[Bell Historians] Re: Canon retaining headstocks

[Richard Offen]

--- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, David Bryant <david at b...> 
wrote:
> > I think you'll find that it's more a case of being physically 
> > impossible with these designs to get the clapper dynamics right, 
not 
> > that they haven't been taken into account. Which is why the firms 
> > who are concerned about the standard of their work have designed 
> > better products!
> 
> I'm sure that with decent (i.e. hoop type rather than arched) canon 
retainers it is quite possible to get the timing right. One of the 
tower I look after, the Spurriergate Centre in York, has a nice six 
with all bells having modern (1986) hoop type canon retaining stocks. 
The bells aren't sluggish, are well timed as a ring and don't strike 
too slowly. In fact, their timing is considerably better than that of 
some other rings in the area with normal cast iron headstocks.
> 
> David
> 

That is exactly what I was saying. With the 'hoop' headstocks you 
describe, as fitted by Taylors, Whitechapel and others, it is 
perfectly possible to get the dynamics right, that's why they use 
them. It's the other designs, coffin, pot, arched, etc that cause 
trouble which is difficult, if not impossible to cure!

R