An Interesting Find

[Heidi Rosser]

Finally finished but still managed to leave the wear and tear to show its age and the fact it was well used by E.A.Phillips.

 

[IanG]

Are you going to use it ? It's capable of superb results.

Ian

 

[Karelian]

Hi,, I have Anniversary Speed Graphic 4x5 (1943) ,, I'm trying to prepare the bellow, but it's very difficult ,,
I have also been looking for new bellow,
but I think the Anniversary Speed Graphic bellow is special,, can you tell me where you got the new Bellows ??

 

[IanG]

In my case I'd bought a big box of Speed Graphic parts from Paris (France) and there were some unknown bellows, they sat for quite a time (2 or 3 years) before I realised they'd possibly fit my pre-Anniversary Speed Graphic. They were probably Chinese and a perfect fit,

Two years ago I restored a Pacemaker Speed Graphic for a friend and fitted some Chinese bellows he'd bought. New bellows need careful fitting as you don't get the original bits to fit them to the body so you have to improvise. I think the same Chinese bellows for a Pacemaker Speed Graphic will also fit an Anniversary Speed Graphic even though the originals differed slightly. From memory I buy from ecbuyonline2008 on ebay, there's nothing listed at the moment but there's a Chinese holiday and the current virus issue. That seems to be the same with other Chinese suppliers.

Ian

 

[Karelian]

I think that Anniversary Speed Graphic Bellow is special ,, different when Speed Graphic ??
but I do not know ,, I have tried to ask, but no one has not told,, if i buy bellows it must be right ,,
bellows expensive + customs taxes , if the wrong bellows ,, it is expensive to light a fireplace

 

[Karelian]

Ian, you talked about buying Speed Graphic parts, I have another Speed Graphic camera, it lacks the curtain shutter mechanism, do you have ??
Karelian

 

[IanG]

I sold the spare shutter parts, I have a Pacemaker Speed Graphic missing its shutter and should have rebuilt the shutter but I'd already filled the area in and recovered the camera body..

The bodies of the pre-, Anniversary and later Pacemaker Speed Graphics are the same size so the width of the bellows are the same size. The pre- and Anniversary Speed graphics are the same body and shutter, it's the track bed mechanism and door that differs, there's a slight height difference between the metal covering the rollers where the bellows fit, the gap is wider with the Pacemaker Speed Graphics. I have contacted the seller asking for the dimensions, they are usually $93 US including shipping.

In the past I've successfully repaired Graflex bellows and they are still OK after 10 or more years. Email me som e images of the issues with your bellows and I'll see what I can suggest (ian@ and the domain name of my website in my profile here).

Just to add the seller's message says closed for Chinese New Year until 7th Feb,

Ian

 

[Heidi Rosser]

Hi Karelian, I think I got very luck with the bellows I got. Someone was scrapping one for parts and it was a case of right place, right time. They are hard to find.

 

[Karelian]

Hi Karelian, I think I got very luck with the bellows I got. Someone was scrapping one for parts and it was a case of right place, right time. They are hard to find.

Thank you,, I have noticed the same thing, Anniversary Speed Graphic 4x5 bellows cannot be found anywhere ... someone has suggested a Speed Graphic bellow,, but it is not appropriate ,, i try to make belows myself, it does feel very difficult .. Hahah ,, I don't know what what comes from it

 

[IanG]

ecbuyonline2008 replied to me a few days ago and stated they can supply new bellows for an Anniversary Speed Graphic.

Ian

 

[WadhahAbdulsattar]

Just picked up this battered looking Speed Graflex. I think it's the Anniversary model.
Some sad soul has gone at this with a batch of grey paint with red trim. It currently looks very sad and I have no idea yet how to remove the paint yet.

But there is more to this camera than meets the eye. This camera has history at least in New Zealand. It was owned by E.A.Phillps who was quite a prominent New Zealand Photographer. He has works displayed at many museums across New Zealand. Just in the process of contacting the museum archives to find out more information.
View attachment 181026 View attachment 181027

 

[Heidi Rosser]

Hi Karelian, I think I got very luck with the bellows I got. Someone was scrapping one for parts and it was a case of right place, right time. They are hard to find.

Thank you,, I have noticed the same thing, Anniversary Speed Graphic 4x5 bellows cannot be found anywhere ... someone has suggested a Speed Graphic bellow,, but it is not appropriate ,, i try to make belows myself, it does feel very difficult .. Hahah ,, I don't know what what comes from it

I've been meaning to try to make some bellows for quite some time but have not found any suitable outer fabric.
I've collected various bellows from auction lots but nothing for a Graflex unfortunately. Good Luck.
If I see any I'll add the link to this thread. It did take me over a month to find some.

