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camerabellows WAS ceasing production, resuming production as Custom Bellows

Anastigmatic said:
its a sad occurance.....i suppose at one point the last person making buggy whips stopped making them too...well for buggies at least
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As I've posted before, there is no shortage of new buggy whips--

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
 
Hi David,
just a figure of speech when i mention buggy whips. lets hope there will aways be someone that makes bellows...but that mob were pretty darn good at it!
 

I received a reply this morning exactly in line with this.
 
Ian Grant said:
Can't you merge the threads David
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ok , it is obviuosly beyond what i know, but how does one merge threads from different forums
Ian Grant said:
I did hint that something like this was likely,
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you have got to kidding yeah! (a HINT) i wish i had a stockbroker the same., no need, a three year old could say the same. so who woudnt!

Ian Grant said:
guess downsizing and getting the concern out of a larger group isn'tb easy. Toomany people wanting a cut of the profits.
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please explain...makes little sence on its own

Ian Grant said:
Also I second the Buggy whips, useful for keeping Jason in rin as it's not gloom & doom in the long run
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makes little sence on its own
[/QUOTE]
 
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Back around 1998 I was studying at Birmingham University and wrote a detailed essay all about Camera Bellows, backed with extensive research.

The merge threads remark was tongue in cheek But (there was a url link here which no longer exists) that something might come from the ashes. I've been to the factory at least 4 times, actually to two different factories and I saw the set up over 30 years ago.

Camera Bellows and Lee Filters are owned by a larger group of companies, I can't remember who off-hand but there's a link to the Arriflex distributors somewhere in the mix.

As a Limited company owned or partially owned by other companies it would be legally complicated to unravel the company and let it become a separate entity. It won't have many assets, except perhaps the factory and so it's probably easier to cease trading and then Tony Eaton start trading on his own. That may well save a huge amount of money in legal and accountancy fees.

Ian
 
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A bright and useful corner of the universe, C.B.

Here's hoping the reasonable approach you suggest, Ian, comes to pass.
Over the years, I can't count the cameras I seen restored, or perfected, by them.
And the many, cheerfully long phone calls. I think C.B. is one of the few things in this world that need no improvement, and - hopefully - good things will come.

thanks

don
 
Thanks Ian, for your remark on a probable legal situation. For someone as me not much informed on company law this is very interesting.
 
Who and where are the camera bellows manufacturers in the World, a new list of suppliers would be great.
 
At the moment it's Camera Bellows, and then the 2nd tier manufacturers. That doesn't mean others aren't good rather that Camera Bellows were consistently superb.

There will still be contracts for Bellows for new camera's, so Tony Eaton should get those still, other company's made replacement bellows Camera bellows made originals too. It's like comparing chalk with cheese

Ian
 
Curt said:
Who and where are the camera bellows manufacturers in the World, a new list of suppliers would be great.
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Turner Bellows in Rochester and Western Bellows in California seem to be the most mentioned. There's a handy list of bellows makers with contact info on this page--

Dead Link Removed

Turner Bellows is the OEM supplier of bellows for Beseler.

Here's another list--

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/bellows.htm
 
AS for Turner & Western, be prepared to be very specific, manage every detail, and don't expect that they know what the original bellows was like. Well managed, they will make a bellows for you. Their work is not necessarily fine, but serviceable.

Camera Belllows is just perfect. Perfect.
 
2F/2F said:
agh!

Western Bellows is good, though...and a 30 minute drive from me.
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A 30 minute drive for you, but often a thirty day+++ wait for the work to be done.

That being said, I was very happy with the replacement they made for my Ansco 8x10.
 
I have had about a dozen bellows made by Turner for cameras I built for others or myself ranging from 8x10 up to 12x20. Excellent bellows, light, flexible and well made. Also at the time very affordable and quick turnaround. I don't know if they have templates for OEM bellows but I have sent them frames from an older camera and cardboard templates for custom bellows.

I hope Camera Bellows comes back in some capacity. Considering the company manufactures many other bellows type products besides LF camera bellows, one has to wonder what percentage camera bellows make up of total revenue?
 
Paddy said:
A 30 minute drive for you, but often a thirty day+++ wait for the work to be done.

That being said, I was very happy with the replacement they made for my Ansco 8x10.
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I am pretty sure I saw your gorgeous camera when I was picking up my Kodak 5x7.

Jim is a one-man operation; no assistants, and no apprentices, working out of his house, and he is having health problems, so turnaround time can be an issue. However, the work is good, and if you give him a date by which you need it, he will have it done in time.
 
