Changing the bellows on a Speed Graphic

[svlindbe]

I have a Speed Graphic with a bad bellows. It is an Anniverary model and has a bellows made of some leatherlook material, not the more obvious plastic that is used in my Crown Graphic, and which seems to be very durable. The Anniversary has been modified to allow forward an backward tilt on the front, and the bellows is so wide in the front that it interferes with the U-frame of the front standard. This has caused holes in the bellows on each side. There are also pinholes in nearly every corner along the bellows. It may not be original.

I know that making my own bellows is possible. Maybe I'll give it at try. Making the bellows is described in several websites.

What surprises me is how difficult it is to find a description on this forum and elsewhere in the Internet of how to change the bellows of a Speed Graphic. Can you point me in the direction of a useful description or share useful advice?

Svein Lindberg

[Michael Roberts]

http://www.graflex.org/helpboard/viewtopic.php?t=5269&highlight=bellows+replace

Svein, here is some info that will help. If you look around more on the graflex.org site, you will find more helpful info for your project.
Best wishes,
Michael

[Joanna Carter]

Have you considered Custom Bellows here in the UK http://www.custombellows.co.uk/ ?

[EdWorkman]

Making a bellows is not that difficult. Making a bellows that looks nice is difficult [for me].
Maybe I can improve with practice, but my first try is light tight and quite functional.

[svlindbe]

Thank you for the suggestions so far! I looked around in the graflex.org earlier, but didn't discover the shared questions and solutions from users. Very good! I will browse it furter in serarch of inside information.

Before posting my question I had already sent an e-mail to camerabellows.uk asking for price and availability on new bellows.

Do you know if several types of materials were used for the Graflex bellows originally? The Speed Graphic seems to be an Anniversary from the forties. The bellows material is very different from that of my Crown Grapic, which is probably of later vintage. The Speed has a rather stiff and brittle imitated leather, while the bellows on the Crown is made of "honest plastic" that seems to hold up very well with time.

More helpful tips and tricks would be fine for me and others!

Svein