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Author Topic: Bent bellows pins  (Read 1740 times)

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Matt Langley

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Bent bellows pins
« on: April 21, 2017, 06:48:11 PM »

Hi everyone.

I have searched the forum on this topic but did not find anything that seems relevant to my situation.

I recently bought a liliput converted to D/G which I like very much.  All good so far.  The bellows look original but have been retaped and I did find one or two small leaks where they meet the frames so I took off the base end  to investigate.  Anyway, on removing the pins I found they were all bent - apparently deliberately.  I say this as they are all pretty much the same - bent about half way down by similar amounts - 20 -30 degrees I would say (visual estimate only, I didn't get my protractor out (:).

So, my question is - is this normal?  In my very limited experience with other boxes the pins were (mostly) straight and never bent consistently like this.  Is this normal on some boxes or is there a good reason for it?  It also looks like the bellows gasket has been replaced and I don't know if that is relevant?

I should add that this doesnt seem to cause any major problems with the playability of the box.  The airtightness of the bellows is perfectly adequate IMHO (particularly since I tracked down 2 of the leaks).  Indeed, if they are the original bellows I am amazed that something made out of cardboard and leather is still working this well after ?60 odd years.  What does happen though is that the bend in the pins means the heads do not sit flush with the outside surface of the box and they look a bit untidy.

Hope you can help.   
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Lester

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2017, 07:04:18 PM »

Possibly bent (bodged) to prevent them coming out during playing, this can happen if the gasket has thinned over time.

Theo

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2017, 07:16:12 PM »

Agree with Lester it's a bodged fix for loose pins.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Matt Langley

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2017, 09:33:39 PM »

Thanks Theo and Lester.

Can I ask is there a better / recommended approach to dealing with loose bellows pins rather than putting a bend in them?
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Theo

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2017, 09:48:15 PM »

Sometimes just fitting new bellows gaskets does the trick. 

Otherwise there are two ways, neither as easy as they seem.  Either make the holes smaller or use larger pins. 

On a Liliput there isn't enough meat to make larger holes without the holes getting dangerously close to the edge of the case. 

I have had some success with superglue.  The method requires a set of shiny new pins.  With the ends separated from the bellows I place a pin in each hole in the two ends then run superglue into the pin holes as if gluing the pins into place.  Leave overnight for the glue to cure completely.  With pliers take a firm grip on the head of the pin and twist and the pin should release from the glue and can then be pulled out carefully.  Its not usually necessary to treat the holes in the bellows frames.  This does sound drastic but I've used it many times.  The only time its not been a complete success is when the holes were grossly enlarged.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Lester

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2017, 10:00:52 PM »

Worse case I have had to deal with ended with me filling the holes in the frames with hard wood olive sticks (Waitrose I think), then, after removing the bellows gasket refitting the ends and re-drilling the holes. Once the drilling is complete new gasket completes the job.

Steve_freereeder

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2017, 01:43:52 AM »

I have had some success with superglue.  The method requires a set of shiny new pins.  With the ends separated from the bellows I place a pin in each hole in the two ends then run superglue into the pin holes as if gluing the pins into place.  Leave overnight for the glue to cure completely.  With pliers take a firm grip on the head of the pin and twist and the pin should release from the glue and can then be pulled out carefully.  Its not usually necessary to treat the holes in the bellows frames.  This does sound drastic but I've used it many times.  The only time its not been a complete success is when the holes were grossly enlarged.

I've occasionally used a similar method to Theo's. But the way I do it is with the pins removed. I simply put a blob of superglue on the end of a cocktail stick and quickly run it round the inside of the hole in the end frame. This coats the inside of the hole with a thin layer of glue which quickly sets hard and reduces the diameter of the hole. Once the glue has cured sufficiently (usually just a few minutes will do, especially if you breathe gently on the hole - warm moist air will speed the setting time) I replace the bellows pin as normal. If necessary, repeat the application of glue, but generally just the one coating of glue is all that's needed.

Like Theo, I only apply the glue to the end frame, not the bellows frame.

This method is also generally useful for rehabilitating screw holes in soft wood where wood screws have been repeatedly removed and re-inserted. A good example would be when adjusting the LH wrist strap on a Hohner Pokerwork. The screw holes tend to become enlarged and the screws unable to be tightened properly. One or two thin coats of superglue applied by cocktail stick as above will enable the screw to cut a new thread and hold securely.  An extremely enlarged screw hole can be fixed by half filling the hole with fine wood dust and then adding a blob of superglue to the dust. 
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Ebor_fiddler

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2017, 10:44:44 PM »

I've had some good results with carefully carved bits of matchstick very small portions of pine and a relevant "glue" for making holes smaller. It's a technique that I adapted from re-hanging old doors ...
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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2017, 07:54:44 AM »

I have had some success with superglue

Can verify that this works.

I have a variation I use. I put a drop of "gap filling" super glue in the offending hole wait a sec the blow it out with a straw. Wait about 20 min and the hole will have been reduced by a few 1000ths. Worse case I use a piece of paper wide enouh to roll around the pin and a inch long. Roll it into a tube on one end and poke it into the hole, poke the pin into the tube to open it and force the paper against the inside of the hole remove pin and add super glue,wait a few seconds then insert pin and wait about and hr or more then twist and remove pin. Trim away visible paper.
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playandteach

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2017, 10:30:14 AM »

I assume that all these methods mean using new bellows pins afterwards?
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Theo

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2017, 10:33:28 AM »

No, the pins used for the superglue method are still usable.  Occasionally some glue has to be scraped off but it come away quite cleanly.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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playandteach

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2017, 10:34:36 AM »

I meant the bent ones.
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Theo

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2017, 10:59:59 AM »

Yes, the bent ones are scrap.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Nick Collis Bird

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2017, 12:04:43 PM »

In the event of new pins being difficult to obtain, would it not be possible to straighten them using vise jaws ?
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Theo

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #14 on: April 23, 2017, 12:16:26 PM »

Any damage to the surface if the pins or any remaining bend will only serve to enlarge the holes again. New pins are easily available.  If you need a temporary replacement while new ones arrive then it would be better to find something like a round wire nail rather than compromise a repair.  Same goes for pins with rust — bin them!
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Phil B

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Re: Bent bellows pins
« Reply #15 on: April 23, 2017, 12:24:56 PM »

for a temporary replacement pending the arrival of new pins I have used
 clean engineers split pins
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