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Welcome to Bronze Bells @ deGannes.com where the making of fine tuned bells does not lend itself to mass production. Each bell requires an Artist's individual care and attention, which the deGannes family knows how to give through devotion to the craft and talent. A good bell is not made by chance, but is the result of wise combination of thought and skill. We encourage you to learn more about this art, by reading the information provided.
The use of bells for general and even for religious purposes is of very ancient origin, although it is likely that in early ages they were of very rude form and imperfect sound, and that they were gradually developed into their present perfection. They are said to have been used by the ancient Egyptians in the worship of their god Osiris; but these bells were small, and rather in the form of a flat gong. Moses, who had been educated in the priestly class of Egypt, introduced them into the ceremonial of the Jewish religion. Among the Romans there is no trace of their employment for religious purposes, apart from the processions of rejoicing after victories. In these triumphal events, which were partly of a religious character, expressing gratitude to the gods for success in battle, bells were sometimes mounted in chariots and joyfully rung during the progress of the procession.
Bells came into use in our churches as early as the year 400, and their introduction is ascribed to Paulinus, bishop of Nola, a town of Campania, in Italy. Their use spread rapidly, as in those unsettled times the church-bell was useful not only for summoning the faithful to religious services, but also for giving an alarm when danger threatened. Their use was sanctioned in 604 by Pope Sabinian, and a ceremony for blessing them was established a little later. Very large bells, for church towers, were probably not in common use until the eleventh century. In various museums of Europe many curious old bells are preserved, and particularly in Scotland and Ireland fine specimens may be seen of the ancient monastic bells of the Celtic abbeys. These are sometimes square in shape, and are made of bronze or iron sheets riveted together. Their sound, consequently, must have been discordant and far less powerful than that of our modern bells.
The oldest alloy known to human beings was a bronze made of copper and arsenic. People learned to make it about 3500 B.C. Gradually, people replaced the arsenic with tin. The period in history between the Stone Age and the Iron Age became known as the Bronze Age because bronze was commonly used to cast containers such as cups, urns, and vases. People also shaped bronze into battle-axes, helmets, knives, shields, and swords. They also made it into ornaments, and sometimes even into primitive stoves. Bronze Age (3,500 to 0 BC or later, depending on location) Bronze was developed about 3500 B.C. by the ancient Sumerians in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley. Historians are unsure how this alloy was discovered, but believe that bronze may have first been made accidentally when rocks rich in copper and tin were used to build campfire rings. As fire heated these stones, the metals may have melted out and mixed, forming bronze. This theory is supported by the fact that bronze was not developed in North America, where natural tin and copper ores are rarely found in the same rocks. Around 3000 BC, bronze-making spread to Persia, where bronze objects such as ornaments, weapons, and chariot fittings have been found. Bronzes appeared in both Egypt and China around 2000 B.C. The earliest bronze castings (objects made by pouring liquid metal into molds) were made in sand, and this method is sometimes still used, even for casting bells. However, clay and stone molds were developed later on, and clay is usually used nowadays for bells. Zinc, lead, and silver were added to bronze alloys by Greek and Roman metalworkers for use in tools, weapons, coins, and art objects. At first, copper-arsenic alloys were used, but only for a short while. One disadvantage of this alloy was that the fumes emitted by arsenic during smelting tended to kill the metalsmiths! Eventually, tin was found to be an ideal alloying agent for copper. The optimum ratio is about 10 to 20% tin to copper. The melting point of bronze is 950 deg. C, compared to 1084 deg. C for pure copper. The bronze melt flows freely into molds without formation of gas bubbles, which is a problem with copper, and bronze is hard immediately after casting and cooling - it does not need to be tempered. Bronze is harder and less brittle than copper-arsenic alloys, and it can be hardened even further by hammering. Modern bronzes After its discovery (for the Middle East, around 700 BC) iron, and later steel, quickly replaced bronze in the ancient world as the metal of choice for weaponry and industry because it is harder and inexpensive. Today, bronze is used for making products ranging from household items such as doorknobs, drawer handles, clocks, and sculpture, but it is also still used in some industrial applications, such as engine parts, bearings, and wire. And of course, it is used in bells.
HEAD: Top of bell proper and main node of its vibrations. In England, it is known as the crown. SHOULDER: Curved area between head and the bell wall. WAIST: Middle area of bell wall. STRIKE POINT: Area where clapper hits the bulging area of the bell wall just above the lip. LIP: The bottom edge of a bell where inner and outer surface come to a point. CLAPPER: The iron bar or striker, usually pivoted in the crown of the bell, which hits the soundbow (strike point) to ring the bell. Usually has an enlarged portion called the ball which actually makes the impact.
Bronze Fatigue - Why Bells Crack Church bells may be subject over time to structural fatigue. But they are such an important part of our liturgical and cultural heritage, and we want them to last for centuries. Researchers have been investigating the damage caused to bells when they are rung.
Bells will crack if they are poorly made - particularly, if impurities or air bubbles are allowed to remain in the bronze when it is poured. There's no substitute for a foundry that knows what it's doing! But like everything else, church bells can also suffer fatigue over the years, and eventually fail. Thus on behalf of the Verein Deutscher Gießereifachleute (VDG) - the German federation of foundry experts, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability LBF in Darmstadt studied the damage caused to bells when they are rung, both experimentally and using digital simulation. The greatest risk to church bells is over-enthusiasm on the part of the bell ringers. The aim of the project was to analyze the effect of various factors on the wear and tear of a bell, and to find ways of reducing damage that may be attributable to the shape and weight of the clapper, for example, or to the angle of the bell when it is struck and the ambient temperature. The researchers analyzed samples of bell bronze to determine their metallic composition. They also ascertained the strength of the material in fatigue tests at different temperatures. Other experiments were carried out on a moving bell. The scientists used strain gauges and accelerometers to identify the places where tension and expansion forces act, which may cause the bell to crack. In addition, the phases of the ringing cycle were simulated digitally on a computer. "Our investigations proved the effectiveness of a practice that has been in common use for some time. Turning the bell through an angle of about 30 degrees at longish intervals can increase its useful life by up to a third", reports Dr Dietrich Flade of the LBF. "Parameters such as the shape and weight of the clapper don't have any significant effect on damage. Contrary to expectations, the ambient temperature is not of great significance either." The greatest risk to church bells is over-enthusiasm on the part of the bell ringers. For example, attempts to make the bells heard over the noise of local traffic by ringing them even harder will result in reduced life span. Also, for swinging bells, the higher the swing, the greater the force and speed with which the clapper strikes the bell. Increasing the angle of the bell when it is struck by just one degree reduces its useful life by an average of 14 per cent. These findings will help to understand how to ensure that the final hour will not strike for a long time for your bells.
Like copper, bronze can develop a patina, a green film as a result of long exposure to moist air. This patina will actually protect your bell from many environmental hazards. Metal care tips for bronze Bronze forms a patina (green color) that is protective to the metal and is often seen on artwork. Reproduced, it is called Verde Solid. It's good occasionally to clean your bell, although this is not necessary. Wipe the bell with a soft cloth, but do not rub too vigorously, especially on any protruding parts. If a bronze piece has been neglected for a long time and is covered with grime, thoroughly clean it with a soft brush. Remove all dust from crevices and notches and then lightly rub the entire surface with a soft flannel cloth. Polishing Polish with clear (neutral) shoe wax (Kiwi or similar). This wax treatment also may be given to bronze pieces that are kept outdoors. Weathered bronze usually darkens; however, this is natural and does not harm the piece. What not to do Do not use heavy abrasives to clean bronze, or most metal pieces. Do not try to remove the patina.
Installation Our Service Technicians assure that your installation is properly installed and is in excellent working condition. The foundry can provide Service Technicians throughout the country and provides professional installation of cast bronze bells, including bell renovations and restoration works. Once a contract has been signed, the Foundry Production and Installation Manager makes certain the bell production and installation process runs smoothly and on a timely basis. Warranty We warrant that our bell systems will be in normal operating condition when installed and free from any defects in workmanship or materials. Service After the Sale The foundry also offers service after the sale. It's been proven that the life of the equipment will dramatically increase with regular maintenance, thereby guaranteeing the life of your bells and bell ringing equipment. |
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Nowadays, many people only hear the ringing of bells on important days in the Christian church calendar, such as Christmas. And yet for centuries the bells have rung not only to call the faithful to prayer but also to warn the inhabitants of the town of impending danger, to tell them the time and to announce happy events such as a birth or marriage. Each bell had its own special sound, and even its own name. And even though ringing bells is not as common as it used to be, bells are still just as special today.
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