Bag Type Bellows Sewing Pattern?

[Dan Quan]

Does anyone have or know where I can download a wide angle "bag" bellows sewing pattern? I think I need to have one made for a camera I'm putting together but I don't want to just describe it to a seamstress, I'd rather show a pattern.

Thanks.

[IanG]

I had bag bellows made by Camera Bellows in the UK (no called Custom Bellows) in about 1976/7 for a De Vere Whole Plate, half plate 5x4 camera, they had the original De Vere pattern in their map drawers - they made all De Vere's bellows. I've sold the camera but the pattern was quite simple and I realised it would be relatively simple for me to make more if I needed to. (I make bellows occasionally - have 9 sets to make after Xmas).

The exact shape can vary slightly, mine were hexagonal the two halves need to be sewn together with a flexible stiffener in each edge. I'd make a mock up first to test.

Ian

[Jon Shiu]

Here are photos of one design:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?114249-FS-Cambo-Calumet-Bag-Bellows&highlight=bellows

Jon

[Dan Fromm]

Dan, how long does it have to be?

I made a short one out of two 10" x 10" sheets of 1.5 mm wet suit fabric. Read about it here: http://1drv.ms/1ygm2Aq

[Dan Quan]

This is really inspiring; I learned how to use glue in kindergarten! And what is more, I just googled fabric glue and found a plethora of possibilities! Glue, who knew?!?!

Perhaps I can buy some 16oz duvetyne, fabric glue, put on some Basie, Sinatra and Dino, make some hot chocolate and end up with a couple of bag bellows! What a great way to spend a winter day!

Thanks for the input! I'd love to hear more!

[Dan Fromm]

Dan, whatever you do, make sure that the material you buy really is light-tight. The wet suit fabric I bought passed the "LED flashlight up against it" test but isn't perfectly perfectly opaque. It works well but I wouldn't leave the camera with it fitted and the dark slide pulled out in the sun for hours.

Also, as I think I mentioned in the piece you read, the first time I assembled it the glued seams held for about a month. I reglued it, my wife sewed the edges, ... and its been fine since then.

[Dan Quan]

Thanks Dan, I will make sure it is dark, possibly using more than one layer. I am just starting to imagine the first cuts, the initial design and materials. I'm thinking of a drawstring on each end. Thanks for the insight.

[Dan Fromm]

Hmm. Nearly seven years late. Better late than never, I guess.

FWIW, my wife's sewing machine did better than well enough.

EDIT: The post to which Dan reacted turned out to be a spammer, now deleted. -- Oren

[Barry Kirsten]

I've used an ordinary sewing machine to make lens pouches. I used garment leather which is quite thin and would be suitable for bag bellows, and it sewed beautifully. I think anything thicker than garment leather might be a different matter with an ordinary machine.

[tdicorcia]

As a high school student I had a part-time job in a wet suit factory. Parkway fabricators, South Amboy, NJ. They would make sure the material was cut squarely and smoothly. Use glue, pinching the pieces together. Then the fabric covering would be sewed with nylon thread by machine. Those seams were never going to come apart, which was a good thing if you were using one of their inflatable dry suits, diving under ice.

[tdicorcia]

Here are bag bellows instructions with patterns. It’s in German, but Google translate works well enough.
http://www.foto-net.de/net/dyo/gross_ww.html