Any alternative Linhof bellows fit Technikardan?

[speedfreak]

I posted a wtb add on the forums and was offered a bellows that "has a few small pin holes, but nothing that can't be patched easily". Well for $220 I got a bellows that was full of pin holes and cracks. Sh$t, what to do now? Well I read some threads, did a bunch of research an ended up giving them a coating of plasti-dip. I spent plenty of time cleaning them by hanging them with a slight weight just to expose every fold. I took the regular plasti-dip (thinned with denatured alcohol, I think) and hit every corner at least three to four times. Then I checked with a light. No dice, still plenty of light getting through. Next thought was to coat the bellows entirely with the spay version of the Plasti-dip. A few coats later my bellows is now sticky when I pull it apart and probably still has holes.
I am just using a dark cloth over the bellow when I shoot now, but am still thinking that I might try to make my own modified single taper bellows just to see how they work. I love DIY projects, so we'll see what happens. But, I could just order the Chinese bellows since I have the frames, get some pliobond and be done with it. Hmmmm?
I must say that I absolutely love the TK and tend to leave the bag bellows on it when I pack it away. Needless to say I've begun to "see" more wide angle since using the standard bellows has become such a pain.

[Ari]

Chinese bellows, Pliobond, that's a party!
I'd suggest you do that, and be done.
Or search the forum for bellows repair; my suggestion would be black automotive silicone applied generously with a gloved finger.

[Frank Petronio]

I only played with a Technikardan for a few minutes one time but it is an admirable camera that I would love to have someday. I'm sure the OEM bellows is by far the best but I did buy one of the Chinese bellows to replace on an old Technika I had this past Winter. While the Chinese bellows is some kind of synthetic cloth, it was very well made and also thin and flexible. I didn't see that it was any bulkier or stiffer than the OEM Technika bellows.

However they come without frames and the instructions for mounting the frames were consistent with what I was sent. I had to do some trimming and use some common sense to get them mounted. It wasn't as slick as the factory job. But for the money, they are definitely workable for about $100 and a couple of hours of workshop time (tops).

Dave (Altcruiser) also got a bag bellows for a Kardan GT I sold him and he said it was the same thing, a decent workable bellows for the money. Took some stress to attach the frames but not that hard.

I don't know how much glue scraping you have to do with the Technikardan but get the frames clean (wirebrush, repaint black) and see if you can find some sort of flexible black sealant or glue. I didn't use any glue on the Technika even though Linhof obviously did, but the mechanical connection to the frames was plenty. Still, I wished I had the right goop. But you'll have a month to find some, the cheap shipping from China takes a while.

I think the Plastidip trick works OK for a few holes, but once you get the seams and corners going, the bellows is losing its integrity and you'll put so much goop on that it will be a sticky mess (and you'll still put a darkcloth over it because you will never trust it.

[mortensen]

sad to hear that you're having so much trouble finding proper bellows, speedfreak!
Have you considered cusombellows.co.uk? they should be tooled up for the TK standard bellows - they just need the frames you already have. I don't know their prices (should be reasonable, though), but I consider using them myself, since I need a bellows for my 90-210 range with max movements. Got my TK45S a few weeks ago - without a doubt the best camera I've used so far (um, but it's only three in total).

Does any of you know, whether Linhof would sell the frames for the bellows separately? I need a few spare parts for the ground glass assembly as weel, but I could fear they would only sell me a new back. Btw, Frank, do you still have that sexy looking, stripped Tech IV?

[Frank Petronio]

No I sold it. A very rugged beast though.

[speedfreak]

Hey Mortensen,
I've had custom bellows in my mind for a while, and no doubt, out of all the options that are reasonably priced, they are the best. Just have to be patient with the over seas shipping. I have heard very good things about Western bellows down in LA as well that might be a better option for me as to avoid the extra expenses of shipping something many thousands of miles away.
I wish someone offered a universal bellows like the rubberized type that Arca Swiss uses. It could be perfect for those that use wides (say 75mm) to mabee 350mm. The amount of tome I have my camera fully racked out or completely compressed is virtually never, so I don't need the bellows to cover those ends so much. Ahh to dream...

[Frank Petronio]

I think that the bellows place in the UK can make an Arca-style bellows, the problem is knowing what to specify since they don't seem to be conversant when you ask them to replicate a 1995 version of an Arca Model XXX1234 bellows with your Linhof frames.... they want know how many pleats, the sizes, etc. and not try to guess.

They made an 8x10 Sinar bellows without frames, it was a simple contact cement flat gluing job to attach my wirebrushed frames from a ratty bellows. It was really well made and quite a value compared to buying a new Sinar bellows, even though I suspect they make the OEM Sinar bellows as well.

I think the Linhof bellows all use glue and a mechanical connection, so attachment is more secure (as Linhof stuff is the best) but also more of a hassle to DIY.

[Bob Salomon]

I think that the bellows place in the UK can make an Arca-style bellows, the problem is knowing what to specify since they don't seem to be conversant when you ask them to replicate a 1995 version of an Arca Model XXX1234 bellows with your Linhof frames.... they want know how many pleats, the sizes, etc. and not try to guess.

They made an 8x10 Sinar bellows without frames, it was a simple contact cement flat gluing job to attach my wirebrushed frames from a ratty bellows. It was really well made and quite a value compared to buying a new Sinar bellows, even though I suspect they make the OEM Sinar bellows as well.

I think the Linhof bellows all use glue and a mechanical connection, so attachment is more secure (as Linhof stuff is the best) but also more of a hassle to DIY.

Frank,

A TK 45 bellows is a double tapered design. I don't believe that Arca had anything like these bellows. The double taper allows it to fold and to use exceptionally short lenses (if movements are not needed). If movements with very wide lenses are needed then the WA bellows would be used.

[Frank Petronio]

Bob, if I had this lovely camera then I would save and budget to get the OEM bellows, I think they are nicer by far, and they increase the value of the camera. The poster a few back mentioned wanting an Arca-Style bellows. If it were like the Arca I understand the camera wouldn't close fully and it might even stress something but nobody is stopping him from making the wrong decisions ;-p

We're facilitators.

[speedfreak]

I think what is being missed here is I DONT NEED A double taper design bellows! A single taper design like 95% of the cameras out there would be damn near perfect. I have a bag bellows for all the movements I could ever want with 150mm and shorter. I even prefer to fold the camera with this bellows attached. Of course the guy that is marketing the Linhof brand will say that nothing else will work, its his job. If everyone that ever used this camera had to only buy this particular Linhof bellows for the camera to work, I'd think there would be more than a few sitting on shelves not being used, mine included! All I'm saying is that options are good and one size doesnt have to fit all.