Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

We do not offer an alternative method of attaching soft boxes as the integrated system is tested with our boxes and performs well (there will always be exceptions on a case by case basis). You may see a small gap (1/8" or less), however, this will affect neither the light being cast or the ability of the light to securely retain the softbox.

Sorry I've been shooting like crazy, this is still a problem for me. I'm new to using strobes, having a great time with them but I shoot in more extreme [not that extreme] situation than in a studio and generally around expensive objects so I need the attachment between the softbox and the stand to be rock solid.

Are speed rings standardized so I can purchase some kind of stand attachment?

The speedrings are integrated with the softbox. While there are some speedrings that do attach to a stand, the ones on our softboxes cannot be replaced.

You could try wrapping a metal safety cable through the speedring and over the head or lightstand.
Video lighting guys generally do this when mounting lights above crowds. I forget the name of that type of cable though, but it's something like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/3 ... Cable.html

I do use a safety cable but when the softbox detaches it does it quickly and all sorts of bad things can happen.

Its now done it twice, the first mostly uneventful but it hadn't done it again for a while so I was feeling confident and had it up about seven feet, the second time it broke the modeling lamp and the entire thing looked like it was going fall. Fortunately the quick reflexes of a friend stepped on the sandbag to make sure it wasn't going over.

I doubt it would have fallen but the owner of these cars was present and it just doesn't look very professional when this sort of thing happens. As a result I just haven't gotten the use out of this softbox I would like, its a great size but just seems to big for these lights to handle.

I'd probably freak out a bit if that happened too. If you're using a safety cable and it gets loose, the lightstand will still get rocked pretty hard. :(

Try a WL1600 instead or I'd suggest trying another softbox brand that works w/ a Bowens Quickring...you can mount the QR onto a lightstand spigot and then hang the AB onto it. A Photoflex Xlarge Litedome is 53x70. Westcott has a 54x72. Plume has a 53x75. The Plumes I have definitely works w/ the QR...