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Author Topic: Painting Bellows  (Read 5799 times)

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911377brian

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Painting Bellows
« on: November 19, 2015, 03:05:08 PM »

I faintly recall a thread some time ago about painting bellows, but I don't seem able to find it. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
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Matthew Rickard

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2015, 03:29:10 PM »

Oh great timing! I'm redocoratong a student 1 conversion to be in our Morris side's colours. Painting bellows is something I'd like advice on too.
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Nick Collis Bird

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2015, 03:40:56 PM »

I can't find the thread either. But I depends on what part you want to paint. If it's the whole bellows then I imagine that water colour would be okay, but traditionally they would be covered with strips of marbled paper , easily available from bookbinders suppliers with an even better range than wallpaper  :o
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Matthew Rickard

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2015, 04:07:42 PM »

Bellows tape is off but the paper underneath is that pale green colour. But, my side's colours are red and black! I have lovely black bellows tape ready to go on but need to change the actual bellows colour first.

Don't want to get any paint or colour on the bellow corners as changing them is a pig. Also don't want to take the bellows frame off or else resealing that and making that seal properly to the body will also be a pig.

So I've got two sets of bellows (have two Student 1s in bits, only £30 each off eBay!) so I have two chances to get it right. Might try watercolour this weekend to see how it goes.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2015, 04:10:37 PM by Matthew Rickard »
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911377brian

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2015, 04:08:42 PM »

Can't face repapering Nick. I've started taking an interest in my Microbotted Chansons again and I'd forgotten how good they sound with Their retro fitted Hohner reeds. Sadly I made a less than perfect job of glueing the two sets of bellows together and the patterns don't exactly line up...well, it's darkest winter now, time for daft time consuming projects...
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Nick Collis Bird

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2015, 04:22:13 PM »

Water colour it is then.
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Broadland Boy

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2015, 12:55:34 AM »

Rubberoid ? looks after future leakage problems, available in a range of cheerful colours, well black, but with a dab of Pritt and a handful of glitter or sequins who's to know its not a real Midnight Special Brian ;)
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911377brian

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2015, 11:18:23 AM »

Honestly,Richard! Just when I'd settled on Black Jack....
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Rob2Hook

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2015, 11:33:17 AM »

Don't do the glitter!  I'm stacking shelves with Christmas goods and my car, my carpet, my clothes are covered in glitter.  Well, if you do use glitter, spray some Lettraset fixative over to try to stop it all falling off.  I rather like that idea...

Rob.
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Six Stars

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2015, 12:46:45 PM »

Bellows tape is off but the paper underneath is that pale green colour. But, my side's colours are red and black! I have lovely black bellows tape ready to go on but need to change the actual bellows colour first.

Don't want to get any paint or colour on the bellow corners as changing them is a pig. Also don't want to take the bellows frame off or else resealing that and making that seal properly to the body will also be a pig.

So I've got two sets of bellows (have two Student 1s in bits, only £30 each off eBay!) so I have two chances to get it right. Might try watercolour this weekend to see how it goes.

Is the paper coated? Would watercolour actually take on the paper?

I am reminded of a friend at FE college, more than 4 decades ago. He found some orange paint in his family's garage, and decided to paint his little blue car (it was a one seater messerschmitt). He proudly told us about it, and, once the rain had stopped, we all trooped outside to see his newly painted car - blue, in a large orange puddle.  He had used an emulsion paint.

Helena Handcart

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2015, 01:36:11 PM »

...my side's colours are red and black!

Sounds like the perfect excuse to buy a Black Pearl II.  Or maybe a III  >:E  (:)
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Graham Spencer

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2015, 02:53:05 PM »

...my side's colours are red and black!

Sounds like the perfect excuse to buy a Black Pearl II.  Or maybe a III  >:E  (:)

Especially if you specify a red bellows.......
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Andy Next Tune

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2017, 06:10:06 PM »

I've read this thread and a couple of similar ones, but there's no real feedback or comments about the eventual results after using watercolour paint to change bellows colour!

I have just stripped the tape off a set of PressedWood bellows which have obviously seen action in the rain - the brown as the brown paper tape has left stains on the papers and the bellows corners were rusted under the paper. Plus front and top bellows papers are significantly faded as well for which I blame The Sun.

My options are to either retain the 'weathered look' and just retape them, or hide the evidence by painting over the pale green with a stronger colour such as a dark blue or red before retaping.

What level of success have people had in changing the colours of bellows using watercolour pain?
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911377brian

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2017, 06:21:10 PM »

I finished up using water based emulsion in the form of a tester pot in nice bright red. Mrs Brian liked it so much that I was ordered to paint most of the flat in the same colour....I seem to remember it was one of the Dulux range of interior washable emulsion. I do remember it was called Lava Lamp red....
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malcolmbebb

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #14 on: March 06, 2017, 07:20:27 PM »

" are significantly faded as well for which I blame The Sun."
I've seen The Sun blamed for many things, but never fading bellows before.

However, it is a rather sickly green IMO and can only be improved. Interested to see how people get on.
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Malcolm Clapp

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #15 on: March 06, 2017, 11:00:02 PM »

" are significantly faded as well for which I blame The Sun."
I've seen The Sun blamed for many things, but never fading bellows before.

Rupert Murdoch has much to answer for....

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Nick Collis Bird

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #16 on: March 12, 2017, 02:08:27 PM »

Actually the sun will fade anything. Especially if bellows are exposed made with cheap wood pulp paper.
 As an experiment, open a page of newsprint and place a solid object in the middle, say a saucer. Leave it in the sun for a week, then remove the object.... Q.E.D.    8)
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Psuggmog Volbenz

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #17 on: March 13, 2017, 04:00:12 AM »

Many red colours seem to be particularly photoreactive.
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Rog

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #18 on: March 13, 2017, 07:03:39 AM »

I notice that water colour is mentioned above. If I was painting bellows I'd probably use acrylic arts paint. Apparently it is resistant to fading and its waterproof once it is dry...

Rob2Hook

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Re: Painting Bellows
« Reply #19 on: March 20, 2017, 07:56:16 PM »

Yes, red pigments are very prone to fading due to UV exposure.  Take, for example, the iconic sunburst Les Paul Gibson guitar.  The most popular finish in the 50s and 60s was a very garish red sunburst, but within a decade the red had faded to  a faint orange and after another decade just a slight darkening of the overall finish - very tasteful.  Mind you, they used cellulose finishes which is probably the last thing I'd think of to spray onto wood!

I'd also favour an acrylic paint on bellows, but isn't the main concern getting the grease and grime off before painting without the card disintegrating?  Perhaps several wipes with iso-propyl alcohol?

Rob.
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