Question regarding No. 1 Autographic Kodak Special

[geojoe]

I recently acquired a No. 1 Autographic Kodak Special that will become a rehab project. Fortunately the lens and shutter seem in good condition. All the shutter speeds seem fine.

The main project will be the bellows--which appear quite worn and have deteriorated. Small pieces flake off when I open the camera.

A question I have regards the spring post that is pressed for extending the bellows. Only one side is moveable, the other side is fixed. Is that the way it should work? Also, the extended bellows can be easily removed from the rail as shown in my photos. Is that normal?

If these items seem as they should, then my only project will be to restore or replace the bellows. I will appreciate any suggestions for doing this.

Joe

 

[steve reilly]

Look on ebay for a nos bellows ,I've done a few of them that way .Not sure on the other problem I have some #2 kodaks I'll take a look but I think they are a little different. Steve

 

[geojoe]

Look on ebay for a nos bellows ,I've done a few of them that way .Not sure on the other problem I have some #2 kodaks I'll take a look but I think they are a little different. Steve

Thank you, Steve. Much appreciated. Joe

 

[steve reilly]

Also if you google around there is a list of what the replacement bellows are for most of the kodaks.I cla d mine and they are fun to use. Steve

 

[John Wiegerink]

I have the same camera with a Taylor, Taylor & Hobson Cooke lens. These cameras are pretty hard to come by now for some strange reason. I will check a little later on the squeeze button bellows extension. Also, I will try to lookup which bellows number Kodak used for that camera. I have a box of brand new Kodak bellows in various sizes and might just have one for the No.1.

 

[geojoe]

I have the same camera with a Taylor, Taylor & Hobson Cooke lens. These cameras are pretty hard to come by now for some strange reason. I will check a little later on the squeeze button bellows extension. Also, I will try to lookup which bellows number Kodak used for that camera. I have a box of brand new Kodak bellows in various sizes and might just have one for the No.1.

Thank you for your help, John. I really appreciate it and will be excited to find out if you have a No. 1 Special bellows--which I will be happy to purchase from you. Thanks again, Joe

 

[John Wiegerink]

Thank you for your help, John. I really appreciate it and will be excited to find out if you have a No. 1 Special bellows--which I will be happy to purchase from you. Thanks again, Joe

Joe,
I checked my No.1 and the push button bellows slide release only operates on one side and not both. I just got home, and it's a little late, so I'll check Kodaks bellows numbers tomorrow and see if I have a bellows.
JohnW

 

[geojoe]

Joe,
I checked my No.1 and the push button bellows slide release only operates on one side and not both. I just got home, and it's a little late, so I'll check Kodaks bellows numbers tomorrow and see if I have a bellows.
JohnW

Thank you, John. This is helpful! I am guessing that mine is probably behaving normally then and that it is not designed to extend within the rail. Rather the rail (if that is the correct term) is likely designed simply to hold the lens in position once extended? Thanks again--feel welcome to message me with any details. Joe

 

[John Wiegerink]

Thank you, John. This is helpful! I am guessing that mine is probably behaving normally then and that it is not designed to extend within the rail. Rather the rail (if that is the correct term) is likely designed simply to hold the lens in position once extended? Thanks again--feel welcome to message me with any details. Joe

 

[John Wiegerink]

Joe,
I dug through my stash of bellows and could not find the correct numbered bellows for the No.1 Autographic Special. Later tonight I plan on taking my lens and shutter off my camera for a CLA and will check the measurements of the front and rear of its bellows to see if I have something that matches close enough for you to use. I've substituted different bellows from standard on my Kodak Monitor 620 and it works perfect so we might get lucky and find one for your camera. Fingers crossed!

 

[geojoe]

John,
I really appreciate your efforts in finding bellows that work for me.
I learned something new since my last post. The lens on my camera was completely "off the rails" after all. I removed some screws and a plate from the front and was able to insert the lens into the correct position. Now it works as it should.
In doing so, I had to extend the bellows to their limit and the finish flaked off even more.
I used a flashlight to check the bellows in a dark closet and from what I could see, all the pinholes are in the corners--even with the considerable flaking of the exterior coat.
Today, I picked up some Plasti-Dip and Naphtha and am planning on brushing thinned coats on the bellows.
I will await your suggestions regarding possible substitute bellows.
Thanks again!
Joe

 

[gordrob]

Joe, my list of Kodak bellows shows that the No. 1 Autographic Kodak Special needs a #4730 bellows.

