I noticed lately that I’ve suddenly been pumping harder to keep air in the bag. On checking this out there seems to be a major leak in the bellows where the two halves are joined. I can easily feel and hear the air and can see a hole right on a corner of one side about 5 mm long. Looks like the leather wore through on that corner.
I bought my practice set about 16 months ago. I don’t play every day. I take it that a bellows should last a bit longer than this.
I am looking for input on the expected life expectancy of a bellows. Is something like this repairable or is a new one required.
I’ve written the maker to see what he can do about this and am awaiting his reply but the varied opinions here are always interesting.
Bellows leather should last longer than 16 months. Are you sure it was leather? I’ve had problems with vinyl, with one gusset failing after 3 months. Leather should last longer. I had one set of leather bellows last 10 years. I’d consider that to be my bench mark.
Give the maker a chance to sort it out before making a big issue of it.
Mine are going for 26 years now, well over 30K hours of use I would think, without any problems.
Re-leathering can be an option in your case although it’s not the bellows maker’s most favourite job. A quiet word with the supplier would seem in order.
I have a Dave Williams leather bellows from 1980 still working after 32 years. Saw Billy McCormick playing the McCormick Taylor set from what, 1880/90, about four years ago, and he was using the Taylor bellows with the fancy metalwork around the air intake.
Saw Billy McCormick playing the McCormick Taylor set from what, 1880/90, about four years ago, and he was using the Taylor bellows with the fancy metalwork around the air intake.
It’s likely that will have had a leather overhaul. I have seen and played Coyne, Harrington, Robert Reid, Taylor and other old bellows but I don’t think any of them had their orignal leather. There are Rowsome ones about with their original leather but more than a few have the leather becoming increasingly porous. Leather will eventually either dry out or, especially when sitting unused, rot.
FWIW, Billy Mc has been known to use a different set of bellows in the past.
Well the maker has replied and he’s perplexed as to why this happened. He says that his bellows have been out there for 20+ years and hasn’t had any problems. Needless to say he wants to have a look at mine to see what happened, which is a good thing. On closer inspection I found a second hole much larger than the first. Leather is completely worn through. Yup, there’s something not quite right. Thanks for the replies.
We’ll see where it goes from here.
There might have been some subtle flaws or thin spots in the leather that escaped the makers notice. It happens. Double gusset bellows (2 layers of leather) will probably last longer but take a bit more effort to make.
Well, my pipemaker has taken the bellows back, replaced the leather and has returned them to me within a week. No charge.
In over 20 years of pipemaking this is the first one he’s had a problem with. The leather had chafed through.
I thank him for his efforts, and I’m again a happy camper.
