| Author |
Message |
    
Sam Spade
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 05:55 pm: | 
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Hi Everyone. Seeing JR’s post about ‘Rivets’ made me think about my (made in Gt Britain)Kodak six twenty. It needs a new bellows and I was wondering whether I could replace it with ‘any’ six twenty bellows? It’s in really nice condition, apart from the bellows of course and it looks quite ‘Posh’ with its black plastic (tortoise shell?) inlay. Be nice to use it again, just for the fun of it.
Take care.
Sam. |
Peter Wallage
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 02:29 pm: |
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Hi Sam,
If it's a 6x9 folder the bellows from most other 6x9 folders, 620 or 120, should fit OK. I recently used the bellows from a junk UK built Kodak 620 folder to replace those on an early 1930s Voigtländer. Your only problem is likely to be getting the old bellows out. The front rivets are fairly easy, but on many later UK-built Kodak folders instead of using small tags at the back to reinforce the glue, like they did in the US and Canada, they swaged the whole end of the metal pressing over the end fold of the bellows. This can be a real b.... to get up and back again.
Best of luck!
Peter |
Sam Spade
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 04:53 pm: |
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Hi Peter, thanks for the info, gives me a bit more scope with replacement. Yep, mines one of those 'B's by the look of it. Made in the UK with rivets everywhere! As you say, front ones not bad, the rear one look nasty, never mind the steel girder thats folded over the bellows end fold. Obviously they were not ment to be taken apart once assembled. Thing is; I like it enough to bother about, probably find one with a better bellows but I like the inlay and all the silver bits---art-deco anyone? Guess I'll just have to get the grinder out!
All the best.
Sam. |
charlie
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 07:33 pm: |
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How bad are the bellows? If there are just pinholes the bellows can probably be patched in place. |
Sam Spade.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 03:58 am: |
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Hi Charlie. Shot to bits! Camera was obviously left folded in its case for years and all the corners have cracked. Other than that it's in great condition, a real user and too good to just park in a cabinet.
All the best.
Sam. |
Adrian
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 07:36 am: |
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Yes, I'm in agreement that you should have a go at replacing the bellows if possible. I too have one, a Kodak six-20 B, and it is a lovely piece of kit in very good condition apart from the bellows which are utterly knackered!
There was a chap who was selling "new" Kodak replacement bellows for around $10 a set - original period items still in their packing. I think this is him:
http://www.craigcamera.com/
However I can no longer see the bellows on his site - maybe he sold them all?
If you do find an appropriate set and achieve success I, for one, would be very interested to hear!
ADrian |
SID
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 03:10 pm: |
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I came upon a stash of new old stock 6X9 Kodak bellows and have put new bellows on some Edwardian Kodaks. Everything else must be up to use with modern 120 film. Sometimes I find them still in their original boxes with instructions that look like they have never been used. The bellows usually fall apart when they are opened. Why mess with 620 cameras?
I have used the proper drill bit in my fingers to drill the rivets out from the back. This leaves the head in place for looks. When re-assembling a little PLIOBOND and the jamb nut that screws onto the lens assy. from inside the camera holds everything quite well. If the rivets come completely out they can be replaced with tiny screws or bolts and nuts from a shop that sells supplies to model train people. Bending the tabs that hold the back of the bellows to the frame can be problematic. Bend/file/cobble an old screwdriver into a single purpose tool for this. If you're lucky not all of the tabs will break and you can press some of them back onto the new bellows. PLIOBOND is useful here also. At the end one has a nearly new 100 year old camera that takes modern film and yields "nostalgic" looking pix! |
Sam Spade
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 03:58 pm: |
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Thanks Adrian/Sid. Funny how we get a kick out of useing old timers like the Kodak's. And as you say sid, 120 rocks and no need to rewind 620 on to a 120 spool. If I find any bellows Adrian I'll email you. Question. My six twenty just reads six twenty; how do you find the model name and or number (like Adrian's) and year?
All the best.
Sam. |
Adrian
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 04:01 am: |
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Mine just says "SIX-20 "KODAK" B" on the little support foot - probably just a different pattern leatherette or something like that. As for date... Other than postdating the introduction of 620, I haven't a clue! Sorry. You COULD try the Yahoo Group Browniecamera - though traffic is fairly slow there.
ADrian |
Sam Spade
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 08:26 am: |
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Thanks Adrian, I'll take a look.
Sam. |
John Shriver
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 08:28 pm: |
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What does have to match is the size of the front and rear frames. While I've been using some NOS Kodak bellows on 120 and 620 Kodak cameras, I've pretty much always had to swap out the front plate, since the hole is always the wrong size.
----
e-mail at:
home page: http://john.shriver.home.comcast.net |
Sam Spade
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 03:31 am: |
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Ah! An interesting point John. More please as this will be the first six-twenty I've worked on and so any tips and or don't do's would be really welcome.
All the best.
Sam. |
JIM
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 01, 2006 - 12:30 pm: |
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FYI from Kodak the first 100 years by Brian Coe.
Kodaksix-20 US model feb1932-JN1937
UK model JAN32-37
model A 1951-JAN55
model B SEp 1937-40
Some cosmetic differences-also in viewfinders and a wide variation in lens and shutter fitting. List your lens-shutter combo and Coe pins the dates tighter. No total production figures listed
for any model. |
Sam Spade
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 02, 2006 - 05:41 pm: |
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Thanks Jim. Nice piece of info.
Sam |
John Shriver
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 05:36 pm: |
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Swapping out the front plate on the bellows is trivial. Just gently lift the bellows on the new bellows from the front plate -- it's just glued on. Then glue in the old plate with Pliobond.
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e-mail at:
home page: http://john.shriver.home.comcast.net |
