Where can I find bellows material?

barryjyoung · Feb 24, 2017

Hi, I bought a big piece of bellows fabric from Porters camera store when they stopped selling it. That is being used to construct bellows for my 11x14 Korona. I need more but have been completely unable to find any.

M Carter · Apr 6, 2017

I just went through this, but only needed a small piece. Fabric store's "blackout" material wasn't even really light-tight. I ended up cutting the hem from one of my blackout drapes in the darkroom (which was an overstock item from eBay or something, dark blue over black).

Patrick Robert James · Apr 6, 2017

Good to know Barry. What fabric stores are you talking about?

I block a window with blackout curtain material which is paradoxically white. Works fine with no leaks.

barryjyoung · Apr 6, 2017

Sorry The material I reported on is not light tight.

barryjyoung · Apr 6, 2017

Patrick Robert James said:
Good to know Barry. What fabric stores are you talking about?

I block a window with blackout curtain material which is paradoxically white. Works fine with no leaks.

Yes, it is fine for windows, but it is too thick to make bellows from. Tried that, it didn't work. Thanks though.

Barry

howardpan · Apr 6, 2017

barryjyoung said:
Hi, I bought a big piece of bellows fabric from Porters camera store when they stopped selling it. That is being used to construct bellows for my 11x14 Korona. I need more but have been completely unable to find any.

Maybe you can check out Custom Bellows from the U.K. They provide a very nice product.

http://www.custombellows.co.uk/

Steve Smith · Apr 7, 2017

I used an old changing bag to make mine.

Steve.

barryjyoung · Apr 7, 2017

howardpan said:
Maybe you can check out Custom Bellows from the U.K. They provide a very nice product.

http://www.custombellows.co.uk/

I completed my bellows with the piece I had. Thank you.

barryjyoung · Apr 7, 2017

Steve Smith said:
I used an old changing bag to make mine.

Steve.

Hi Steve:

You had a changing bag large enough to make an 11x14 bellows? Man this bellows was huge. The fabric that it took to make it was 52 inches by 72 inches. That is one humongous changing bag.
Thank you

Barry

Theo Sulphate · Apr 7, 2017

howardpan said:
Maybe you can check out Custom Bellows from the U.K. They provide a very nice product.

http://www.custombellows.co.uk/

Very nice - thank you for the link!

Steve Smith · Apr 10, 2017

barryjyoung said:
You had a changing bag large enough to make an 11x14 bellows?

No. It was only 5x4. But if the material exists, there must be a supplier somewhere.

Steve.

RalphLambrecht · Apr 10, 2017

barryjyoung said:
Hi, I bought a big piece of bellows fabric from Porters camera store when they stopped selling it. That is being used to construct bellows for my 11x14 Korona. I need more but have been completely unable to find any.

have you checked with a current bellows maker? I thought bellows are made of silicon-coatedpaper.

fdonadio · Apr 10, 2017

From a marvelous document by J. B. Harlin I got some time ago:

"What is needed is a light, thin, strong material that is 100% light proof. This is a tough bill to fill. We were lucky to find a local fabric store that had in stock a black, 100 denier Nylon, that was vulcanized on one side."

Emphasis mine. A quick search showed that vulcanized (rubberized) nylon isn't easy to find, but polyurethane-coated nylon is little bit easier. I've read about vulcanized polyester being used for blackout curtains, so that may be suitable for bellows. I guess the important part is keeping the weight of the fabric around 100 Denier, so it's not too thick and will fold neatly. PU-coting will make your bellows water-proof too.

Remember you'll have to use another kind of fabric for the inner side (again, from the same document):

"We use a light weight, near flat black, cotton fabric for the inner lining which we purchase from a local fabric store."

So, for the lining, you need something flatter and it doesn't need to be 100% light-proof.

I would consider a visit to a good fabrics shop.

Cheers,
Flavio

narsuitus · Apr 16, 2017

Bellows for medium and large format cameras

www.sandehalynch.com

sandehalynch@yahoo.com

AgX · Apr 16, 2017

RalphLambrecht said:
I thought bellows are made of silicon-coatedpaper.

You likely meant silicone. No, that would make no sense.
Silicone-coated paper is intented as release paper. Be it for adhesive foils or baked goods.

narsuitus · Apr 17, 2017

I use leather bellows.

nawagi · May 12, 2017

I found a used raincoat at Goodwill - black fabric coated with rubber- that worked well. Only $7!

NWG

Where can I find bellows material?

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