Sinar bellow pinholes.

[GeorgesGiralt]

Hi !
I own a lot of Sinar bellows, and except a really old one, all are suffering from numerous pinholes at the corners.
I know they will form preferably here, but it's ragging !
Do you fellas have an idea on how to patch them ? I would avoid the tape because this will lead to a doubling of the thickness of the bellow ...
So your ideas and knowledge is sought after ....
Regards

 

[Deckled Edge]

I suggested neoprene glue on a similar thread.

 

[Jim Jones]

I scrub black liquid acrylic artist's paint thoroughly into the fabric linder of bellows to plug pinholes. An old soft toothbrush works well for this.

 

[elekm]

You can also use gaffer's tape. It works quite nicely. The tape is very flexible. I often will use some contact cement to help it adhere to the bellows.

I've been using this to patch bellows on Agfa cameras, which are notorious for developing pinholes in the bellows.

 

[GeorgesGiralt]

So, here are the results of my first experimentation...
I bought something called "PolyGlue" at a ship chandler store. This compound is black and used to re-inforce diving suit and rafting suit in order for these to last longer at the bottom... It uses acetone as a thinner and can be spreaded with an artist brush.
My bellow had pinholes at every corners it looks like the material has broken were it is forced to make an acute angle. So I thought that is I put a pair of coating of this stuff it will make "some fabric above" the original one...
It does not work. The product bond very well with the material of the bellow, but can't cover the pinholes. Even 4 coats are unable to cover them. (I have a few of them closed, but I wonder if it will last...).
Do you think that this product will benefit from adding some compound like talcum into it . Will it solve my issue or will it be better just to throw the bellow away ?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Bostick and Sullivan sells a bellows patch kit. It's not a long-term solution, but it's cheap and not difficult to use, and will help put off replacement for a year or two.

Don't throw away a Sinar bellows. You can use it as a lens shade up front (4x5" bellows) or with the binocular viewer in back (whatever format you have) or you can save the frames for a new bellows or a custom extra long bellows made by a company like Camera Bellows UK.

 

[GeorgesGiralt]

"Don't throw away a Sinar bellows"
Oh, no ! If unsucessfull, I'll try to buy the Chinese bellows one can find on the bay and give them a try.
But it is ragging to see that only the oldest bellow I own has no pinhole ! Quality has worsened ...

 

[RobertP]

Liquid electrical tape. It works great and stays pliable. I just used it on a brand new bellows that had pinholes along the seams/folds. Robert

 

[Peter De Smidt]

You can also get a big opaque focusing cloth. Wrap this around the bellows when exposing.

But, you're time is valuable. Don't lose shots to pinholes. You'll never know when whatever fix you do stops working until you develop some ruined film.
Check how much Camera Bellows would charge for a new bellows if you send them the old one so they can use the frames.