 

[Karelian]

Hi Karelian, I think I got very luck with the bellows I got. Someone was scrapping one for parts and it was a case of right place, right time. They are hard to find.

Thank you,, I have noticed the same thing, Anniversary Speed Graphic 4x5 bellows cannot be found anywhere ... someone has suggested a Speed Graphic bellow,, but it is not appropriate ,, i try to make belows myself, it does feel very difficult .. Hahah ,, I don't know what what comes from it

I've been meaning to try to make some bellows for quite some time but have not found any suitable outer fabric.
I've collected various bellows from auction lots but nothing for a Graflex unfortunately. Good Luck.
If I see any I'll add the link to this thread. It did take me over a month to find some.

Thank you Heidi ..
i have the same problem, hard to find the right materials..
Now I was thinking to try, I don't know what it's called,
it is coated with book covers.. I don't know what the original fabric is,
but I try to do with this cloth, thanks..
please let me know if you can find a better fabric

 

[star camera company]

Wellllll.........I’ve made hundreds of bellows and I’m going to give you My method. Now, this is for square or rectangular bellows. Pyramid bellows are tough to make. I don’t go there. OK. Step one. Made a long open end box from plywood. Wrap box with sheet of thin plastic. Cover with 100% cotton black thin cloth, with ends extending past the box a few inches. Glue the seam with Elmer’s glue. Step two, cover all the cloth on the box with black construction paper, glued on with Elmer’s. Let dry overnight. Step three, the chipboard dividers are cut long grain, with the ends cut at 40 degrees. Space these 1/4” apart (important). Keep these straight on the box using a right angle square. Glue on with Elmer’s. Let dry under a weighted board. Step four. Using a rotary wheel tool score the paper between the spacers. Let this All dry well. Step five. Lightly sand the cardboard strips to knock of “fuzz” and loose fibers. Step six. The outer covering is thin black rip stop nylon. Joann Fabrics sells this. The glue used now is Weldwood original contact cement. Stand the box up, apply a generous coating of contact cement. Spread the cover ou a flat surface and apply the contact cement. Let dryto a flat look. Now! You get One chance here to do it right! I lay the box on its side up high so I can hold the covering by the corners. Start the cover on the opposite side of the inner cloth glue seam. Apply carefully so as to avoid small wrinkles. Press on firmly with your hand and using your thumbnail press toe covering all into the edges of the strips. Step seven. Pull completed bellows up on the box, creating the folds as you remove the cover. Step eight, compress and sxpsnd the bellows to loosen them a bit, then fit the wood frames in and staple the bellows on. Trim off the excess. •••••. It takes experience but this method works. The cotton cloth and the ripstop neither are fully lightproof. The construction paper inner cover..That’s 100% lightproof.

 

[Karelian]

View attachment 186525 Wellllll.........I’ve made hundreds of bellows and I’m going to give you My method. Now, this is for square or rectangular bellows. Pyramid bellows are tough to make. I don’t go there. OK. Step one. Made a long open end box from plywood. Wrap box with sheet of thin plastic. Cover with 100% cotton black thin cloth, with ends extending past the box a few inches. Glue the seam with Elmer’s glue. Step two, cover all the cloth on the box with black construction paper, glued on with Elmer’s. Let dry overnight. Step three, the chipboard dividers are cut long grain, with the ends cut at 40 degrees. Space these 1/4” apart (important). Keep these straight on the box using a right angle square. Glue on with Elmer’s. Let dry under a weighted board. Step four. Using a rotary wheel tool score the paper between the spacers. Let this All dry well. Step five. Lightly sand the cardboard strips to knock of “fuzz” and loose fibers. Step six. The outer covering is thin black rip stop nylon. Joann Fabrics sells this. The glue used now is Weldwood original contact cement. Stand the box up, apply a generous coating of contact cement. Spread the cover ou a flat surface and apply the contact cement. Let dryto a flat look. Now! You get One chance here to do it right! I lay the box on its side up high so I can hold the covering by the corners. Start the cover on the opposite side of the inner cloth glue seam. Apply carefully so as to avoid small wrinkles. Press on firmly with your hand and using your thumbnail press toe covering all into the edges of the strips. Step seven. Pull completed bellows up on the box, creating the folds as you remove the cover. Step eight, compress and sxpsnd the bellows to loosen them a bit, then fit the wood frames in and staple the bellows on. Trim off the excess. •••••. It takes experience but this method works. The cotton cloth and the ripstop neither are fully lightproof. The construction paper inner cover..That’s 100% lightproof.

Thanks ,, looks good sorry my english is very poor but i understand a little ,, The Bellows camera of Speed Graflex Anniversary is special .. bellow pyramid shape, and the folding is different in size, 10 mm in front,, 5 mm in back .. this is a challenge for me, i haven't done camera bellows ,