 

[geojoe]

Thank you! I will search for that bellows number!
Joe

 

[Gramster]

Hello. I know this post is a year old but I just recently got a No 1 Kodak Autographic Special myself and wondered what the bellows outcome was. Mine needs new bellows as they are doing what you described yours does, flaking small bits of the leather. It also has a lot of light leaks. I just had bellows made for another camera I have and those were made by Custom Bellows in the UK. Does yours have lots of Zeiss bumps? Mine does and a coupe of others I saw on eBay did too. Must be common on this camera. My shutter needs some maintenance as the slow speeds are not working. First to check is the Retarding pump. These cameras feels so solid and well made. They were also not an entry level camera in their time but much higher end. At $56 in 1915 that was no small chunk of change, about $1,700 in today’s dollars. I look forward getting it out for use.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I have not found a replacement bellows for mine yet. I have two 8"X8" cardboard boxes full of mostly Kodak replacement bellows, and none seem to be an exact fit. I have searched for Kodak's bellows model number for this camera and nothing turns up. My temporary solution was to run black book binders tape down the length of the bellows on all four corners. It was then light tight and 100% usable. It would fold and lock, but was pretty tight. I will admit that after I did the tape thing, I became a little lax on looking for a replacement bellows. I think the only course of action to solve the bellows problem would be to contact one of the makers of replacement bellow on eBay and see if they could fabricate one for you. Or use your bellows maker source. Be aware that they will probably ask you if you can carefully remove the old bellows and send it to them for a template. If they can make bellows for almost any camera, I'm sure they can make one for the No. 1 AKS. Once they are up and running, they are fine picture takers. The T.T.&H Cooke lens on mine is really nice.

 

[Gramster]

I have the bellows removed already. I think someone may have tinkered with the tabs at some point as one looked damaged and basically fell off as soon as I started to pry it. The rest bent up fine but some seemed to move a little too easy so I suspect they may not tolerate well being bent back when new bellows are installed. This, I don’t thing should be a big problem as it looks like if worse comes to worse the bellows should be able to be glued the the rear mount. I remember on the oldest models of the 3A, the Model A-B2, they didn’t use tabs but small screws along all four sides. Too bad they stopped doing that as it makes removal easier but I understand from a manufacturing point of view that must have taken a bit of time to do. My example came with the B&L Zeiss Tessar f4.5 and I expect it will take nice shots too. Interesting fact, for 1916 they still used the Zeiss Tessar but in catalogs they simply called it the B&L Tessar and dropped the Zeiss name due to the war.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I have the bellows removed already. I think someone may have tinkered with the tabs at some point as one looked damaged and basically fell off as soon as I started to pry it. The rest bent up fine but some seemed to move a little too easy so I suspect they may not tolerate well being bent back when new bellows are installed. This, I don’t thing should be a big problem as it looks like if worse comes to worse the bellows should be able to be glued the the rear mount. I remember on the oldest models of the 3A, the Model A-B2, they didn’t use tabs but small screws along all four sides. Too bad they stopped doing that as it makes removal easier but I understand from a manufacturing point of view that must have taken a bit of time to do. My example came with the B&L Zeiss Tessar f4.5 and I expect it will take nice shots too. Interesting fact, for 1916 they still used the Zeiss Tessar but in catalogs they simply called it the B&L Tessar and dropped the Zeiss name due to the war.

Yes, it sounds like someone tampered with the bellows tab. I was lucky enough to have had a friend that ran a FOX Photo lab, in Grand Rapids, give me a box of different size Kodak rivets, washers and rivet tool. He also gave me Kodak's special bellows removal and install tool after they closed down. Of course, the stipulation was I had to fix old folders for him. That bellows tool saves time and headaches. I think if I had the bellows off, I'd be contacting your bellows replacement maker and see what they say. If they can make one easy enough, then let me know. They could make two up at the same time. Maybe more, if there are others here in need of a new bellows.

