

I'm your neighbor, up in Hoschton, so if the instructiosn don't make sense, you are welcome to come by and see mine.

Dick

George Ellis · June 6th, 2006, 01:28 PM

Thanks Dick. It was the bending that I did not grok. Will try again.

George Ellis · June 7th, 2006, 03:50 AM

Update - Got it. Taking it apart is even harder ;). Never figured that I should be using force to make something work, so that was where I failed.

Dick Mays · June 7th, 2006, 09:49 AM

I don't take mine apart!

George Ellis · June 7th, 2006, 10:44 AM

Well, if you do, channel lock or Loc-Grip pliers are in order to slide the locking mechanism while you bend a cross section like stringing a bow.

Jack Smith · June 13th, 2006, 09:53 PM

Actually,I find it pretty easy to set up the softbox.You should have a metal ring with 4 receivers on it.The trick is to hold the metal ring with 1 hand ,grab 1 receiver and pull outward then flip it up.Do the same for all 4.
Insert the rods rubber cap end up into the receivers.Put the ring on the floor.You now should be looking at the ring with 4 rods sticking straight up.Set the box over the rods locating them into the corners.Push 1 rod and receiver overuntil it snaps in.That 1 rod is now flat on the floor and 3 sticking straight up.Push the rod next to the flat 1 over and snap into place.Repeat for the next 1.The 1st 2 go very easy, the last 2 take a little effort.Once done the rods will be bent a little with some tension on them to hold the box out.Slip on the cover.Mount to the light head.The whole process takes about 3 minutes.To disassemble remove the white cover grab 1 of the receivers and pull out letting the rod flip straight up.Repeat for the rest.Done.
The whole trick is the little receivers the rods go into.They drop into a hole when pushed down.You must pull out on them to release them from the hole.

Ryan Mueller · May 4th, 2007, 11:11 AM

I found that the easiest way to assemble these softboxes is to do everything that Jack said except: instead of popping the receivers into their slots one at a time, take two of the steel rods (directly across from one another) and push down on them till they pop into place. Two of the supports will now be sticking straight up, take those and push down on them until they pop into place. This has cut my assembly time by more than half. Takes about 2 minutes now.

As far as dissassembly, I have not yet found an efficient method.

Duncan Craig · May 7th, 2007, 04:21 AM

I find derigging the softboxes easy, it takes less than 15 seconds from fully built to completely in bits.

Take off the front velcro diffuser (obviously)

Reach inside the front of the softbox while it is on the floor facing upwards.

Using your palms, apply some downward force to the lower region of two of the rods opposite to each other (reversing the method you use to build the softbox). This pressure you apply should take the friction away from the click-in sections on the speedring, keep the pressure on, now use your thumb and forefingers on each hand to pull both of the click-in sections outwards, once they are clear you can release the palm pressure to the rods and they will fall loose.

The unit will collapse and the can now be dismanted.

The really tricky bit now is getting the diffuser back in the velcro bag!!

June 6th, 2006, 11:21 AM	#1
George Ellis Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Suwanee, GA Posts: 1,241	Britek softbox assembly - anyone find directions? Hi gang. I went ahead and got the Rostronic kit with the Britek softboxes. There is a vague set of directions included, but I must be missing something. The metal inserts do not hold the form open and I cannot figure out what I am not doing. Does anyone have any hints or have a source for better directions? TIA

June 6th, 2006, 12:59 PM	#3
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	George, I'm your neighbor, up in Hoschton, so if the instructiosn don't make sense, you are welcome to come by and see mine. Dick

June 6th, 2006, 01:28 PM	#4
George Ellis Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Suwanee, GA Posts: 1,241	Thanks Dick. It was the bending that I did not grok. Will try again.

June 7th, 2006, 03:50 AM	#5
George Ellis Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Suwanee, GA Posts: 1,241	Update - Got it. Taking it apart is even harder ;). Never figured that I should be using force to make something work, so that was where I failed.

June 7th, 2006, 09:49 AM	#6
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	I don't take mine apart!

June 7th, 2006, 10:44 AM	#7
George Ellis Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Suwanee, GA Posts: 1,241	Well, if you do, channel lock or Loc-Grip pliers are in order to slide the locking mechanism while you bend a cross section like stringing a bow.

June 13th, 2006, 09:53 PM	#8
Jack Smith Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ontario Posts: 445	Actually,I find it pretty easy to set up the softbox.You should have a metal ring with 4 receivers on it.The trick is to hold the metal ring with 1 hand ,grab 1 receiver and pull outward then flip it up.Do the same for all 4. Insert the rods rubber cap end up into the receivers.Put the ring on the floor.You now should be looking at the ring with 4 rods sticking straight up.Set the box over the rods locating them into the corners.Push 1 rod and receiver overuntil it snaps in.That 1 rod is now flat on the floor and 3 sticking straight up.Push the rod next to the flat 1 over and snap into place.Repeat for the next 1.The 1st 2 go very easy, the last 2 take a little effort.Once done the rods will be bent a little with some tension on them to hold the box out.Slip on the cover.Mount to the light head.The whole process takes about 3 minutes.To disassemble remove the white cover grab 1 of the receivers and pull out letting the rod flip straight up.Repeat for the rest.Done. The whole trick is the little receivers the rods go into.They drop into a hole when pushed down.You must pull out on them to release them from the hole.

May 4th, 2007, 11:11 AM	#9
Ryan Mueller Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Highlands Ranch, CO Posts: 336	I found that the easiest way to assemble these softboxes is to do everything that Jack said except: instead of popping the receivers into their slots one at a time, take two of the steel rods (directly across from one another) and push down on them till they pop into place. Two of the supports will now be sticking straight up, take those and push down on them until they pop into place. This has cut my assembly time by more than half. Takes about 2 minutes now. As far as dissassembly, I have not yet found an efficient method.

May 7th, 2007, 04:21 AM	#10
Duncan Craig Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Leeds, UK Posts: 660 Images: 10	I find derigging the softboxes easy, it takes less than 15 seconds from fully built to completely in bits. Take off the front velcro diffuser (obviously) Reach inside the front of the softbox while it is on the floor facing upwards. Using your palms, apply some downward force to the lower region of two of the rods opposite to each other (reversing the method you use to build the softbox). This pressure you apply should take the friction away from the click-in sections on the speedring, keep the pressure on, now use your thumb and forefingers on each hand to pull both of the click-in sections outwards, once they are clear you can release the palm pressure to the rods and they will fall loose. The unit will collapse and the can now be dismanted. The really tricky bit now is getting the diffuser back in the velcro bag!!