I just got my "new" Anniversary Speed. It's a 'beater' and needs a lot of TLC, clenaing, lubricating and a back spring But to be functional, I was checking the bellows. The entire front half of the bellows is now covered in what looks like black electrical tape... Oh-well... Happily, it seems like it will come off without much damage...

But close inspection of the rear of the bellows suprised me. I was under the impression that the older bellows were leather covered. This bellows is not covered at all!

Yes, there's at least two layers of cloth. The rough outer layer and the fine soft inner layer. The inside looks normal.

That outer layer looks to me more like the 'water proof' cloth used in the 1860's which was covered with a tar (asphalt). It is deffinitely a coarse cloth with a coating, more similar to the newer vinyl coatings than a glued-on leather. There's no evidence at all that an external covering was removed. In the areas where the bellows is still in fine shape, it looks good and like a normal bellows. Under a strong loupe, it's obviously a black substance painted/sprayed onto the cloth.

So what were these bellows supposed to be covered with? Could this be a very old replacement or did Graflex use this type of covering instead of the thin leather?

One of my 3x4 Anneversaries had a bellows such as you describe. It looked like some kind of cloth that had perhaps been treated with a rubber compound, perhaps impregnated into the fabric, as an early substitute for leather. The texture of the cloth was quite evident. Mine had not only hardened to the point that it had pretty much no flexibility, but had also cemented itself together while the camera was folded. Separating the pleats damaged it further. It was so hard a raccoon would have had a difficult time chewing through it. I eventually replaced it with a good bellows from a parts camera. The replacement bellows seems to be vinyl or some other synthetic, which is what my other Annie already had on it.

When you took the tape off, did you find that there were pinholes in the corners of the bellows? The tape was doubtless put there to fix that problem.

Rich,
I briefly owned one of these two. Bought in on ebay with the words "good bellows" in the text. They should have added "good for planetarium work" as it projected several constelations when given the flashlight test.

Is this new Anny a war time? I wonder if there was a point where normal sources weren't available.

Well, at least I know I'm not alone, or have a rare camera

I have no idea if it's a war time? I've been so busy that I haven't had the time to give it a real check-over yet.

Yes, the bellows was _very_ stuck together. Took about 20 minutes of finger finesse to separate the pleats in the rear half, but I don't think it was damaged by the extension.

Now that I think about it, the camera was awfully 'dark'. I've got it in another room now 'relaxing' after the ordeal of extending the bellows. I suppose I should check for a serial number or something? I didn't even think of that while I was checking it.

I'll have to get it back in here tomorrow, give it another good look and see if I can find it's serial number. It would be more interesting if it was a war model I suppose.

Either way, it looks like I can make it functional, the FP shutter works and it will use the same lans board (and lenses) as my GVII's.

On a dissimilar note. Why did they design a camera that had a drop bed and not have the front standard back tilt to straighten out the lens angle? Seems a bit odd to me?

Rich;
Is this a 3x4 or a 4x5? I'm assuming the later.
For a wartime camera, look for most of the chromed parts to be painted black. Most likely will have an Ektar in a Supermatic lens/front shutter combo. Might even have a GI number plate.
I think the drop bed design concept on the Annys was to accomadate short lenses, not prespective control. That's what the Crown View was for.
Top

I didn't even think to mention

Yes, this is a 4x5. All black except for the flash bracket. Hugo Meyer rangefiner (with Focalite). Hmmm, everything is black, even the wire frame and top viewfinder. I think I like this camera Unfortunately, no lens or shutter came with it...

Found the serial number: 316045. As far as I can tell, this places it in 1942. So I think it counts as a 'war time' camera.

So, I would bet there was a leather shortage and they went back to the old ways of covering cloth. Now if I could just find the formula of that covering I would be very happy...

On the down side, after a little playing, the focus gear seems very worn and skips quite a bit. I'll have to disassemle things to see if that can be tightened up.

It's still a great 'project' camera...

Yes, you have a military version if it's all black. The shutter should be black, too, if original. The early WWII cameras that the government bought did not seem to have a nomenclature plate on them. They needed them in a hurry and there was no time for some paper pusher to come up with that. Are you old enough to remember oil cloth? They made the bellows covering out of a very similar material. Coated fabric. I don't know why yours are sans coating. That stuff didn't come off easily, altough it would wear through on the corners. I'd replace it.

