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View Full Version : Crap crap crap, the bellows on my Tech Master leaks



Vick Ko
21-Jul-2012, 20:43
Crap crap crap, the bellows on my Tech Master leaks.

So, small leaks and visible in a flashlight test when bellows are fully extended.

Does this mean replacement is mandatory? Or are small leaks tolerable?

...Vick

joselsgil
21-Jul-2012, 21:29
Try some of the liquid electrical tape? It is flexible and might just do the trick. You can find it at hardware stores in the electrical isles.

I haven't tried it myself, but it is one option.

Kuzano
21-Jul-2012, 22:05
Crap crap crap, the bellows on my Tech Master leaks.

So, small leaks and visible in a flashlight test when bellows are fully extended.

Does this mean replacement is mandatory? Or are small leaks tolerable?

...Vick

Two things about patching.... Be careful that if you patch (inside or outside the bellows) that you use a substance that dries but remains pliable. The worst thing you can do to shorten the life of the bellows even more would be some pigmented liquid that does not completely dry. If you do, when you close the bellows and leave it closed for a time, the patch liquid will stick together and possibly do more damage as it pulls apart next time you open the camera.

I got away for a couple of years with another trick. I usually use a drop cloth for focus. I use velcro strips to mount the front of the cloth to the top and both sides of the back frame of the camera. What I did, after focusing was to drape the dark cloth forward over the camera and up against the front standard and down the sides, covering the top and sides of the bellows. The door shielded the bottom. This worked quite well for me until I came up with a bellow solution. It's a kludge solution, but I got the shots.

John Kasaian
21-Jul-2012, 22:08
Crap crap crap, the bellows on my Tech Master leaks.

So, small leaks and visible in a flashlight test when bellows are fully extended.

Does this mean replacement is mandatory? Or are small leaks tolerable?

...Vick
Bellows? Or bowels?
I'm confused!

Peter De Smidt
21-Jul-2012, 23:48
Get a new bellows. It's so expensive and so much work to take pictures with a LF camera. Why risk losing a whole shoot because of a bad bellows?

Frank Petronio
22-Jul-2012, 00:27
Shoot with the drop cloth draped for a period and make some photos... If you love using it, then fix it. Most of the time those pinholes won't ever be exposed unless you use longer lenses or do close ups.

RichardSperry
22-Jul-2012, 00:41
http://www.plastidip.com/

Noah A
22-Jul-2012, 01:50
I'm with Peter. A new bellows won't be cheap but neither is film, and your time. Just do it right.

Adrian Pybus
22-Jul-2012, 04:10
Yes, replace the bellows. I'd had my Technika checked by an expert so I thought everything was OK. All my long exposures were ruined while on a trip ...

gth
22-Jul-2012, 05:05
Try some of the liquid electrical tape? It is flexible and might just do the trick. You can find it at hardware stores in the electrical isles.

I haven't tried it myself, but it is one option.

I used that "liquid electrical tape" on a Agfa Record Bellows and it did work but I still have problems with stickiness. The bellows is pushed in very tight of course on a 6x9 folder, so it might not be a big problem on a larger bellows. Be real careful of applying it in very thin layers and do multiple applications after each has dried thoroughly, if needed. It's a temporary solution before you get a new bellows.

John Kasaian
22-Jul-2012, 06:28
Equinox Photographic sells a great bellows patching compound. It's cheap, too (but it won't help your G-I problem)

Bill_1856
22-Jul-2012, 06:37
It's my experience (twice) that when the Technika bellows starts to go, it's gonna be Swiss Cheese within a few days. Unfortunately, you should get the bellows replaced now (and take some Kaopectate before you find out how much it's gonna cost you).

Frank Petronio
22-Jul-2012, 06:59
I guess you might as well because when you decide you don't like 4x5 it will be easier to resell!

Vick Ko
22-Jul-2012, 07:13
Thanks all.

Yep, the right thing to do is to replace the bellows.

