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Thread: Foil in bellows

  1. #1
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    Foil in bellows

    I have sourced some bellows fabric which seems workable, but features an occasional pinhole. I am contemplating sandwiching some aluminum foil in there. It's perfectly light-proof after all. Can anyone think of a reason why this would be a bad idea?
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  2. #2
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    Re: Foil in bellows

    Reflections off of foil can cause flare. Bellows need to be lined with light absorbing black material.

  3. #3
    8x10, 5x7, 4x5, et al Leigh's Avatar
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    Re: Foil in bellows

    Quote Originally Posted by BetterSense View Post
    Can anyone think of a reason why this would be a bad idea?
    How about...

    Aluminum foil has no mechanical integrity. It will separate if flexed a few times.

    - Leigh
    If you believe you can, or you believe you can't... you're right.

  4. #4
    Jim Graves Jim Graves's Avatar
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    Re: Foil in bellows

    Nope ... use it and if it fails replace it. Aluminum foil is very cheap, very maleable, and very strong ... just panit it flat black. Or use a drop of fabric paint if it's a small hole

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    Re: Foil in bellows

    really poor substitute for black fabric or new bellows from rudy @ ecbuyonline2008 on ebay.
    search "patching bellows" or bellows pinholes

  6. #6

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    Re: Foil in bellows

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Graves View Post
    Nope ... use it and if it fails replace it. Aluminum foil is very cheap, very maleable, and very strong ... just panit it flat black. Or use a drop of fabric paint if it's a small hole
    You'll probably need to use an etching primer before painting the aluminum foil, otherwise the paint won't adhere to it. It would probably be easier to just use black aluminum foil: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...inum_Foil.html

    On the other hand, I suspect Leigh has the correct answer

  7. #7
    Daniel Stone's Avatar
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    Re: Foil in bellows

    I use black ABS pipe cement. Its about $5 for a small can at Home Depot

    Mine is the Weld-On brand, but its worked extremely well, and remains flexible enough during long term usage.
    Just make sure to let it fully dry/vent out. I leave my camera out for ~48-72hrs after application, bellows extended all the way out.

    -Dan

  8. #8
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: Foil in bellows

    If it's just a few tiny holes, just use black silicone caulk on them. But if light is getting thru multiple pleat folds on the bellows due to wear, that's a more serious repair (I'd personally replace the entire bellows in that case).

  9. #9

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    Re: Foil in bellows

    The problem is that a bellows is not like a Sylvania Blue Dot flash bulb. There is no warning from the bellows that it has lost its light tight integrity. The first indicator for most people is fogged film and possibly a ruined shot. In that case a new bellows is always the best alternative.

  10. #10
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    Re: Foil in bellows

    I'm not talking about repairing bellows but making them from scratch.

    The foil will be sandwiched between the usual fabric layers. It's extremely thin and perfectly light proof so it seems a no-brainer to include a layer. Yet I've never heard of anyone doing it, so I thought it was worth asking in case it will cause total protonic reversal or something.
    Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer. Art is everything else we do.
    --A=B by Petkovšek et. al.

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