Bellows repair

[Steven Tribe]

The earlier image I posted in this thread was a custom-made new bellows for an 8x10 cycle poco made up with 4 separate sections so the use of tape was very necessary.
I have also used the system with an old one piece bellows in situ. I enclose a photo of a repaired tapering bellows on a German Bentzin stereo 13x18 tailboard without the bellows being removed. This is a paper type of bellows and the 4 edges were completely delaminated and frayed. The system with joining strips is quite common from new on Continental tailback cameras. Again, I must warn that the extra thickness can make for difficulties in folding cameras where the space allowance has been designed for the original thickness of the bellows. 5cm tape is just the right width for this operation.

[Mark Carstens]

Thanks for the extra pic and explanation, Steven!

I've attached pics of the "patched" bellows. The repair seems flexible, and yet, durable.

Hey..wait..where is it? (circled in red).

~Mark

[jonathan_lipkin]

I just bought a used Toyo field camera which had some wear at the corners of the bellows (same areas circled above). I picked up some wetsuit repair cement similar to https://www.amazon.com/Profile-Desig.../dp/B001FB18WM

Worked like a dream. Application was a bit tricky as it dries very quick, but after two coats the repair has held up quite well.

[Steven Tribe]

Sorry Mark I didn't see your posting in June. As the rest of the corners seem to be in good condition I think you did the right thing. Corner strengthening is best for bellows when the delamination of the inner/outer materials is obvious.

[Mark Carstens]

No worries, Steven. What you provided is still useful information for myself and anyone else who prefers to find a fix before venturing a replacement.

[Maris Rusis]

Bellows repair? 3M #850 black polyester tape; very black, very thin, ultra-flexible, very strong no-bleed no-creep adhesive, won't decay, rather expensive, but otherwise perfect.

I have covered an entire camera bellows, enlarger bellows, and compendium lens shade bellows with this stuff without noticeably bulking up the original pleats or reducing flexibility.

[GPS]

Bellows repair? 3M #850 black polyester tape; very black, very thin, ultra-flexible, very strong no-bleed no-creep adhesive, won't decay, rather expensive, but otherwise perfect.

I have covered an entire camera bellows, enlarger bellows, and compendium lens shade bellows with this stuff without noticeably bulking up the original pleats or reducing flexibility.

Indeed, Maris, using a thin tape is the only intelligent method to repair bellows. Of course, one can also use the tape on the inside of the bellows, something that is nice on historic cameras when you don't want to show the repair.
Using cements, thick glue fluids etc. is just asking for future troubles - the victory is short lived, for obvious technical reasons...

[bbauer]

does anyone have a source for the 3m tape in 2" widths that's shorter than 72 feet?

My google search found plenty of vendors for the 72' length, and all of the other colors except black for the shorter lengths they stock.

bob

[MarkWNY]

The bellows on my 1989 Master Technika is starting to get some fine cracks on the sides of the bellows. I don't believe that there are any light leaks yet. Should I think about replacment? Is this just cosmetic and not really a problem? Is there a preventive maintenance I should be performing?

Thank you,
Mark

[DrTang]

I've used black gasket sealant before - seems to work okay for pinholes anyway