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[Fallisphoto]

I'm trying to change the bellows in a Welta Weltur and it requires removing some screws from inside the film chambers to remove the rear frame. The film cradles are blocking access to the screws. Does anyone know how to remove the film cradles without d

[Scott]

What does a film cradle look like, and what is the function? How many does your camera have?  
 
I don't recall hearing that term before. You don't mean the take-up spool/spindle, do you?

[Fallisphoto]

I mean the pivoting holders the film spool lies in, and that then swing into the camera. This is a photo I took of the open back of a Welta Perle, with a damaged film cradle that I fixed: [url=http://fallisphoto.deviantart.com/art/Welta-Perle-before-I

[Scott]

Now I understand. I have never seen those things before.  
 
On an Agfa Ventura 6x6 folder I have, the supply-side has a sort of cradle-frame that not only swings up, but the upper and lower pegs can also be folded outwards on hinges to make it ea

[Fallisphoto]

Well, the problem with the Weltur is that I have to remove four screws to get the rear frame out, which sounds easy, but the stuff in the film chambers (film rollers and film cradles) blocks access to the screws. If I could get either the rollers or

[Fallisphoto]

Oh, that Welta Pearle was done a couple of years ago: http://fallisphoto.deviantart.com/art/Welta-Perle-DONE-87511128 It was easy to get the roller out of the Pearl

[Scott]

Well, as I'm sure you have seen already, many of these cameras were not designed to be repair-able.  
 
They were simply designed to be inexpensive and to last for a few years. Which is why they used rivets in many places instead of screws.

[Fallisphoto]

Well, there were certainly less expensive cameras that could be had. The Welta folding rangefinders were not really in that class of cameras though. Welturs were certainly not inexpensive!

[Scott]

Oh, believe me, I didn't mean to insult you by implying that you use cheap cameras!
 
Not that there's anything wrong with using cheap cameras-- I enjoy using them, myself!
 
But yes, the Weltas and Weltis were certainly not in the c

[Fallisphoto]

Well, many of the better Weltas used screws instead of rivets, and this is one of them, but they put them in the damnedest places. I figure they must have used some kind of offset screwdrivers to get them in there. Maybe that's my answer.
 
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