Successful Bellows Repair!

[EOTS]

Hi Cletus,

thanks for having shared this.
I'm facing a similar problem and have been looking at different methods for the holes ...

Did the fix last (with the Liquitex Mars Black)?

In my case the bellows looks like this (synthetic material):


I have two problems
(a) on the left upper side, most of the corners of the bellows are affected (multiple small holes in a row).
(b) one larger hole on the area "between two corners" (but not directly in a crease/fold)

I guess the method could work for (a)?
Perhaps (b) would better have to be patched?

Best regards,
Martin

[Doremus Scudder]

... I used to see 'stars' everywhere. Now I see NOTHING but Stygian, pitch black!

So please forgive my usual wordiness (not the first time I've said that) but I wanted to share this successful - so far - repair with anyone else contemplating dropping $300+ that they might not have at the moment on new or custom bellows. ... Cletus

Thanks for the informative post and the detailed description. I don't mind your wordiness at all, especially when you can contrive to use the word, "Stygian" (correctly capitalized too!) convincingly in a discourse on bellows repair.

BTW I made similar repairs recently to a Woodman bellows with black silicone-based flexible caulking and a black cloth tape. It's worked so far, but I've bookmarked this thread just in case.

Best,

Doremus

[gardnep]

Probably the best product to use for light leaks is an artists paint called Acrylic Gesso. In Oz it is now available from the Mont Marte company (China) in black. It is mat black with excellent covering properties. I have just used it on a highly porous backing cloth for a bellows and it is now light proof. It is also easy to clean up or dilute with water. Being acrylic it should also have good archival properties. It is used to coat canvass or any other surface prior to painting.

[hoffner]

Probably the best product to use for light leaks is an artists paint called Acrylic Gesso. In Oz it is now available from the Mont Marte company (China) in black. It is mat black with excellent covering properties. I have just used it on a highly porous backing cloth for a bellows and it is now light proof. It is also easy to clean up or dilute with water. Being acrylic it should also have good archival properties. It is used to coat canvass or any other surface prior to painting.

Gardnep,
how many times can you bend sharply a thin coat of "Acrylic Gesso available from the Mont Marte company (China) in black" before it ruptures? Try it before you try to sell your idea and let us know.

[Bob Salomon]

There is no "successful" repair for a bellows. Once a bellows starts to develop pin holes it will continue to deteriorate in other areas. Also a bellows must be flexible to be able to continue to let you do the movements that you have to do with a view camera. Applying tape, paint, glue, rubber compound, etc. all will compromise that flexibility. And the most expensive part of a bellows replacement is the picture you lose from a failed seal or an unexpected future leak.

The only successful bellows repair is a bellows replacement. With one that is capable of doing the same movements and compression as the OEM bellows.

[hoffner]

A nice try Bob,
but you will see - these posts about new fantastic bellows repair acrylic coat will just flourish like mushrooms after rain each time someone comes with the idea.

[Bob Salomon]

A nice try Bob,
but you will see - these posts about new fantastic bellows repair acrylic coat will just flourish like mushrooms after rain each time someone comes with the idea.

I don't expect miracles but I would prefer that people are realistic. I was robbed in France and had 10 days of film stolen which had some shots that I have never been able to reproduce again. Made for a very expensive trip. not counting the $25,000.00 in equipment that was taken (in 1985). The money was eventually paid by insurance to recoup the lost stuff. But those pictures are gone forever. Same can happen to images at any time that are shot with a camera with a leaky bellows.

[VPooler]

I have found black cloth tape made by Tesa to do the trick IF you don't use much movements or bellows draw, i.e. with a press camera. Otherwise I second what Bob said - you can't reverse decay. You can, however, build new bellows on the remnants of your old ones, as I have seen some people do. I opted for the cloth tape option for now but I will buy new bellows when I have more money to spend.

EDIT: I found the mentioned tape from my local hardware store, at electrical section among with other electrical tapes. It adheres well and is very flexible.

[Sheldon N]

One option I've used multiple times with success is the "puffy paint" or 3D fabric paint that can be used to draw on T-shirts to make decorative designs. Just one bottle of the stuff has lasted me years, I use this particular brand...

http://www.amazon.com/Scribbles-3D-F.../dp/B000JONZ9U

It adheres well, is black and opaque, and remains flexible. It also comes in a handy bottle with a fine point that is perfect for precision application into pin holes in bellows corners. And it's cheap!

[hoffner]

I don't expect miracles but I would prefer that people are realistic. I was robbed in France and had 10 days of film stolen which had some shots that I have never been able to reproduce again. Made for a very expensive trip. not counting the $25,000.00 in equipment that was taken (in 1985). The money was eventually paid by insurance to recoup the lost stuff. But those pictures are gone forever. Same can happen to images at any time that are shot with a camera with a leaky bellows.

That is the difference between a pro and a weekend amateur. The pro knows the value of his pictures and work and knows he cannot afford pseudo solutions. The amateur who takes his camera for a ride twice a month sees that the patched hole holds even the second month and shouts - it really holds, the repair is ... well, durable!