anyone ever thought of building an egg crate?

[dlang]

Just a thought....the egg crates that go on the front of soft boxes for different degrees of spread, why are the so expensive? what make em' unique. From the description they're simply fabric sown together. What type of fabric is used for these things? how much depth do they need to be effective? How big are each individual square? this my be something the wife could sow up if you know what I mean, it'd be nice to save some dough on such a simple accessory. Any thoughts?

[NoNoob]

I've got egg crates in silver, black and white.

I sourced them out of a Dumpster!

Office building being gutted for new tenants.
Pulled out the florescent fixtures in the 2x4 panels (got some of those too).
Some of them had complete 'light baffles' (most were busted up though).

Got one of each.

I think they're way cheap to buy like at Lowes or Home Depot.

My main soft box - big one (I have two in smaller sizes) has the fabric one you mention and I almost never use it.

It would be interesting to see what you come up with.
Mine is made of a ripstop nylon material.
It's edged to keep from fraying. Has velcro pieces at intervals on all four sides.
Matches up to the velcro pieces on the inside lip of the box.

I use that box a lot. It's my favorite piece of lighting gear.

good luck with the project.

[utako.o]

It's labour intensive and if you don't have a good seamstress (who in turns needs to have the right equipment), it will cost way too much.

Also, for continuous light sources, it needs to be fire retardant fabric.. $$$$

for my octodome, the eggcrate is as much as the octodome itself :(

[dlang]

I know that's what I'm talking about...the lowel rifa grid cost almost $300 after tax, for a piece fabric! it's a bit rediculous if you ask me. the thicker nylon would probably work as stated already. I wonder if there is something out there that can be modified into one of these.