My bellows is not sans covering. It's just thin and well worn (I still haven't taken off the tape).

I wear an 'oil cloth' coat all winter! It's still in wide use today.

Okay, my memory is deffinitely not my best atribute, but here's what I remember...

Standard old-time oil cloth was very often bees wax mixed with something like kerosene to make it thin enough to spread on the cloth and be absorbed. They don't use kero today...

The black water-proofing used from the 1860's on up was imilar, but with the addition of asphalt, which is why it was so black...

That's why this bellows reminded me so much of an 1860's coating because I have a knapsack sitting on a shelf from the 1860's with a very similar look to it.

After a little (very research, I've also found that natural rubber was used in place of leather covering (no mention of bellows). The problem with this is that rubber was in greater shortage than leather during the war so I doubt Graflex used that. Tar and asphalt was relatively plentiful and in use for over 100 years. It would have been a logical choice. Although I would imagine it would cause sticking problems on the bellows pleats when folded. I would guess Graflex would have found an additive to fix that, to a point because we've alread heard how these bellows do stick togther...

Just some guessing...

My Annie that had the subject bellows is an early one. It has the bright aluminum Kalart RF cover, and an uncoated unsynchronized Ektar. It is SN 286145. But it is a 3x4, and has bright hardware and plenty of chrome. I've seen the black 4X5s but never a black 3x4. Maybe they made those too, unless the GI cameras were only ordered in 4x5.

I rather thought the odd material was due to wartime shortages of some kind; none of the prewar cameras I have show this kind of material.

You may not want to disturb the tape on the front; it was doubtless put there for a purpose. If the bellows is flexible enough to use you are lucky.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: disemjg on 2005-11-04 17:41 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: disemjg on 2005-11-04 17:43 ]</font>

Rich...This may be a modern fix...there is a "Multi-purpose Rubber Coating" spray available to coat "metal/wood/glass/rubber
/concrete/fabrics/fiberglass/rope"...
(Plasti-Dip)(spray can)...same product(in dip form) is used to coat plier handles! I have used it on occasion to fix pinholes in shutter curtains and bellows! This works in degrees, BUT it is >>not a cure all<<...if it is not left to cure/dry for 24/36 hours, >>it will stick to itself quite badly<<...
In the spray form it is of coarse very thin, so it will not cover dozens of pin holes in a curtain for example, without adding a lot of thickness, with a lot of coats! The >>sticking<< is what made me think of this product!
Have a nice day......Bert

Thanks Bert. I didn't know Dip-It came in a spray can. It's nice stuff, except that everytime I buy a can and use a tiny bit, the rest of the can dries out and I have to buy a new one... I suppose that's a well designed package from a company viewpoint?

I also thought of the automotive vinyl spray. My concern is how it will stick to the old covering? If it oil based in any way, there may be problems. Then again, after 60 years, how much oil could be left?

Fixing up this camera is first on the list so I have time. I'd like to research the original coating some more to see if it could be duplicated. If not, then it's vinyl or some form of rubber...

disemjg, the tape on the front of the bellows must come off for three reasons. 1> I want to see what's under it. 2> it's really ugly. 3> the camera really doesn't close with it on as the bellows won't compresss enough...

Rich;
I have a crunchy old 4x5 anny bellows laying around; if it'll help I'll send it out to you.
It's not usable as-is, but might give you something to experiment on.
Top

"crunchy", I like that

I honestly don't know? If it's a got a similar coating to mine, then it could be useful to see how a new coating would adhere to it. At worst, it may make the foundation of a refurbished or new bellows?

So, if you really have no need for it, I suppose it might come in handy one way or the other... Thanks...

RICHS,
And it comes in 6 colors! Can order on the net! The bellows material is man made just like the body material, not sure what the old timers used, was definatly not this type spray, (wasnt invented yet) and Plasti-Dip is the only thing I have found that cannot be cleaned with Neatsfoot! There is also the vinyl spray as you say, I have never tried that!
Have a nice day.....Bert

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: bertsaunders on 2005-11-06 20:01 ]</font>