[Bell Historians] Digest Number 8

[Ben Willetts]

David Bryant:
> a 1947 Taylor aluminium bell in their museum ...
> Obviously, it will be much lighter than a bellmetal equivalent
> - does anybody know by what proportion?

My handbell team has a 'bronze' Malmark G2 (it is a badly designed bell
which is too heavy for its fittings and is therefore not loud enough and is
about to fall off its handle, but I digress), and it is often played
one-handed by our usual bass ringer and by me as a stand-in. I would
estimate its weight as nearly a stone (6.5kg). By contrast, the B2 is much
lighter (around 8-9lb? 3.5-4kg?). I have never rung a 'bronze' C2 but I
would guess it is really quite heavy. The only handbell team I have ever
seen use them was a Japanese team who just left them on the table and
malletted them.

In contrast, the photo I have (somewhere - I will scan & post it when I find
it!) is of me age 14 holding two very large aluminium bells (C2 and D2 I
think), one in each hand. So I would estimate their weight as no more than
about 12lb (5.5kg) each, and diameter around 2 feet (60cm).

Sorry I can't be more accurate!

Ben