Homemade reflector?

[420boogie]

i have a 400w lumatek ballast. I created this reflector out of sheet metal from home depot, its 10''deep, 10''square at top and spreads to about a 15'' square at the bottom, so it has angled sides. My light gets here monday so i cant test it yet. I wonder if this alluminum is shiny enough. I used tin snips to cut the sheets into squares and then screwed the 5 sides together. Sheet metal=$10
tin snips-$10
screws=$5
so around $25 for a reflector. Cheapest one i found online was about$30
i forgot to mention, i plan on burning bulb base up so that i can get the length of the plants instead of just the top

 

[420boogie]

!!!!! im so irritated!!! I just found out my light being shipped doesnt come with the socket so that i can plug my damn bulb in, so now my plants have to go another 2 wks without light while i order this stupid thing that shoulda came with the ballast!

 

[Linkorien]

what a kick in the soft spot... best of luck to ya man!

 

[420boogie]

i wonder if the burn position matters depending on the ballast? i kno the bulb matters but what about the socket as well???