Repairing bag bellows; vacation coming up-help needed!

**Rider** · 6-Jul-2007, 16:38

There is no cloth backing; it is only a thin piece of leather. On the inside, it's not even dark--I was wondering how well that controls light that normally bouncing around in there.

Originally Posted by Gordon Moat

If there is a cloth backing behind the leather, on the inside of the bag bellows, then there is one repair that can work very well for years. That is by using screenprinting ink, like used to make images on T-shirts. I have done several very old bellows on medium format folder cameras that way, the oldest repaired four years ago and still blocking light effectively.

This would not work if there is only leather. The cloth backing holds the screenprinting ink in place. You would need a brush to apply it. Then curing is by setting the bellows in directly sunlight for many hours, until dry inside. After that you end up with a flexible repair that blocks light. Hopefully that could work for you.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio

**RichardRitter** · 7-Jul-2007, 05:13

Your bellows light leak looks like it is becoming a common fact for the owners of Wisner bag bellows I have replace 3 this year. Take 3 to 5 weeks.

To save your trip go to a fabric store and get curtain black out cloth. Use this to wrap around your bellows when using, clip together at the bottom. I would stay away from putting the focusing cloth over the camera. It can act as a sail and do more damage then good.

Richard Ritter
www.finefocusworkshops.com

**Jim Jones** · 7-Jul-2007, 05:30

I've repaired cloth lined bellows by scrubbing black liquid artist's acrylic paint into the pinholes with an old soft toothbrush. If the leather in yours is no longer opaque, following this with an overall very thin application of the same paint might help.

I often attach the dark cloth to the front standard for additional darkening of camera, bellows, and film holder, but Richard Ritter's warning sounds wise.

**Rider** · 7-Jul-2007, 06:10

I'll give that a try; along with with orienting the worn-out leather towards the bottom so it doesn' catch direct sunlight.

Richard, when you replace a bellows, does you mean replacing all of the leather?

Originally Posted by RichardRitter

Your bellows light leak looks like it is becoming a common fact for the owners of Wisner bag bellows I have replace 3 this year. Take 3 to 5 weeks.

To save your trip go to a fabric store and get curtain black out cloth. Use this to wrap around your bellows when using, clip together at the bottom. I would stay away from putting the focusing cloth over the camera. It can act as a sail and do more damage then good.

Richard Ritter
www.finefocusworkshops.com

**David A. Goldfarb** · 7-Jul-2007, 06:16

The Bostick and Sullivan patch kit isn't bad stuff for a temporary fix. If you've got thin spots and maybe some tiny pinholes, you could paint the whole thing, 2-3 coats inside and out, and it should carry you until you can find find a replacement or have time to have a new one made.

**RichardRitter** · 7-Jul-2007, 11:30

yes the leather is replaced.
If you go about it in the right way one can wreck a leather bellows in a month. At the time in history when leather was used it was the best there was. Now a days there is much better materiales around that hold up better and longer.