[Bell Historians] Taylor Clappers

[Mike Chester]

> It's probably got one of those nylon bushes which wear out quite 
rapidly.

Correct! A couple of years back the fifth clapper cracked near to 
one of the bolt holes. Of course it had to be during a peal attempt 
by an outside-Guild band and the bell stopped ringing. We have had 
only a handful of request of the 16 years I've rung at Allesley! It 
was nickel welded by "a friend", then rebushed at the foundry. 
Taylors then had a newish bloke doing bushes and he put an "oilite" 
bush in it. Do these last much longer?


> They're OK until the holes in the metal sides start
> wearing, then they really rattle. 

Correct! Both the holes have gone oval and this allowed movement 
side-to-side and up-and-down, and therefore the bush to wear quickly, 
not helped by the fact that the smooth section before the end thread 
of the bolt was not quite long enough. Also not helped by the fact 
that I had been complaining about a squeeking noise from the clapper 
for at least 2 years before the steeplekeepers went and had a look!

Mike