Large format bellows frame

[Thierry Schreiner]

Hi to all,

I am finishing a large format DIY project, but still need to make (or have made) the bellows in the 14x17 inch format. But am uncertain about the material to use to make the front and rear bellows frames.

What do you suggest, wood, aluminium, ....?

Could you please share your experience, and possibly make me avoid errors, especially regarding the size of the bellows?

Thank's to all in advance and best regards


Thierry

[wfwhitaker]

I would use wood. It's easier to work with from my experience and does the job just fine. The bellows can be made to fit the frame dimension you decide on.

[Ernest Purdum]

I would be inclined to match whatever material you are using elsewhere.

[Glenn Thoreson]

I use wood. I assume you mean the frame(s) the bellows actually are glued to for mounting. If that's what you need to make, use a soft wood, such as pine. There are a couple of reasons for this. When you attach the bellows to the frames, you may need to use tiny tacks or other fastening devices to hold the material to the frame. Wood that is too hard can make this difficult. Normally, the bellows frames are not readily visible when completed and installed on the camera, so appearance is not often a big issue. If any bare wood is visible, just paint it flat black. Good luck and enjoy your new camera!