CameraBellows.com

FLEXIBLE PRODUCTS INC 14504 60th St N, Clearwater FL 34620 (813) 536-3142

GORTITE A & A Mfg. Co., Inc., 2300 S. Calhoun Rd., New Berlin, WI 53151, (414) 786-1500
1994: do single qty replacements

TURNER BELLOWS 526 Child St Rochester NY 14606 (716) 235-4456

Universal Bellows Co. 25 Hanse Ave Freeport NY 11520 (516) 378-1264
1994: 6x6 bellows: $40 each +$7 shipping

Western Bellows (May 2007)
7454 HENBANE ST
ETIWANDA, CA 91739
(909) 980 0606

Mark Kapono-Replacement Camera Bellows (June 2007)
(View camera and especially Agfa/Ansco folders)
PO Box 7491 - Hilo, HI - 96720
mkapono@hawaii.edu


One company is outside of the US, Camera Bellows, which is quitting business, the rest on this list are in the US. People over and over say that the best bellows is from Camera Bellows, that said what happened to them, why did they quit? If it wasn't a quality issue was it a volume or price issue? Nobody just quits when the money and demand is good, do they?

Who are the suppliers for the Chinese and other cameras with bellows, small and large? What about enlargers that have bellows, are they made in house at the original manufacturer? Are these different from the custom made to order bellows? When I head that Camera Bellows made Beseler bellows it brings more questions to light. Who made my Canham bellows, who made my Shen Hao bellows, who made my old Calumet bellows and my Kodak and Seneca bellows. Who makes the Mamiya RB bellows.

Is it going to be that to learn photography one must now learn camera making and bellows making? Who makes bellows making materials?
 
I'd very much like to get a bellows from Mark Kapono, since we travel to Hawai'i regularly to visit family, and it would be a good excuse to go to Hilo for a few days, and those who have gotten bellows from him say he does good work, but there are various reports of him disappearing for extended periods and not completing projects in a reasonable time frame.

From what I understand, Camera Bellows hasn't quit, but rather their parent company, Panavision, is cutting them loose, because they are not profitable enough, though they are apparently profitable. It looks likely that they'll restart as a new company.
 
Let's just hope that as Ilford came back, so will Camera Bellows. I think it is Turner Bellows that make the bellows for Beseler enlargers not CB. On the other hand, have heard that CB makes the bellows for Canham and maybe some other smaller camera makers. They made a dandy bellows for my Eastman No. 2 7x11 - sent them the old bellows and frames and they returned the old and new bellows - excellent work. Shen Hao, Chaminox and other Chinese camera makers, make their own AFAIK.

Let's keep good thoughts and try to think positive - it is just another change in the supply line that we (I) hope leads to better options.
 
Yes, Turner Bellows says on their website that they are the OEM supplier for Beseler.
 
I believe Universal Bellows in NY retired in the last millenium.
 
Comparisons are very subjective, it's like comparing an Argus C3 to a Leica M3, they both do exactly the same job but there's a world od difference in how well theya re made and last.

Ian

 
I spoke to a guy at Camera Bellows today and he was - obviously - very upset stating that the order to cease "came from the US" - Panavision. Without making too much of a confirmed statement I got the impression that a couple of guys there were indeed hoping to make a go of it. All power to them.
 
It's a sign of how Capitalism works US style, make a profit and we close you because our greed says that profit isn't high enough

Most people become more right wing as they age, in my case the reverse seems to be happening

Ian
 


Good morning, David;

David, I am surprised at you. If you go to Hawai'i regularly, then you know about Island Time. When the surf is up, you take advantage of it. The work will still be there tomorrow. Good curl may not be there tomorrow.

At least, that was the explanation that I received when I lived there. We still go out. The last time was about three weeks ago for a memorial service for Debby's father. As the sun was setting, Debby's mother and brother were in the racing outrigger canoe that went out to scatter Robert Allard's ashes over the Pacific Ocean. No, not everything that we had planned for this event came off. The following week, one of the guys who was supposed to arrange for the flyover called me back. Still, no one else who was watching knew of the omission. It was still a memorable ceremony and a fitting tribute to a remarkable man who served his country very well with honor and distinction. Perhaps some time I can tell you the ironic story of how he washed out of the original NASA Astronaut Program. Yes, there were to be eight in the original group.

Mahalo, and Aloha
 
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The late Mr. Ed Romney has/had a manual on making your own bellows. It's quite good but unfortunately the sources for bellows material in the guide are outdated. I believe he recommended something along the lines of cheap leather upholstery from a truck stop for truck drivers as it is thin and somewhat stiff yet supple.

There could be a small niche market for designer bellows. Faux fur, faux leopard, patent plastic leather. I should read that guide again!
 
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