Restoration of gooey Toyo WA bag bellows

[Neal Chaves]

I recently bought some Toyo 4X5 view camera bellows from a forum member for a very favorable price. Two were the old-style bag bellows with black satin inside and a black synthetic leather-like finish on the outside. My intention was just to strip them for the frames, because the outsides were badly deteriorated, sticky and gooey. What a mess! But typical of many of these older Toyo bag bellows.

After I stripped the frames off the first one my hands were covered with the black stuff and it wouldn't wash off with soap and water so I got out the acetone. The acetone really cleaned it off easily. Then I got to thinking - or maybe it was the fumes from the acetone. I took the bellows outside with the can of acetone and a roll of paper towels and my chemical-proof gloves. A few minutes later, I had stripped all the black gooey stuff off down to the bare fabric. I was surprised to find that it was still light-tight, but I decided to try to re-coat it with vinyl spray. I found some in my nearby NAPA store, Dupli-Color Vinyl Fabric Coating, and chose the flat black.

I stuffed the bellows with bubble wrap and stuck a stick through it to hold it by and started applying thin coats, letting each one dry for a few minutes. I figured it would build up into a leather-like finish. That didn't happen. The fabric soaked it all up. I used almost the entire can and the result was a black suede appearance. After drying over night, I mounted the frames again. At first it was a little stiff, but after flexing it a bit it softened up nicely without cracking. I am very happy, especially because the WA bellows in my Toyo 45G kit is starting to get sticky.

The teated bellows really does look like black suede or black faux suede. It looks completely original and not at all like a restoration.

[Tin Can]

Good to know, but I am real leery of naipolish remover (acetone) nasty stuff!

I recently bought some Toyo 4X5 view camera bellows from a forum member for a very favorable price. Two were the old-style bag bellows with black satin inside and a black synthetic leather-like finish on the outside. My intention was just to strip them for the frames, because the outsides were badly deteriorated, sticky and gooey. What a mess! But typical of many of these older Toyo bag bellows.

After I stripped the frames off the first one my hands were covered with the black stuff and it wouldn't wash off with soap and water so I got out the acetone. The acetone really cleaned it off easily. Then I got to thinking - or maybe it was the fumes from the acetone. I took the bellows outside with the can of acetone and a roll of paper towels and my chemical-proof gloves. A few minutes later, I had stripped all the black gooey stuff off down to the bare fabric. I was surprised to find that it was still light-tight, but I decided to try to re-coat it with vinyl spray. I found some in my nearby NAPA store, Dupli-Color Vinyl Fabric Coating, and chose the flat black.

I stuffed the bellows with bubble wrap and stuck a stick through it to hold it by and started applying thin coats, letting each one dry for a few minutes. I figured it would build up into a leather-like finish. That didn't happen. The fabric soaked it all up. I used almost the entire can and the result was a black suede appearance. After drying over night, I mounted the frames again. At first it was a little stiff, but after flexing it a bit it softened up nicely without cracking. I am very happy, especially because the WA bellows in my Toyo 45G kit is starting to get sticky.

The teated bellows really does look like black suede or black faux suede. It looks completely original and not at all like a restoration.

[gleaf]

Black foam light seal on my Zone VI cold light source died the goo death. Industrial grade Isopropyl alcohol from the local hardware store worked slow but well. Only required one roll of paper towels.

[uphereinmytree]

Hey Neal, great work. I thought those bellows were beyond repair. Glad it worked for you.

[AtlantaTerry]

Thanks for the acetone tip. I have a pneumatic shutter release where the plastic tube has taken the gooey route. I will try the acetone on it. Failing that I will go to an automobile parts store where I believe I should be able to find replacement tubing.

[AtlantaTerry]

Thanks for the acetone tip. I have a pneumatic shutter release in which the plastic tube has taken the gooey route. I will try the acetone on it. Failing that I will go to an automobile parts store where I believe I should be able to find replacement tubing.

For people in the rest of the world who likely don't know, "NAPA" is a chain of automobile parts stores.

[el french]

Thanks for the acetone tip. I have a pneumatic shutter release where the plastic tube has taken the gooey route. I will try the acetone on it. Failing that I will go to an automobile parts store where I believe I should be able to find replacement tubing.

Try McMaster-Carr, http://www.mcmaster.com/#tubing/=pjdg9u , for tubing.