iron forged bells

[paola]

Hi
I have been experimenting, forging iron bells. I would love to hear from anyone that has succesfully forged any type of iron bell, or can suggest a cpontact or website.Thanks,

Paola

[Lukas Jacobs]

Never had a request for a forged bell.Try GeoArch: Geoarchaeological and Geophysical Consultancy for an interesting project.

[Bentiron1946]

Do you mean like goat bells or cow bells? If so I used to make a small forged bell for a gal that had some goats that she wanted bells for the only problem I had was that didn't ring all that well, just kind of thudded a bit but they looked cool.

[Dave Budd]

I've made lots of little bells from mild (so could just as easily use iron) for dogs and horses. Probably like the goat bells mentioned.

simple to make: flatten a bar so that it thins toward the ends and is bow-tie shaped. then drill or punch a hole in the centre. Curve the wide bits in a swage and then fold the thing in half but make sure the sides don't touch or it won't ring Then make a clanger by folding the end of a small diam rod or wire over to made it heavy on the end and draw the other to a fine wire that can be easily bent through a correspnding loop that will fit through the hole and be bent into a loop for suspending the bell. Try to get teh clanger to swing freely and hit the bell about a third of the way up. It's improved by making a seperate link to connect the clanger and the hanging loop (makes it swing more freely).

sorry not a very big photo of the bell (it's about 2" tall), but doesn't my dog look good

[ApprenticeMan]

tsur_sadan_bell

Thanks to Don Fogg!

[Quenchcrack]

I discovered that a cylinder of steel can be made to ring wonderfully. I had a piece of 5.5" x .304" thick wall ERW pipe. It was a sample of quenched and tempered Oil Field pipe. We sawed through the weld seam so that the cylinder was no longer complete. It rang beautifully when struck. I am sure it needed to be suspended through the node but you will have to find the website that tells you how to do that. I fogot.

[fat pete]

I have a copy of a "jingle" type bell that uses like 3/16th sheet makes a neat bell ...I will try and come up with a way to send it to ya if you like.

[paola]

Thanks, very helpful. I have made 4 of the ones you describe Dave, bigger without the clanger. Swinging them and then ringing them works well. I will try the clanger. I will also try the cylinder bell, sounds like one can get a good sound. Thanks for the reference Lukas, I will check it out. I would love to see a photo of the jingle type bell if possible. Thanks, Paola

[civilwarblacksmith]

A member of my guild by the name of Dick Smith demo'ed a bell using schedule 80 pipe.

He fullered one end down to almost closed (leaving about an 1"- 1 1/2" at the top) but not all the way closed in order to put clanger in later.

Using a hardy tool made from a small pick, he then would then get the pipe up to a high yellow and pein it on the pick. The reason for the pick is that they are stocky but you can fit the pipe on to them easily.

He would cotinue this until he got the shape he wanted. When the bell shape was finished, he would fashion the clanger and what ever he was going to hang or hold the bell with.

leave the rod being used for the hanger long and put a hook on the end to hold the clanger. Attach clanger and close hook on the hanger. Heat top of the bell and run the hanger rod through and close the top of the bell around the hanger. Heat the end of the hanger into a loop. Clean and add a finish.