Early Tuning

[Richard Offen]

A few weeks ago someone enquired about the type of tools used to chip 
tune bells. 

Whilst at the Taylor Bell Foundry Museum on Saturday for a 
demonstration of the Cater Ringing Machine, I was able to photograph 
the chipping hammer that is on display there and have now posted a 
copy of this in the "Photos" section for those interested.

I was also interested to note, from the display on tuning at the 
Museum, that whilst John Rudhall favoured a pitch pipe for 
determining the notes of the bells he was to tune, the Taylors used 
a 'trichordia', which was a three-stringed instrument that had the 
facility to alter the pitch of each string to a calibrated scale. 
clearly every bell founder had his own favoured method of determining 
the notes of his bells.

Richard