Folding Cameras - Pinholes in the Bellows

[John Seaman]

Some years ago I did a post with example pictures about an Ensign Selfix folder:

 

An Ensign Selfix 16-20

 

Well I'm thinning out my stuff these days and decided to sell it. I checked it carefully as it was 12 years since I used it (!!!) and was surprised to see a pinhole in the bellows, although there were no light leaks in the pictures. Damn. I've read that people use liquid electrical tape to seal these, but I don't know where to get this. However I visited a local auto parts store and bought a small tube of black silicone sealer - I think it's used for refurbishing car window surrounds etc. I pushed a pin through the hole and spread a little silicone on the pin shaft, which I then withdrew from the hole to hopefully seal the leak. I also worked in silicone from the front. The idea seems to have worked.

 

To see these pinholes you really have to shine a strong LED torch into the back of the bellows in a darkened room. Leather bellows are usually OK.

 

Here's the camera - The pinhole was on the top corner near the body. Any comments about my idea of using black silicone?

 

[Niels - NHSN]

The pinhole was on the top corner near the body. Any comments about my idea of using black silicone?

I imagine it will be perfectly OK unless perhaps if the pinholes multiply significantly. I generally try to avoid silicone on anything "archival" as it migrates and is impossible to remove gently. Nothing sticks to it, should you later try a different approach.

While researching pinhole patching in large format camera bellows not too long ago, I came across a recipe utilising PVA glue, soap and black pigment - unfortunately I didn't bookmark the source, but the responses to its effectiveness was positive if I recall correctly.

[JDMvW]

This works well (doesn't stiffen), and is available at a hobby store or most fabric places:

[m42dave]

John, the black RTV (room temperature vulcanizing) silicone is very durable, though I have not tried it for bellows repairs. There is also a product called "Liquid Leather" for upholstery repair that might work well also.

 

I've found that the black acrylic fabric paint shown by JDM works better than liquid electrical tape, which can peel off and stick to itself. The fabric paint has a more matte finish, is durable, and can be thinned with a bit of water if needed (applied in thin layers). I used this to seal pinholes in the bellows of an Agfa Isolette, and also the curtains of a Praktica and Edixa, and it worked well.

[John Seaman]

Thanks for the responses, very helpful. I showed the picture of the Dimensional Fabric Paint to a very great authority on these matters, and she tells me that she has a shed load of the stuff somewhere. So I probable needn't have bought the rather expensive black silicone. Still, it seems to have done the job, and I have enough for the foreseeable future - however long that might be.

 

These pinholes are really tiny and hard to see. I think I would have struggled to see them with an ordinary torch, it's only since I got the very powerful LED torch that I started to see them, and then only in a darkened room. It could be that they were present when I used the camera, but are too small to admit enough light to fog the film. Except for frames which were left in the film gate for any length of time, with the lens extended.

Edited February 10, 2022 by John Seaman

[JDMvW]

Old fabric focal plane shutters often develop tiny holes that may not consistently show up on negatives.

 

The paint above doesn't require heat to set it, and it works really well on the flat shutter fabric. I think multi-layering would be better for things like bellows material.

 

I think I shall pass on myself before I use up 4 oz of the stuff, in any case. A "life-time supply" can sometimes be a very small objective quantity.;)

[John Seaman]

Probably 20 years ago I bought a large ball of black wool / yarn for redoing light seals, from a stall on the indoor market. Now the indoor market is long gone and I've used the wool to re-seal probably 100 plus cameras. I've still got a large ball of black wool.

[ralf_j.]

Thanks for the responses, very helpful. I showed the picture of the Dimensional Fabric Paint to a very great authority on these matters, and she tells me that she has a shed load of the stuff somewhere. So I probable needn't have bought the rather expensive black silicone. Still, it seems to have done the job, and I have enough for the foreseeable future - however long that might be.

 

These pinholes are really tiny and hard to see. I think I would have struggled to see them with an ordinary torch, it's only since I got the very powerful LED torch that I started to see them, and then only in a darkened room. It could be that they were present when I used the camera, but are too small to admit enough light to fog the film. Except for frames which were left in the film gate for any length of time, with the lens extended.

Hey John - for minor repairs I have used Bostick and Sullivan's liquid neoprene bellows repair. It is amazing stuff, dries clean and is flexible. I use a painter's brush and voila, all good to go.

Bostick & Sullivan, Inc. > Wet Plate Accessories > Bellows Patch Kit (bostick-sullivan.com)

[Gary Naka]

I used black liquid electrical tape.

But that was on a 4x5 camera where the bellows don't pack so tight.

[glen_h]

I put black liquid electrical tape (from Home Depot) on a Vest Pocket Kodak.

 

It works, but it took a lot, as there were a lot of holes.

 

In the end, there was enough that the bellows don't go far enough

to close the front door, and fit in the case.

 

So then I found someone selling NOS official Kodak bellows.

 

Then I found that it needs bent needlenose pliers, and got those.

I one time tried to get it apart, but so far didn't get to do it.

 

I also have a cloth shutter rangefinder with a pinhole, but didn't try fixing that one yet.

[John Seaman]

Thanks for the further suggestions. One problem is that products may be known by different names in different countries, and some may not even be available.

 

My wife has given me a tub of black fabric paint similar to that in JDM's picture. I'm using it on an Ensign Ranger with multiple pinholes. One application with a small brush has sealed most of them, and it looks quite inconspicuous and doesn't seem to impede opening and closing the camera. I'm waiting for it to fully cure before adding more. If it's successful I'm going to treat a Kodak Sterling 2.

 

The only thing I'm wondering is whether to apply the paint to the inside of the bellows as well as to the outside.

Edited February 15, 2022 by John Seaman

[m42dave]

The only thing I'm wondering is whether to apply the paint to the inside of the bellows as well as to the outside.

 

John, on my Isolette I applied the fabric paint on the inside. A previous owner had replaced the original bellows with new ones (smooth red leatherette material with black fabric lining) but I was surprised to find that the corners of the new bellows weren't light-tight.

 

I shone a light on the outside of the bellows, checked the corners inside for leaks using a dental mirror, then touched up the corners using a small artist's brush with the ferrule bent at 90 degrees. A bit time-consuming, but it worked well. It folds up fine, if slightly stiffer.

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by m42dave

[John Seaman]

I shone a light on the outside of the bellows, checked the corners inside for leaks using a dental mirror, then touched up the corners using a small artist's brush with the ferrule bent at 90 degrees.

 

Thanks Dave, I will try it but I'm a little short of another ingredient needed for the process - patience.