glen56 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 thinking about making cow bells,have a basic pattern for 1,any clues as how to go about it ,maybe making it out of old shovel blade,cheers ,glen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Picture of your plan would help, is it folded sheet metal to shape or forged to shape, ???? If you have a plan, execute it and solve the problems as you go. All projects are a journey, and each journey consists of single steps, its just deciding which step to take and execute next as you progress toward the destination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 thats always good advice john - advice i should take myself more often! nothing like starting to actualy work on a problem for finding the solution. i would like to make a bell too, post us what you end up doing glen :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Many years ago, ... in one of the "Foxfire" publications, ... I read a very complete description of the "Cow Bell" process, using material from steel drums. ( barrels ) There was info on tempering and tuning, as well as the "nuts & bolts" of shaping the bell. I'm sure a "Google" search of "Foxfire Cow Bell" would locate the article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 It is in Foxfire 5. Lots of new and used copies available (Amazon, Ebay, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimenickel Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I've been asked in the past to make those " dog bells" ... the kind that they use on hunting dogs but i've got no clue on what they looked like...so i passed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I am no expert but just for general info I can tell you that harder materials will make louder and higher tones with more "ring". That seems right for bells but cow bells have often been made of copper which tends to give a clunky tone not too loud... I think because that is exactly what people wanted. Higher carbon steel (likely what you'll have from a shovel) will ring well and especially if you heat treat it so that it is fairly hard. That might be annoyingly loud for a cowbell though. Remember that the cow has to live with that ring at CLOSE range 24/7! Brass is also sometimes used and tends to give an intermediate ringing effect. As far as tuning I am clueless other than these extreme basics. I know that experienced makers will often file the edges to get their tones adjusted and maybe even thin and/or work harden by slight hammer work after assembly is complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Even mild steel will make a good bell. Either by work hardening or by just hardening by heating and quenching. I made one bell from a piece of steel pipe and it has such a high pitch ring that it hurts your ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 The foxfire plan is very good. Cow bells are big here because of the Tampa Bay Rays I will have mine done before I go to the next game. I have made some Christmas bells and I used 13 gauge heated and quenched nice sound, that is what I had laying a round. That type of dog bell Francis Whitaker made back in 63 as well. And is in one of his books I think it was Beautiful iron. For a cow bell the important part is the clapper I forge a ball at the end of some 5/8" stock up set then drawn down to 1/4" for the rest of the stock. I do have have one my Grand father made for the farm in Canada. It is the same as the one in foxfire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 This is a nice piece on making large cowbells. Beautiful work I might add..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RQXhaYK9YQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 thats a good video - interesting that he brazes the rivetted area solid shut to improve the sound... that nice to watch in the press too thanks for that! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 thats a good video - interesting that he brazes the rivetted area solid shut to improve the sound... that nice to watch in the press too thanks for that! Your welcome, its from a show on science channel called "How It's Made" I remembered it and found it on youtube.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I was really impressed with the blacksmith video from Guinea. That is about as basic as one can get. To all of us that whine about not having the right anvil, forge, hammer, blower, etc take note. A very simple bell with good tone made by a man of simple means. I am blessed beyond what I deserve. Now to go make a bell. Mark <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I used to make a bell similar to the one from Guinea. It was nice to have a real swage block to start the curved sides of the bell on. Yeah, it is humbling to see work like that on equipment like that and we complain if the face of the anvil we have has some dings in it. <_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 absolutey - i couldnt agree more - i certainly am blessed with material help way beyond what i need and deserve compared to these guys - and they just get on with it and make great items... good to see :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I enjoyed the Swiss, the Guinea, and the Foxfire. I have a collection of 10 "old" cowbells, and I just went to the shop to look at them. FYI, just a few notes. All of them are made of iron or steel. My favorite is one that is stamped on top of the flat bail, "Made in France." It is 6" tall and fashioned like the Swiss bells, except the carefully fitted side seams are probably soldered. It is old and I'm beginning to see trhough one side because of corrosion. My smallest is a scant 3" tall and has a conical shape until it gets to the top, where it has a roughly rectangular shape. The tallest is 6¼" and looks unused. It is smoothly copper-clad mild steel inside and out, perhaps powder coated. One of the 10 is deep drawn into a die, probably hot. There are no side seams. It is a radiused rectangle, but nearly square, and tapering toward the top. Two of the bells have rough, brass coatings on the outside. It looks like it might have been done with a torch, borax, and a brass, brazing rod. The clappers are all iron except for one which has a big wooden bead on the end of a haywire. The wood gives an interesting sound. About half the clappers are a nut on the end of a wire. The others are more carefully made. Most of the bells have a tapered capsule shaped (like an RX capsule) cross-section. I could find no sharp bends, even at the top. For after dinner trivia, American Indian male dancers who go to powwows as "fancy feather dancers" will sometimes order 2 3/4" so called "sheep bells" which are copper powder coated. They usually tie 6 on each leg just below the knee. The bells are available from www.crazycrow.com. Crazy Crow has a great catalog of Indian and Mountain Man goods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrispy Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Glen, Never tried to make one but there is a pattern of the Condamine Bell on the net. Condamine up your way is famous for the Condamine cow bell. I have no idea how to tune it. I suggest making up a cardboard pattern to get the size you require. The measurements on this template are only a guide to give perspective - thay are not actual size. I think there is no problem making the Condamine Bell but they have strict rules about calling it a "Condamine Bell". Hope this helps. Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen56 Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 amazeing the youtube gear ,have an old mate that collects these with a passion ,he has all sorts of bells from all over the world ,his favorite is the condermine bell,he would be nearly eighty now but since the age of 14 spent most of his life in outback queensland ,said i would make him a bell and do have the foxfire 5 book (never get bored reading this)went to a swap meet yesterday and found a severly flatend bell ,tried to restore it but no luck ,flatend it out and will use it as a template ,the steel must be wrought ,it would have broken up if i kept beating it out ,thanks all ,glen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 A friend of mine went to Africa for a summer mission to help build some church buildings and brought me back some iron bells, one is all forge welded on the seams and the other is riveted, way too small to be cow bells so most likely for goats. The one that is welded doesn't have much of a tone to it, kind of flat but the riveted one is kind of nice sounding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I made a cowbell for my daughter for her drum kit. out of 16 guage steel. It rings more than the commercially made ones, I think they are typically thinner. I decided to polish it and then heat colour it after I had it made which took way longer than the actual making of the bell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen56 Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 have just found an incredible source of metal in gympie(recently moved hear)this place is great ,they sell all types of metal,this is blacksmith heaven at 50 cents a kilo,lots of off cuts of flat to rod and reo,the cow bell starts soon ,this state (queensland)is right into recycling,can go on to most tip sites and buy steel off them ,my old state by comparison ,take gear and dump it ,almost body search on the way out,glen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlissStreet Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I am blessed beyond what I deserve. I find that living in Africa, you have this thought at least twice a day. It really serves to keep you grounded and thankful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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