Bellows stiffening

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Hi folks

I'm just about to start making a replacement set of bellows for my 5x7 camera ad I was wondering, what have people used for stiffening? I suppose cardboard would work but I just wondered what others may have used, perhaps some kind of thin plastic sheet?

Also, what sort of glue have people used?

philslizzy · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 4748 Location: Cheshire, England

In the past I have used blackout fabric and card stiffeners inside. Normal contact adhesive or fabric glue will do (�1 shop). Paint the inside black. The outside can be pink with flowers if you want. Blackout material is opaque and pretty stiff.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Cheers Phil. If I make a balls-up of this, I might have to bribe you to sort it out for me Wink

I am using a double-layer, the inside is blackout curtain lining, it's like rubberised velveteen, one side being soft black velvety, the other being white rubberised. The outer is cherry red leatherette, as the original bellows were deep red sealskin.

I bought enough material to make half a dozen sets of bellows so I'll have a go at making a set without stiffening and see how that works. I've made a pattern out of very thick paper and used it to cut out the two pieces of material, I need to buy some glue tomorrow. I'm thinking I might have to make a former out of wood or thick corrugated cardboard.

The bit I'm uncertain about is the folding, I can see the air being several shades of blue when it comes to that bit!

philslizzy · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 4748 Location: Cheshire, England

You can find all kinds of instructions on the net on folding paper bellows. This method has worked with stiff blackout material. Iron the creases, you dont need fillets inside the bellows if you do it right.

My home made cam is on hold because I dont want to go through the ball-ache folding bellows process (again - I remember what it was like 30 odd years ago).

Air blue, ultraviole(n)t more like!!

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

http://www.instructables.com/id/bellows-for-large-format-camera/

This isn't a bad explanation.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Thanks guys.

What I've done so far is make a pattern out of very thick paper,just like this one:

Today I'm going to cut out the two pieces of material and glue them together, wish me luck. Smile

philslizzy · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 4748 Location: Cheshire, England

!!

RSalles · Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 2:33 pm Post subject:

Saint Madeleine! it's a lot of precision work! A cone shaped bellows is not for the faint of heart as a DIY job!

What will use for plying the paper, some sort of template?

Good look Ian,

Cheers,

Renato

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

What I've done is cut out the two pieces of material, and now I am drawing out on the back side, the pattern, then I will cut from cardboard, all the stiffening pieces and glue them to the inner piece, them glue the outer piece on top. Next step is to make a conical form from thick corrugated cardboard and use this to form the bellows around and glue the seam. Once this is done, it's a case of folding all the creases and folds into it.

I'll take some pictures,it's not easy to explain with words.

Thanks for the good luck wishes guys, I have a feeling I'll be needing 'em. Smile

exaklaus · Expire: 2011-12-02

Good luck!

I made a bellows something around nearly 30 years ago. A very big one for a self-made large format. It worked, but it was a lot of work to do!
So I know you will not have an easy work.

Klaus

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Cheers Klaus. It's something to keep me occupied during all these miserable winter days with endless rain. Smile