From: Neil Miller (neil@miller.gioserve.com)
Date: 01/26/03-10:28:46 AM Z
Hello Cor,
I have a bellows repair manual that says use a water based adhesive like
"gloy" for bellows that are composed of an inner/card ribs/outer
construction. Some weight has to be applied to the sandwich of these
materials when making a new bellows from scratch, before the pleats are
made - this could be a bit problematical with an in-situ bellos.
I have heard of people using the black rubber wetsuit repair material that
divers use for repairing pinholes, dabbing it on the outside of the bellows
and leaving it to cure overnight, with the bellows extended.
Another suggestion I have read about is a liquid rubber substance that
people dip the handles of tools in, eg pliers, to rubbercoat them. I know
you can buy it in hardware shops in the US, but I am not sure what is called
or its availability outside the 'States.
There is a large format forum on photo.net where this sort of thing is often
discussed. One person recently said that he had stretched hsi bellows out
and applied "gaffer" tape to the edges - didn't cost much but looked awful!
Other people have used an adhesive called "Elmer'sGlue" to which they have
added black watercolour and a drop of detergent (to help it flow?). I would
guess that Elmer's glue is a type of PVA. Again, it was dabbed on the
outside immediately over the pinholes and left to dry overnight with the
bellows extended.
I have had small splits in bellows that I have mended succesfully with thin,
black, material based tape - like the tape that is used to join carpets but
somewhat thinner. I sanded the glossy surface to make it matte then applied
it on the inside of the bellows in a thin strip. Probably wouldn't work for
multiple pinholes - hard to apply in the corners successfully and would
probably interfere with the pleats if it was in the corners.
Some would say get a new bellows from Camera Bellows in the UK and have done
with it! while I have heard of people making do with a large darkcloth
draped over the whole camera (excluding the lens!).
Regards,
Neil.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Breukel, C. (HKG)" <C.Breukel@lumc.nl>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2003 4:05 PM
Subject: OT;Bellows repair
> Hi,
>
> I just obtained this wondeflull 8*10 Toyo field camera, but unfortunatly
is
> the bellows leaky. At the horizontal seam (I mean the place were the
bellows
> are joined) a cm or so is coming apart: I guess that should not be too
hard
> too repair, but what kind of glue should I use?
>
> Perhaps more difficult are a lot of small pinholes in the corners of the
> folds, is you look close at these places, you'll see that the rubberlike
> overcoat is gone.
>
> How should one repair these?
>
> I did remember that Dick Sullivan recommanded someing which is used to
> repair the roof of houses, called Elastoseal (diging in the archives I
found
> info form 1999). He even sold the stuff in smaller cans, but could not
find
> it on his catalogue.
>
> Do people have experience with this stuff?
>
> Ideas and feedback on these problems appreciated!
>
> Best,
>
> Cor
>
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