How dumb would it be to take a dremel to my Quadra head?

I got a 2nd S head for Christmas (thanks to my great husband), and I plan to use it with a silver umbrella in my super mobile kit, and a softliter 60" in my larger kit.

For anyone that has it, you know the umbrella holder is pitiful, and limited to elinchrom 7mm shafts. (I do know the softliter fits, but it has no retaining screw in the holder)

I have a really nice all metal umbrella swivel that holds the softlighter with no creep, super stable, same with wescott double folds. I have all the parts to attach it firmly and reliably to my quadra, but it would require me to dremel off the plastic umbrella mount and plastic tab. I would essentially be attaching a sturdy umbrella swivel in lieu of the crap one. I have no qualms about it's stability or durability, and this head will still fit into the adaptor perfectly this way. The only worry I have is for resale. Arguably making it more stable and useful shouldn't really make it worthless, but I'm still kind of shaking at the thought of taking the dremel to this expensive flash.

I have one head that I am leaving alone, it only has to hold a chimera XXS softbox, and it's so light it has no problem and puts no stress at all on the plastic tab. I really want a sturdy 2nd head that can not only hold an umbrella without creeping, but with a retaining screw to really grab it.

What say ye all?

Why didn't elinchrom make it more sturdy?

Really I have no idea. They could easily have made this entire plastic housing from aluminum and it would have been so much more sturdy. It's really a shame.

I modified my equally craptastic d-lites. Didn't stop me selling them, and even if it had, I would have done it anyway. Having kit that works is all that matters.

+1 on Hermes' comments.

Given the Euros you've got invested in the Quadra, having the Dlite(esque) construction of the heads and their sad excuse for umbrella holders stand in the way of your creativity and using them as you see fit (and as the system should be used) makes little sense. The use you get out of the improved heads between now and when (or if) you sell them will more than make up for putting off some "it must be in perfect OEM condition" buyers.

Besides, anyone who's handled a Quadra head before shopping for a system will know you did them a favor anyway...

Hermes wrote in post #9277774
I modified my equally craptastic d-lites. Didn't stop me selling them, and even if it had, I would have done it anyway. Having kit that works is all that matters.

What was the mod you did, Hermes?

TMR Design wrote in post #9278076
What was the mod you did, Hermes?

Swapped the handles & locking mechanism on all of them. Cut vents in the 400Ws ones (non fan-cooled) to stop them overheating. Would have done more if I could have put up with the lights longer. As it is I just accepted that they'd never be right for me and sold them. Both buyers who bought them were educated and appreciated the work I'd done to make them more usable.

bobbyz wrote in post #9277677
Why didn't elinchrom make it more sturdy?

Email them and ask

OP:

If its something that gonna improve it, i dont see any reason why not ?

You didnt buy the quadra for the resale value, you bought them because you want to use them. .-)

MR do little wrote in post #9278551
Email them and ask

I thought Elinchrom doesn't respond to emails.

bobbyz wrote in post #9278862
I thought Elinchrom doesn't respond to emails.

Not in my experience.

bobbyz wrote in post #9278862
I thought Elinchrom doesn't respond to emails.

Hi Bobby,

For some reason, the problem seems to be Elinca's response to US email.

modify it or you'll never be happy

Modify it and be sure to post the pics up so we can see what you've done. Will it still work with the EL-Adapter? (this is a must for me as I use the umbrella holder with an elinchrom deflector with my beauty dish).

TMR Design wrote in post #9281116
Hi Bobby,

For some reason, the problem seems to be Elinca's response to US email.

To continue the brief thread detour: Several weeks back, a POTN member from England posted that he also wasn't receiving responses to his emails to Elinchrom.

You might recall that Alex Ray of the Flash Centre in the UK had volunteered to be a point of contact for the non-responsiveness complaints but he too has now gone quiet.

To return to the actual thread topic: By all means, do the modification, use the Quadra head as you had intended, show us photos of the mod.

Dave F.