Diameters (was Dogmersfield)

[George Dawson]

-sorry about that last one.
It used to be a cause of great ribbing between the late Christopher Dalton & myself that we got differing diameters, he said I did not move the clapper out of the way enough, but then he used a wooden (folding) measure, whilst I used a steel tape. Ran Clouston even had a special narrow steel tape for measuring shoulder circumferences. Perhaps we out to have a national standard on these things (perhaps the CBC could organise a seminar, and whilst we are at it how to do a rubbing properly).
>From sunny Germany.
George





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Message Received: Aug 07 2008, 02:45 PM
From: "Chris Pickford" 
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
Cc: 
Subject: [Bell Historians] Re: Diameters (was Dogmersfield)

We've been here before, I think, but no two people - bellfounders or what the Victorians used to term "Bell hunters" - will measure diameters exactly the same. Even people who are careful and measuring in idea circumstances may vary by up to 1/8" and sometimes more. 

While some bells are elliptical, that's not really a major reason for variations in quoted diameters. It's much more about human error, access, degree of care and (let's not forget it) the accuracy of measuring equipment - minor damage to the end of a steel tape can easily lead to an error of 1/16" or more.

Anyway, all I'm really saying is that while accurate measurement is clearly desirable, there's a practical limit - and it's not worth getting het up about differences of 1/8" or 1/16" 

CP
            
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