 

[Gramster]

I will be mailing mine off later today and will send photos when it returns. They will mount the front and rear frames to them but not install in the camera. I will be gluing them in place and then re-bent the tabs into place. On my Premo A camera they made bellows for they did mount them to the rear standard frame. They did a nice job on it too. (will attach a photo of them). I figured there must be a special tool Kodak had for those tabs. I had tried picking at a couple of tabs on a No 3A but they would not budge. Just need to decide on bellows color. I will likely go black although the red would look nice, like a mini FPK. Would you have a photo of the special tool? As a former auto technician I am always curious to see what special tools look like that are made for the specific job at hand.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Gramster,
I'm more than 100 miles from the cottage where the bellows tool is at. I will be back to the cottage next week and will dig it out of storage. I'll shoot a couple of shots of it. I think you could make one fairly easy if you have the equipment. It's basically about 4" long and 1/4" thick steel with a kind of hook styling on one end and a flat leg on the other.
Fill us in on how you ordered and replaced the bellows when you get it all done.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I will be mailing mine off later today and will send photos when it returns. They will mount the front and rear frames to them but not install in the camera. I will be gluing them in place and then re-bent the tabs into place. On my Premo A camera they made bellows for they did mount them to the rear standard frame. They did a nice job on it too. (will attach a photo of them). I figured there must be a special tool Kodak had for those tabs. I had tried picking at a couple of tabs on a No 3A but they would not budge. Just need to decide on bellows color. I will likely go black although the red would look nice, like a mini FPK. Would you have a photo of the special tool? As a former auto technician I am always curious to see what special tools look like that are made for the specific job at hand. View attachment 394945

I finally made it back to the cottage and dug my Kodak repair tools out. Here are some pictures of the tool:

 

[Gramster]

Thank you! I figured the tool for the tabs would look something like that. Curious as to the two tools that look like punches or rollers and the flat one. Are those for the tabs as well or something else? The punches almost look like they are for setting rivets. I used to be an auto technician so no stranger to special tools made for specific jobs. They turn what can be a miserable job to do into a joy. There can’t be too many of those out there as I’m sure people had no idea what they would be for and recycled them. That or they got used for other purposes a now no longer do what they were made for. Looks like the tab prying tool should be easy enough to have one made. it looks like its about 5” long? I don’t have the bellows yet, hopefully by end of next week. Thank you again.

 

[Gramster]

Looking at them again. The flat tool looks like it is for loosening the lock ring for the camera shutter. I am more convinced that the other tools are for rivets as newer cameras used rivets to secure the bellows to the front standard and did away with the for screws used before.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Looking at them again. The flat tool looks like it is for loosening the lock ring for the camera shutter. I am more convinced that the other tools are for rivets as newer cameras used rivets to secure the bellows to the front standard and did away with the for screws used before.

Yes, the two punch like tools are rivet setters. Some Kodak folders used rivets to secure a bellows plate to the front standard. The other tool is a small spanner type tool for things like lens retaining rings and such. I think you are right about the unknown tools being thrown in the trash. I'm pretty sure when I croak that's what will happen to these as nobody in my family knows or cares anything about my precious toys.

 

[Erik L]

Here’s what made out of a cheap eyeglass screwdriver repair kit. Heat up in a vise and hammer it over. Not quite as elegant as the purpose made tool but it works.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Here’s what made out of a cheap eyeglass screwdriver repair kit. Heat up in a vise and hammer it over. Not quite as elegant as the purpose made tool but it works.

Yup, necessity is the mother of invention! My late father had all kinds of revamped and homemade tools and they worked wonders. I think it was his "farmer" background that help. Farmers always seem to try to get out of hard work. Just kidding, but that hard work gets the brain going to find an easier, more efficient way to do things. My wife has a favorite saying when I head out to do some chores, "Work smarter, not harder"!