bellows size for 4x5 monorail

[Ishotharold]

Ok folks. My monorail is coming along fairly well (I hope) I've got the standards and the rail built. I have the wood for my frames glued up and was ready to cut when I got to wondering, how wide do the frames need to be? Obviously they need to fit in the standards, but if I have a frame that would give me a 5.5 x 5.5" square bellows will that be big enough? or do I need a new plan. My rear standards are a bit bigger so I can adapt if nessicary but I'd like to save myself the trouble of making a tapered bellows. I'm kinda at a stand still untill I get this answered so advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Donald Miller]

The bellows on my Zone VI 4X5 measure 7 1/4 inches square at the rear and taper to 4 3/4 inches square at the front. You might benefit from considering that square bellows rear to front (with no taper) will not only affect the space that the compressed bellows will take up but also will affect the bellows ability to allow movements.

My Zone VI requires bag bellows if I use lenses 120 mm or shorter when I use movements...rise being the most bothersome.

 

[Colin Graham]

It seems like 5.5 inches would encroach on the film back but maybe I'm not understanding you correctly. Lots of rooms for lenses in the front but seems small for the rear. Have you made the back yet? Donald makes good points about compression and flexibility.

 

[Ishotharold]

I decided to go ahead with a tapered bellows. I have a 6.75" ID on the frame for the bellows. A little small, but I think it will work. The back will go into the other side of this frame. since I have not yet aquired my lens what will a safe dimmension for my lensboard be? I was plannign on something aorund 4.5-5"