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wwilliams
12-Sep-2010, 06:19
I just putchased a Kodak 2D in fairly good shape. The bellows is red on the outside (leather I assume) and a dark fiber on the inside (silk?). The inside is lightly spotted with mold and I was hoping someone could tell me how to remove it without damaging the cloth. Most of it wipes off but I assume I need to kill it so it won't return.
Any ideas on what to treat the exterior with ( it is not moldy).
Thanks
Warren

cdholden
12-Sep-2010, 07:43
For the inside, how about some 3-5% hydrogen peroxide put into a spray bottle?
I'm not a big fan of bleach, but if you were to use it in a pinch, I would suggest diluting it first.
I put some leather conditioner (same as I put on my work boots) on the exterior of the bellows, let sit a couple of hours, then wiped down. I've not had my 2D very long, but it seemed to be a positive treatment.

GPS
12-Sep-2010, 07:55
Wipe it with wet cloth, dry it well and if you store it in a dry environment it won't come back.

rjbuzzclick
12-Sep-2010, 11:19
Would sunlight kill it, in the same way that it can help with lens fungus?

lenser
12-Sep-2010, 12:56
I've used the Clorox wipes for disinfecting kitchen and bathroom surfaces for cleaning (eliminating) mold from the leather on a few old folders and graphics. It only came back if I put them away in a dark closet for a few months. If out in a regular room, I've yet to see any that re-occured. You might try that and leave the bellows stretched out in a dry space for a few days then repeat since this is on the inside.

John Jarosz
12-Sep-2010, 13:53
4% household bleach in water (4 parts bleach to 96 parts water). It shouldn't bleach the fabric. if it does you can blacken it with a black magic marker, Just wipe it on with a paper towel. Sunlight will help.

90%-95% rubbing alcohol will dry out the fabric and leather. Let the alcohol wet the surface. Use a conditioner after the leather is dry.

Jim Noel
12-Sep-2010, 14:51
Listerine!

RichardRitter
13-Sep-2010, 05:20
Depending on how bad it is the best thing to do is replace the bellows. Not knowing the age or how the bellows was glued together wetting the material may weaken the glue that hold the bellows together and or weaken or dry out the material. Causing a second problem the development of pin holes.

D. Bryant
13-Sep-2010, 06:02
Listerine!

Jim is on to something here. You may wish to use a very weak solution of thymol which will definitely kill mold. What have you got to loose?

Don Bryant

Peter Gomena
13-Sep-2010, 13:28
My WP camera had really musty bellows and a mildew-scented dark cloth when I bought it. I just opened it up and let it air out for a couple of weeks while I worked on the camera. I didn't use any chemicals to clear things up, just dusted it with a dry cloth and ran a vacuum cleaner around the inside. The bellows now has a "vintage" smell but no trace of the mildewy odor. I keep it in a dry place in an open camera bag.

Peter Gomena