Bellows orientation question

[C. D. Keth]

I am cleaning up and adjusting a new-to-me sinar Norma in 8x10. The front 8” inches of the bellows have these little crisscrossed ribbons on the inside.

Are these meant to be oriented on the sides to act as braces against sagging?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200207/3ef733aa10a2a0544ea24a8d4eac8ffb.jpg


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[ic-racer]

Are these meant to be oriented on the sides to act as braces against sagging?

Any way to flip them 90 degrees and see if it sags less?

[C. D. Keth]

Yeah, it can easily be mounted with any side up. I can’t tell any difference. It appears the bellows have been folded up for many years and are a bit stiff right now. I guess the question is more academic or for the future than of importance right this moment.


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[Mark Sampson]

My thought has been that the 'stretchers' should be on the vertical sides. At least that's the way I've done it on two different Sinars.

[C. D. Keth]

That’s what makes sense to me, Mark, and you having seen it twice before is good enough for me.


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[tgtaylor]

They may have been placed there to accommodate for lenses for whose image circle allows for the movements the camera is capable of delivering. The factory bellows on the Toyo Robos is wider than the standard bellows for just that reason.

Thomas