Jig for Bellows Repair?

[Stephen Selby]

What do the pros use to hold (old) bellows open, to leave both hands free for internal repair? (p.s. 'Spouse' is not a useful answer.)

Edited May 19, 2019 by Stephen Selby

[Pete Dunk]

I'm not a pro but a carefully cut piece of timber will fit snuggly inside the bellows and prevent them from closing.

 

[Pete Dunk]

Oops, sorry, you say for internal repair? Make two U shaped bits of timber that will slide into the valley of the two outer folds next to the bellows frames. Cut two bits of timber to wedge between the frames you have fitted, long enough to hold the bellows at full stretch without undue stress.

[Stephen Selby]

Ah! A job for bent coat-hangers, methinks!

[Vitto77]

Hello
I used a wooden plank, covered with a soft cloth to protect leather surface from rubbing the wood. The plank was as long as fully stretched bellows. Then I took four small C-clamps and clamped bellows to plank's ends,  two clamps per side (I put other wrapped piece of wood between clamps and internal side of the ends, naturally). I put the clamps with the screws directed outside, in order to have maximum room to work in.
Or better, some spring clamps could be more practical, you can quickly detach them instead of unscrewing C-clamps.
 

 

Edited July 22, 2019 by Vitto77

[DickT]

Paddy's Leather Breeches?