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Author Topic: Weltmeister bellows  (Read 1333 times)

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Rog

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Weltmeister bellows
« on: July 15, 2019, 12:51:29 PM »

On some of the cheaper/smaller Weltmeister made PAs (like the Caprice or Firrotti) the bellows are not of the 'normal' construction, but have a sort of rubberized cloth glued in strips inside, instead of the regular leather diamond gussets. Presumably they are faster and cheaper to manufacture. However, when the rubber coating perishes of fails  or is ripped, that is the end of the bellows.   They also have plastic bellows frames (and rather clever plastic moulded reed blocks). The bellows have a tendency to come away from the frame (easily remedied with glue). However, I've got (a client's) otherwise nice little PA except for the knackered bellows. They look fine until you hold them up to the light and pull apart and view from inside, and you can see daylight coming through the weave of the fabric...so they leak like a sieve.
My thoughts on fixing, without spending hours trying to fit new gussets (which might not work..the corners aren't made like regular bellows) is to find a flexible lacquer and spray. Has anyone tried this/fixed Weltmeister bellows in this way. For what it's worth, I don't like Weltmeister, lumpen things that they are, and this is just another black mark.
The stuff I was thinking of trying is this (what do I have to lose?)
https://www.toolstation.com/industrial-spray-lacquer-500ml/p44132?store=BM&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyLDpBRCxARIsAEENsrI9n7S1uJJyiEkb1b0jBbuey2YcEw5vGKqPD5V-5MDElfH66fS6Q7QaAs-9EALw_wcB
« Last Edit: July 15, 2019, 03:38:07 PM by RogerT »
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Kon

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Re: Weltmeister bellows
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2019, 12:59:57 PM »

There was a recent discussion of a similar problem on a Hohner Ariette which Anne Croucher solved successfully using liquid latex - hope this helps!

http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,21757.0.html
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Rog

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Re: Weltmeister bellows
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2019, 01:39:48 PM »

Ah yes. Thanks for that.

folkloristmark

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Re: Weltmeister bellows
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2019, 02:40:56 PM »

I have in the distant past had good results with muslim  strips painted in Pva or liquid laytex.A strip from one end to the other. It is useful to experiment with a laytex fixer to get a quick drying time. Pva takes much longer. The bellows need to be stretched fully open to apply the strips.Inside. This is very messy and the latex will stick any surface to together if spilt!. Then grease proof paper over the strips and outside so the bellows dont stick together when compressed to allow drying and fixing.When to open is a judgement as you want to be able to unstick any spills before they fully dry.This was my method anyway. Good luck

just a note. I have used latex in costume making and melodeon repairs, its not the best way but does work as a fix but would recomend that after finishing the last coats should be a thin Pva coat, or the Latex  will start to stick to itself with age and warmth and bellows may start to stick together. This also gives a good base for painting recomended.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2019, 09:24:55 PM by folkloristmark »
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Mark Taylor
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