....Vick

Colin Graham
22-Jul-2012, 07:28
The liquid electrical tape works well on pinholes. Once it cures it stays pliable, though I guess that might depend on your climate (not to mention the bellows fabric). But here in western Washington it doesn't dry out and flake off, and it doesn't remain tacky and stick to everything either.

I had mass pinholes in a bag bellows from stupidly making it with recycled dark cloth (vulcanized nylon with a linen liner) and just for laughs I painted the entire inside with the stuff. I hung it to dry for a few days on a deformed coat hanger in a shower stall with the exhaust fan running (the stuff does stink until it cures), and 6 months later it's still light-tight.

Ivan J. Eberle
22-Jul-2012, 07:55
Topic often comes up with leather bellows-- particularly Linhof MT and
TK models after 15 years. Busch Pressmans, too...but then these are all 50 years old.
Almost unheard of with synthetic bellows (later Graflex Super Graphic and, Meridian bellows are still going strong at 50-60 years, in my limited experience).
Just sayin'.

desertrat
22-Jul-2012, 08:31
I don't know what the nearly century old bellows in my 8X10 Seneca are make of, but I patched up a whole bunch of pinhole leaks in the folds and corners with flexible black fabric paint from the craft section of the local Wally World. It's used for painting T-shirts, stays flexible and is washable. I did this 4 years ago and the repairs are holding.

It's a shame that the bellows in some of the more modern high grade cameras start to disintegrate soon after the first leaks appear. Wrapping the bellows with the dark cloth is only temporary, but it works well and can keep you shooting if you can't replace the bellows with new ones right away.

Peter De Smidt
22-Jul-2012, 10:50
Make sure to get a quote from Camera Bellows in the UK. (They changed their name a few years ago, and so you'll have to search a little.)

Brian Ellis
22-Jul-2012, 11:15
You certainly can patch but if these are pinholes in the corners new ones almost certainly will continue to pop up. So if you patch you should periodically check the bellows - preferably before you go out for a photography session - to make sure there are no new ones. That's kind of a pain to do so I'd replace the bellows (in fact I did, in a similar situation with my Technika). You'll likely do it eventually anyhow so it might as well be sooner rather than later.

mortensen
22-Jul-2012, 13:52
Vick, take a look at alternative bellows sources here: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?92371-Bellows-Replacement-Sources-2012&highlight=bellows

btw, the bellows on the (otherwise) fine Tech V you guided me to has both cracks and numerous pinholes - it didn't stand the flashlight test that Mark performed on my request. (Still a nice camera, though :) )

Vick Ko
22-Jul-2012, 14:12
Yes, that is what prompted me to do a more rigorous flashlight test.

Such is life.

Vick

Peter De Smidt
22-Jul-2012, 14:56
I've had bellows made at Western Bellows and Camera Bellows, that latter of which now goes by "Custom Bellows". The Western Bellows were pretty good, but my camera was damaged by poor packing on the return shipment, and WB was not sympathetic or helpful at all. The Camera Bellows were for a Linhof Tech III. These are particularly tough, as they have to really compress to allow the camera to close. Some companies won't guarantee that the camera will still close with their bellows. In any case, the Camera Bellows product was beautiful and worked perfectly. I believe that many high end camera companies use their bellows as OEM.

Frank Petronio
22-Jul-2012, 17:09
The Technika's leather bellows are especially long, thin, and flexible compared to some less expensive cameras but you won't find anything comparable in synthetic materials. Also while patches may work fine on most bellows, these are especially thin and highly compressed, which amplifies "stickage".

I did have a beater Tech with replacement bellows from a Crown Graphic that were nearly indestructible but it made the third extension track unnecessary... Fine if you never use any lenses over 180-210 at infinity, but most people like Technikas because they do handle longer lenses in a rigid, compact package.

Also tried the $100 Chinese replacement bellows that worked ok but wasn't as flexible or as nice, and it was not that easy to install (for me). All in all, either solider on or spring for the full Marflex factory job.

Finally, Camera Bellows UK is great but self-installing a Technika bellows isn't as easy as most others I've monkeyed with, it's well worth the premium to have a pro do it.