Liquid electrical tape for bellows repair

[Greg]

So based on this thread, I dug out an old Sinar 8x10 Norma bellows that had more than a few pinholes in the corners of the back third of the bellows. Used Gardner Bender Liquid Electrical tape that I got from the local ACE Hardware store.

My experiences:
1. It is not 100% opaque if applied as a thin "painted" layer.
2. Is very volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) when applied with a thin brush. After dipping a small thin brush into the container, one has less than 10 seconds to apply it. Secret was to get a drop of it at the end of the brush and apply the drop to the pinhole. One pinhole at a time.
3. Frosted "Standard" shaped LED light bulbs are a God sent. The one I used was a 13 watt LED bulb. Nice thing was that because it doesn't heat up, I was able to run the bright bulb up and down inside the bellows touching the bellows but not worrying that it would damage the bellows.
4. Did my repairs in the darkroom with the safe light on and the exhaust fan on. Pinholes were darn easy to see and the light from the safelight was just bright enough to make out the outer surface of the bellows. Exhaust fan took care of removing the smell of the liquid tape.
5. The bellows was ready to use pretty much right after applying the last drop of liquid electrical tape. The stuff really dries fast. My previous pinhole fix of Elmers glue and lamp black gouache took easily overnight to cure/dry.

[Drew Wiley]

This is vinyl-based, so itself will slowly degrade or lose its flexibility with UV exposure and weather. I prefer the longevity of black silicones; but they have their own downside in being incompatible with anything else atop them later, and not always fresh or of the highest quality when bought from ordinary outlets like hardware stores. I'd prefer to clean the bellow well first, apply something like thin black nylon tent repair tape to the failed area first, and then the black liquid patch atop that if possible. But having an unopened little can of the liquid electrical tape along in an emergency camera repair kit is a good idea if your bellow are already beginning to look a little suspect. I alway have a small amount of nylon tent repair tape in my pack anyway, for sake of actual tent leaks, but hypothetically usable on a parka, sleeping bag, or bellows too.

I haven't actually been in that predicament for a long time, and all my current bellows are in superb condition. Anything over-used with pleat pinholes got converted into a compendium shade instead. That's especially easy to do with the Sinar accessories system.