Conley bellows removal help - yanking nails..

[walter23]

I posted this on LFinfo earlier today, but figured I'd repost here:


I'm not exactly the world's most proficient woodworker, and I'm looking for some tips on removing a few dozen tiny little nails that previously held the brittle and decaying bellows of my Conley 8x10 to it's frame.

Attached are images. The wood is 1/4" thick hardwood, to give you some sense of scale, and the bellows material held in place is a thin layer of leather, two layers of thin cardboard (like file folder material), and one layer of a thicker woven material. All are quite thoroughly glued in place in addition to the nailing.

Any suggestions? How, specifically, would you pull these nails without damaging the frame? I can't get even a thin screwdriver under them, due to the cardboard material jammed under the nails' heads.

 

[Nick Zentena]

What are you trying to save? I'd cut the material from around the nails and pull it off. Leave the nails in place when putting the new stuff back.

If you really want the nails maybe a thin scraper.

 

[walter23]

I just want to get them out of the way. I wasn't sure if hammering them in and working around them would be the best solution or not; for one thing, the cardboard and old bellows cloth is glued pretty securely under them and removing that so I can hammer them down might be hard.

I'll do that as a last resort though.

 

[Whiteymorange]

Cat's paw. Once you get under the actual nail head, the only thing being sacrificed is the cardboard anyway. These look like they may work.

 

[bdial]

Here is one that is good for somewhat larger scale "fine demolition" http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32014&cat=1,43456,43399 but may work.

But it may not take a lot of force to get the nails to lift. I would first try a narrow putty knife inserted between the cardboard and the wood if it isn't glued down, the cardboard helps to lift the nail this way. Otherwise, as Whitey suggested, anything that can get under the nail head sacrificing the cardboard, perhaps one of these; http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=57632&cat=1,43456,43399&ap=1

 

[richard ide]

Judging from the head shape, they look like carpet tacks. As the shank is tapered with a sharp point, I think they will pop out easily if you can get a small screwdriver or similar under the head. Damage to the wood would be minimal.

 

[ic-racer]

To get the ones out of my Century view I worked an Exacto #22 blade under each nail. The I think I used a hemostat or small pliers to pull them out. I wound up having most of them intact in the end and re-used them to hold the new bellows in place.

 

[John Koehrer]

In the shots you have of the nails it doesn't look like the spacing is even. Is it possible they were part of an earlier repair?
Ive used cats paws in the past & they work OK, sometimes it's just a little easier to get under the cardboard & work the nails free. Once you've gotten one out it'll be easier to go 'round & pop them out in sequence.
I've found a small pry bar at Lowes/Home Depot/ Menards for a couple of bucks & don't use the $15 one at the specialty woodworker store. It doesn't have the fancier head section but works OK.

 

[walter23]

Thanks for the tips. Between that and a private discussion with someone who told me to steam-heat it to degrade the glue I think I've got a strategy to get this off without damaging the wood (might have to reglue the frame if I end up steaming the corners though).

 

[John Koehrer]

Careful with the steam there fella. If the finish is a shellac you may end up refinishing camera bits. If it's varnish no problem.
Try applying some water to the finish & see if it blushes. If it does it's shellac.

 

[walter23]

I had wondered about that, John, so I was careful with it. I didn't have any problems with my first careful test, and managed to finish the steaming and removal without any noticeable damage to the frame (I couldn't help denting it a bit in a few spots where I pried with a screwdriver, but it's in an out-of-sight place behind the first bellows fold anyway.

It's a good thing to mention though, in case anyone else refers to this thread while similarly attacking their old camera.

 

[barryjyoung]

Getting the screws out of that Conley

Hi Walter:

In the 80's when I repaired many cameras with nailed on bellows I came up with a pretty good way of getting them out. It isn't easy, but it does minimal damage and it works.

Cut the cardboard and old bellows material etc. between the nails and remove it by getting under the pieces with a knife. They are rarely still stuck to the wood. When you get near a nail. switch to needle nosed (duckbill pliers are better but hard to find these days) pliers. When the cardboard is removed from under the nail heads, there will be room to get a small prybar under it. Occasionally you will find a nail that is still holding the cardboard and leather tight against the wood. A drop of water on the surrounding cardboard/leather will usually soften the cardboard within four hours or so.

Before prying on the nail with your prybar, place the prybar under the head of the nail against the shank and rap it smartly. This will loosen the nail and make it a lot easier to remove.

Keep in mind, these were not meant to be taken apart. They were pretty inexpensive when new and made to be sold not repaired.

Good luck.

 

[walter23]

Barry, thanks for the help. That's pretty much what I ended up doing, so it seems it's the natural way of doing things