Replacing missing bellows corners?

[Soulsaver]

Note for the uninitiated amateur fettler, you wont want to be doing ALL your corners, which will involve re taping too - way too much hard work. New bellows is that route.
But I have a couple of 'buskers' which are queueueing(?) for various bits of attention. I'm a fussy sod, so I like them all clean, looking good.
A couple have JUST cosmetic issues including the odd poor bellow corner, don't leak, just couple of mangled corners.

No info. in accordion revival... so what do you do to get a neat equal & and firm finish when doing a few corners? Do you have anything good for crimping them without mangling them?

 

[JIM D.]

For proper bellows corner replacement you will need (2) sets of pliers. (1) set of parallel jaw action -- http://accordionplus.com/images/bellowstool.jpg

 

[JIM D.]

Also see here -- http://www.stringsandboxes.de/

 

[Soulsaver]

Thanks Jim - The bellows pliers is a 'surprise' shape - I was expecting someone to say there was a sort of adjustable jaw half moon shape cramping tool. I guess you crimp down across the whole width of metal with the parallel jaws, then use the pin nosed one in the last link to crimp the two outer 'corners'?

 

[JIM D.]

:tup: Right on :tup:

 

[Soulsaver]

Many thanks, Jim, dunno what we'd do withoutya.. Plenty expensive! Now I know the method & right tool, I'll try to find an alternative but similar tool.

 

[JIM D.]

If you have access to a grinding wheel. you can fashion a set from a old set of crimping pliers. -- http://www.jewelrytools.com/eurotoo...yvBoKwzpTmyKQa70_oEoTdYxKCMtlKEfFMaAtgJ8P8HAQ

 

[JIM D.]

And you can also fashion a tool to take the place of the parallel jaw pliers by grinding the teeth smooth on an old set of water pump (channel lock) pliers.

 

[Soulsaver]

Got it.. :tup: