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Dennis
28-01-2014, 09:00 AM
I suppose you’ve all forgotten the great bell project, prompted by Carole’s post, last month:

http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5503

Well here is my effort, but I used brass, not silver, starting with two disks 1.8mm in diameter and 0.4mm thick. My doming plate, unlike the cubes, makes perfect hemispheres and being of hardened steel, it will also act as a filing block to finish the edges.

To one dome, I added a jump ring. The holes in the other were 2.3mm in diameter, joined by a slot 1.3mm wide.

The halves were connected with a 2.5mm strip of the same material formed into a ring. This was first soldered onto one part, supported by the very useful hole in my soldering block. The other half was then easily added. Enclosed was a 4.0mm ball made from melted wire.

Does it jingle? Well sort of, but rather quietly. There are many variables which might improve it: the choice of metal, a more squat shape, the size of the slot and holes, and possibly the ball, although I was able to test for the best ball size before the final soldering.

I remain convinced that if it could be cold connected, as are the commercially made ones, the sound would be brighter. When the domed haves were dropped separately onto a hard surface there was a distinct ringing sound. After soldering, it was more of a dull thud. Dennis.

medusa
28-01-2014, 10:52 AM
very cool! would tumbling it to harden it a little help improve the sound? Also, are perfect spheres hard to make with the cubes? I had no idea there was a difference.

Didi
28-01-2014, 11:11 AM
Hi There, just thinking the same myself. Tumbling to harden and what's the difference between a block and a plate?
Didi

Dennis
28-01-2014, 02:38 PM
Not sure about tumbling, but sods law says it will fill with shot if you do.

The cube shaped doming doming blocks, generally have shallower depressions, so if you wish to make hemispheres you have to work on the sides until you succeed-- a bit more challenging. Dennis.

mizgeorge
28-01-2014, 02:45 PM
I like it Dennis :)
I'd go ahead and tumble - you can always pull the shot out with a strong magnet if it ends up inside.

donnie
28-01-2014, 04:12 PM
I really like that Dennis I might try a few on a bracelet for my grand daughter, would a piece of round shot inside help the ring at all instead of the balled wire ?
Where did you get the doming plate if you don't mind me asking ?

DONNIE

caroleallen
28-01-2014, 06:32 PM
Love it Dennis. I never did get around to making one myself.

ShinyLauren
28-01-2014, 07:51 PM
Thanks for sharing Dennis. I really did intend to make one - I had a lovely baroque design in my head, but I just have no time to do fun and experimental things at the moment.

I'm assuming that if you used a steel ball for the ringer instead of balled silver wire, you'd run into hallmarking issues if you wanted to sell them?

Dennis
28-01-2014, 08:51 PM
I'd go ahead and tumble - you can always pull the shot out with a strong magnet if it ends up inside.

Since you say so, George, It's in the tumbler for the night. Still, I'm deaf to high frequencies, so I might not hear it any better tomorrow. ;-) Dennis.

Dennis
28-01-2014, 09:10 PM
I really like that Dennis I might try a few on a bracelet for my grand daughter, would a piece of round shot inside help the ring at all instead of the balled wire ?Where did you get the doming plate if you don't mind me asking ?DONNIE

For the ball, I did not experiment further, Donnie. As for the doming thing, I use the word 'plate' to distinguish it from the more common cubes, but both Walshes and Sutton tools have their versions and call them blocks. Unfortunately you would have to see them for real to judge whether they were deep enough.

Mine I brought home a long time ago, from Inhorgenta, an annual jewellery show in Munich. It caused some consternation, when security found it in my hand luggage on the way home. They went into a huddle before grudgingly letting me through. Dennis.

MeadMoon
29-01-2014, 09:14 AM
I am still intending to try to make one, but it takes me a while to get around to things these days.

Wallace
29-01-2014, 10:23 AM
Something to try this year!
Did you put hours through the tumbler yet Dennis?

Dennis
29-01-2014, 12:42 PM
Did you put yours through the tumbler yet Dennis?

Yes Wallace, I left it in the tumbler all night with mixed shot and as predicted it became full up. The impact had also slightly closed the slot. So I restored the gap and even increased the size of the holes a little, but a magnetic pick up tool strong enough to hold my draw tongs had no effect on the stainless shot.

Eventually I found that the best way to get then out was to hang the bell on a thread and shake it vigorously over my bench tray. Strangely only the smallest balls had got in and none of the needles. There were more than sixty, not counting the ones that rolled away on the floor.

One interesting result is that there are no fine needle marks, showing that they glance harmlessly off even large rounded surfaces.

Does it ring any better? Well no, I didn't expect it to, really. We've agreed in the past, that tumbling only hardens the surface a little and in this case it would be only the outer surface. Thank you all for your input, Regards, Dennis.

caroleallen
29-01-2014, 01:57 PM
Well I guess it was worth trying but I think shaking the bell vigorously for several hours would do the same. You could always attach it to the cat.

donnie
29-01-2014, 04:55 PM
Thanks for the info on the plate anyway Dennis

DONNIE

Dennis
29-01-2014, 05:49 PM
Well I guess it was worth trying but I think shaking the bell vigorously for several hours would do the same. You could always attach it to the cat.

Somehow I don't think he'd like that, Carole.

Wallace
29-01-2014, 11:07 PM
at least I will save on electricity, tumble mix and doing the hippy hippy shake. thanks for the update Dennis.

kindest

Wallace

Truffle & Podge
30-01-2014, 01:58 AM
I'd love a silver bell exactly like the one in The Polar Express, how cool would that be on a christmas tree? :D x

LydiaNiz
31-01-2014, 04:00 PM
love it! Perfect little bell. I also have failed to complete Operation Bell™, but def. want to as my big giant psycho cat Pixel loves his bell on his collar.

Patstone
31-01-2014, 04:08 PM
Takes all the fun out of mousing!!!!!!! I wonder if putting a small glass bead inside would make it ring. Silver makes a thud rather than a ring.

LydiaNiz
31-01-2014, 04:55 PM
Hmm Pix is 9 kilos, the mice would feel the ground shaking long before they heard a bell. Interesting dilemma re the tinkle!

Patstone
31-01-2014, 07:02 PM
Gosh thats heavy for a cat, I had a cat for nearly 19 years, had a bad thyroid problem come the end, but he was a real hunter. We lived in the country so baby rabbits and mice were the normal diet most of the time, really outdoor cat until he got older. He knew the sound of my car and used to come down the lane to meet me from work. When he went, I really missed him but he had a lovely life, and he was a great old age so he went happy. My border terrier missed him too, the lab not so much but I suppose she was more the same size. I dont know if the bell will work but tried to bang the silver with another bit and it just clanged.