Best way to fix an octabox?

I'm not sure if this is a common issue or not, but I have an octobox where the rod tore through the holder at the edge of the octobox. Has this happened to anyone else with their octoboxes/softoxes? How do you go about repairing that? Thanks in advance for the input.

Duct tape

gonzogolf wrote in post #13835872
Duct tape

Anything that won't look so ghetto?

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13835885
Anything that won't look so ghetto?

Black duct tape. Its gotta be flexible, thin, and durable. Tape is an all purposed fixit for holes in sofboxes and has been for decades.

So black duct tape would be strong enough to support the tension that's going to be put on it? I haven't tried it yet but it seems that the tape wouldn't hold strong enough.

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13835919
So black duct tape would be strong enough to support the tension that's going to be put on it? I haven't tried it yet but it seems that the tape wouldn't hold strong enough.

The other option would be to take it to a seamstress or shoe repar place and have it reinforced by re-stitching it and maybe reinforcing with some canvas or another layer of nylon.

I'm going to try the black duct tape route first to see if that will be strong enough to hold the ends together. Thanks for the tip!

it works for a while, and does look ghetto, but it does work.

I would get gaffers tape, not just black duct tape.. I think that's what the guy who mentioned it first was referring to.. there's a big difference.

BrandonSi wrote in post #13840845
I would get gaffers tape, not just black duct tape.. I think that's what the guy who mentioned it first was referring to.. there's a big difference.

Is gaffers tape stronger than duct tape? I'm heading out today to pick up whatever I need to make sure this rod doesn't keep poking through the front of my octabox.

BrandonSi wrote in post #13840845
I would get gaffers tape, not just black duct tape.. I think that's what the guy who mentioned it first was referring to.. there's a big difference.

No, I meant duct tape. Duct tape has a stronger adhesive. Gaffer tape is meant to be removed leaving little residue. Duct tape is meant to be as permanent as possible.

How about those iron on patches you can get for jeans? The heat activated adhesive might provide a more durable hold.

I just tried some black duct tape and it worked like a champ! I'm not convinced that you could repair pretty much anything with this stuff! lol Thanks for the tips.

Also, $3 for black duct tape at Ace Hardware vs $29.99 for gaffers tape at my local camera shop. I'd call that a major victory for the day.

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13842150
I just tried some black duct tape and it worked like a champ! I'm not convinced that you could repair pretty much anything with this stuff! lol Thanks for the tips.

Duct tape is just like the force from Star Wars, it has a dark side, a light side, and it holds the universe together.