Storing the Leather Bellows

[SReynolds]

Longterm storage.............say four months while winter is at its worst. I had read that the leather is supposed to be expanded. I figured out the top half as I set a 3/4 steel stock under it while I lifted it up. So,,,,,what about the bottom half???????? How am I going to do THAT??? It must be so simple, that I can't see the forrest through the trees.

 

The idea, obviously, is to prevent the folded leather from splitting at the folds. 

 

Does the bottom half ever really expand tight when it's full of air (in operation) I really don't study it while I'm standing at the forge. I don't see how it could be completely expanded.

 

I push down on the long arm, lifting the bottom half (compressing it) to fill the top half. The air enters into the bottom half.

 

The picture shows it full of air. The bottom section is compressed.

[Steve Sells]

Mine is stored in the ceiling of the shop when not in use, its out of my way there.  I only do half a dozen shows a year.  its closed up, and I have had it many years, and was used when I bought it. The principle sounds good tho.

[Dan P.]

Bottom half can just hang down. The top chamber usually had a little chain so you could hook it up when not in use.

An old boy told me they used to bung a bit of soap up the bottom valve so the mice would eat that and not the valve hinge.