tom_mccabe Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 Good afternoon, all. I've recently undertaken a project that puts me in the darkroom with 4x5 film in my Toyo 4x5. I discovered quite few pinhole light leaks in the bellows. I've patched them with gaffers tape and it's fixing the problem. I have one more to find and patch. Ultimately, though, the bellows should probably be replaced. Are there some camera repair shops that'll still do that? Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJG Posted June 18, 2022 Share Posted June 18, 2022 A quick search on eBay turns up lots of replacement bellows from China for $90-100. This will be just the bellows--keep the frames from your old bellows to re-use with the new bellows. As a long time Toyo user, my only complaint has been that the bellows have needed to be replaced due to the pinhole problem that you're describing. I kept one alive for a while with black acrylic paint in the holes, but eventually replaced it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_mccabe Posted June 18, 2022 Author Share Posted June 18, 2022 A quick search on eBay turns up lots of replacement bellows from China for $90-100. This will be just the bellows--keep the frames from your old bellows to re-use with the new bellows. As a long time Toyo user, my only complaint has been that the bellows have needed to be replaced due to the pinhole problem that you're describing. I kept one alive for a while with black acrylic paint in the holes, but eventually replaced it. Thanks! I'll look into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 There also Custom Bellows in the UK if you can't get suited 'off the shelf'. They also have a Facebook page. In the past I've patched up small pinholes and tears using a 70-30 (or thereabouts) mixture of 'Copydex' glue and indian ink. The latex-based glue stays flexible and the ink makes it opaque. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conrad_hoffman Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 Long ago I had Turner Bellows in Rochester make me a new bellows for my Toyo. I don't think they do bellows anymore, but you could ask. It's possible to make your own and this wasn't uncommon in days past, but I'm not sure it's worth the effort. Somewhere I have articles on how to do it. IMO, the biggest problem is sourcing the right materials. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_mccabe Posted June 23, 2022 Author Share Posted June 23, 2022 There also Custom Bellows in the UK if you can't get suited 'off the shelf'. They also have a Facebook page. In the past I've patched up small pinholes and tears using a 70-30 (or thereabouts) mixture of 'Copydex' glue and indian ink. The latex-based glue stays flexible and the ink makes it opaque. Now that's a thought! Thanks, Joe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_mccabe Posted July 26, 2022 Author Share Posted July 26, 2022 I found a company called etonephoto, probably in China, that offers a replacement bellows. Has anyone had any dealings with this company? I've also emailed Toyo directly and am waiting for an answer. Just curious about etonephoto. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjoseph7 Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 Check with KEH once in a while they post brand new replacement belows or slightly used ones. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_mccabe Posted July 26, 2022 Author Share Posted July 26, 2022 Check with KEH once in a while they post brand new replacement belows or slightly used ones. Thanks! Good tip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_mccabe Posted August 6, 2022 Author Share Posted August 6, 2022 Good afternoon. I received a new bellows for my Toyo 45CF and am looking for some instructions/information on replacing it. I'm just starting a pretty big project for which I have a deadline so I doubt I'll actually replace it sometime in the future. Does anyone out there have an instructional source so I don't screw this up too badly? A YouTube search didn't help. At least not yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJG Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 I have Toyo F and G cameras which have a different bellows than your CF but my bellows are screwed in with about a dozen small phillips head screws to the frames that mount to the camera. My guess is that you have a similar system and unscrewing all of the screws should remove the old bellows from the frames that you will then re-use. If you're asking how the bellows come off the camera, there are slide locks at the top and bottom on F and G models that slide to one side and then the frame will come out. The CF may only have that on the top, but I haven't used one so I don't know exactly how it works. Reverse that to mount the new bellows. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_mccabe Posted August 6, 2022 Author Share Posted August 6, 2022 I have Toyo F and G cameras which have a different bellows than your CF but my bellows are screwed in with about a dozen small phillips head screws to the frames that mount to the camera. My guess is that you have a similar system and unscrewing all of the screws should remove the old bellows from the frames that you will then re-use. If you're asking how the bellows come off the camera, there are slide locks at the top and bottom on F and G models that slide to one side and then the frame will come out. The CF may only have that on the top, but I haven't used one so I don't know exactly how it works. Reverse that to mount the new bellows. Thanks, Andrew. I'll give that a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_mccabe Posted November 16, 2022 Author Share Posted November 16, 2022 (edited) Good day, everyone. I'm replacing that bellows, and I got the old one off with no real issues. It was glued to the frame on both ends. Does anyone have any idea of the type of glue used? Or does it even matter? Thanks! Again!! Edited November 16, 2022 by tom_mccabe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 A contact adhesive requiring a thin coating to both surfaces would be your best bet. Evo-stik for example. The bag bellows for my DeVere monorail has started to become brittle and unglued in a few places. (The bellows must be at least 40 years old.) The glue used looks like Evo-stik. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_mccabe Posted November 17, 2022 Author Share Posted November 17, 2022 Thank you, Joe!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amanda B Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 How did this turn out? I also need replacement bellows for a 4x5 Toyo field camera, so I'm curious which bellows you purchased and whether you were pleased with the quality? Any difficulties attaching them yourself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 (edited) Back when you could buy a new bellows 'off the shelf' from stock, I had a discussion with the manager of Camera Bellows - now Custom Bellows - and his advice was to go with a synthetic material, rather than traditional leather. More hardwearing and long-lasting in his opinion, and needing less maintenance. I did that, and so far the replacement bellows on my MPP Micro-technical camera have stood up well.... but it's only been about 20 years since the replacement. Replacement on the MPP was a bit fiddly, requiring a metal plate to be fitted around the first and last pleats of the bellows, before being screwed and glued into place. Nothing too demanding though. A simple glue joint would need clamping up for as long as it took the glue to set. Edited January 8, 2023 by rodeo_joe1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_mccabe Posted February 25, 2023 Author Share Posted February 25, 2023 On 1/5/2023 at 3:56 PM, Amanda B said: How did this turn out? I also need replacement bellows for a 4x5 Toyo field camera, so I'm curious which bellows you purchased and whether you were pleased with the quality? Any difficulties attaching them yourself? Hi, Amanda. I'd stick with what Joe said about Evo-stik. I used Goop and it worked but I hope I never have to remove the bellows again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now