[Bell Historians] Charlton Adam, Somerset

[Bickerton, Roderic K (SELEX) (UK)]

 The answer is a qualified yes but it takes some careful disguised
technology, and a bit of a maintenance issue.
Pegged ironwork is capable of being re created and I am sure a hydraulic
tool could easily be devised to draw the peg in to achieve the necessary
pressure to hold the bell against the headstock. Once the kit is
available if the headstock shrinks fitting a new peg would not be a big
deal.
Drive in gudgeons with a headstock with iron hoops around the timber
ends to prevent splitting.
Think how easy it would be to precision under cut and force fit the
gudgeons with the aid of a hydraulic press.
Once fitted it is not to big a deal to lap the fitted pins to perfect
alignment and a good finish.

Most 2 stroke engine cranks are a number of parts force fitted together.

Getting the bearings properly aligned in frame heads is somewhat
simpler. That requires some hand work with a precision cross bar to lap
out any fitting miss alignment using conventional inspectors blue or
something similar to prove even loading across the whole baring surface.
Once assembled the baring meeds a modern artificial long chain extreme
pressure lubricant and an accurately fitting cover and pad to keep out
dirt.
The   back well oil reservoir in a traditional dovetail block baring
works well enough and it is topped up a simple total loss lubrication
will work well, that is go really well.

The snag is that decently engineering a C17 baring set up costs about 10
times as much as sticking in a couple of SKF blocks, and needs a few
drops of lubricant either once a month or before use if only used a
couple of times a year.

A smallish bell hung out on a headstock centre line baring and a very
large wheel handles really nicely and for my money the sound is much
better with the bell moving rather faster, (although the speed of
rotation is less, that is more Ft per second bur less degrees per
second).

I would love to see a careful remake of the sort of 3 or 4 in line set
up, 1/2, (nearer 3/4 actually) wheels, with stays and sliders, as a
working museum example. Cant we "sell" the idea to one of the early life
or open air museums which are becoming popular?


	





Interesting, isn't it that a comparison is often made between the 
careful conservation of an historical organ and a ring of bells. The 
big difference is that, quite often, once carefully cleaned and 
conserved, the action of an historic organ can be light, responsive and 
a pleasure to play ...not sure that the same could ever be said of a 
ring of bells hung on eighteenth century fittings!

Richar


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