Aeola Bellows Construction

[Mike Pierceall]

Construction video on the making of an 8-sided bellows for a treble Aeola. It's here:

[RAc]

Is there any limit to what you will tackle? Chapeau claque!

 

Just out of curiosity: Why to do you make all of the trapezoids for the bellow cards individually? Couldn't you just use Bob Tedrow's technique but cut the triangles out of the papers in 45 instead of 60 degree angles? Wouldn't that make it much easier for you to apply the top runs without having to keep all the little corner pieces aligned?

 

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Mike Pierceall]

Is there any limit to what you will tackle? Chapeau claque!

 

Just out of curiosity: Why to do you make all of the trapezoids for the bellow cards individually? Couldn't you just use Bob Tedrow's technique but cut the triangles out of the papers in 45 instead of 60 degree angles? Wouldn't that make it much easier for you to apply the top runs without having to keep all the little corner pieces aligned?

 

Inquiring minds want to know!

My previous video is of a set I made using Robert Tedrow's method. I decided to cut the cards individually on this set; however. There are advantages to each method, but the results are the same. With a properly made bellows form, keeping the corners aligned wasn't difficult. The difference between the two methods is largely a matter of time as each card has to be individually cut and hinged to it's mate with the standard method. On the other hand, with the Tedrow method, hinging the long strips of card causes the strips to bow, and that has to be controlled with lots of clamps. Cutting the long, gathered blank of cards requires great care, especially since I don't own a band saw and used a table saw - a risky procedure I do not recommend.

[Dana Johnson]

Very nicely made bellows, but not Wheatstone style. Wheatstone gussets are diamond shaped, the trapezoid leather is butterfly shaped and takes the place of the valley hinge on the outside and the top and end runs go on last. I don't know if this applies to cheaper model Wheatstones with paper but no leather, but certainly for Aeolas. You can see some of this in the Pathe videos. Jeffries bellows are more like yours, but mine still had diamond shaped gussets.

Steve Dickenson used individual trapezoid card stock like yours layed out on a flat plate with 2mm spacers at the valleys to keep them apart until the inner hinge was applied. Then they got affixed to the bellows mold etc. I like making sheets ol long hinged strips and cutting out blocks of trapezoids to put on my molds. When I cut the strips, I use a mat cutter that cuts them with a 45 degree bevel on the edge. When they are folded, the bevels make a nice peak for the top and help to reduce the need for the leather to stretch ver the top as the folds close. The 2mm gap at the valley is to allow for the thickness of the outer hinge leather. Absolutely nothing wrong with yours, but if you are attempting to copy the original. You might try the other method.

Dana