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Welcome to PILLING Belfries and how to maintain them Towers and Belfries Committee The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers May 2018. Part one: the Tower. Are the ringing room and bell chamber doors lockable?
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Welcome to PILLING Belfries and how to maintain them Towers and Belfries Committee The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers May 2018
Part one: the Tower
Are the ringing room and bell chamber doors lockable? • Are ringing room lights switched in room? If not, is warning light fitted? • Are stairs safe and well lit, with handrope on central newel? • Are there notices warning of persons in bell chamber? • Can you feel movement in any tower cracks? • Is water entering through roof or windows? • Is bird wire secure? • Are any sound control shutters accurately fitted? • Is the tower adequately lit, including emergency lights? • Is there a fire extinguisher and a fire exit plan? • Are the floors clean and safe?
Part two: Wooden frames & foundation beams
Is the woodwork clear of debris? • Are there any signs of decay in the timber? • Is the frame secured to the foundation beams? • Have any wedges been put between the frame and tower walls? • Are there signs of movement of the foundation beams or frame? • Are all bolts checked for tightness? • Is ironwork well painted and are bolts and nuts free from rust?
…. but you may have a problem here ! Note the braced king post
Sound timber? But a screwdriver went right through! A good beam? But turn it over ……
Is all metalwork free from oil and debris? • Is all metalwork well painted and free from rust? • If there is rust, are there serious signs of weakening corrosion? • Are there signs of movement between the frame, foundation and tower walls? • Are all bolts tight? A composite ‘A’ frame needs particular attention
Are all bearings secure on their frame heads? • Are there signs of bearings leaking grease? • When each bell is rung, from a safe position can you: • hear any knocking or see any movement of a bearing? • hear any rumbling, that can indicate a worn ball race?
Are gudgeons tight on their headstocks? • Are gudgeons tight on their headstocks?
Is metalwork generally well painted and free from rust? • Do timber headstocks have any shakes or splits that could affect their strength? • Do timber headstocks have any beetle infestation? • If so, does it affect the tightness of fixings?
Are bells, wheels and all fittings tight on their headstocks?
Are clapper staples independent or cast into the crowns of the bells? • If cast in, are there signs of cracking around them inside the bells? • ….or around the canons? • Is conversion gear on cast in staples of 1/4 turned bells tight? • If the staples are independent are they: • tight, with lock nuts or split pin security? • central, or are the bells odd-struck? • if odd-struck, can tapered washers or correcting gear be fitted?
correcting odd-struck bells with independent clapper staples
Do the clapper pivots have a grease reservoirs?… • …..or do older clapper assemblies have leather linings? • ……or do they have ‘lignum vitae’ bushes? • Is the clapper suspension point worn? • i.e. more than, say, 50-75mm side play on soundbow? • Are there flaking ‘flats’ on the clapper balls? • Have ‘buffered clapper’ inserts become worn or missing? • Do the clappers swing at 90 degrees to the line of the main bearings? • Have loose clappers worn grooves in the soundbows of the bells? • is this less than 10% or more than 15% of the bells’ thickness? • Are chiming hammers fitted and released properly? • Do clock hammers strike correctly, releasing clear of soundbows?
Tell-tale indentations from a loose or worn clapper bearing A chip-tuned bell that has been one eighth turned
Are wheels stays or wheel braces fitted? • Are wheels warped? • Are there rusting tongues or screws in the raves (wheel sidings)? • Are the wheel soles (flats) smooth, with no protruding screws or nails? • Are the garter holes and bobbins smooth and not grooved?
Are stays the correct size and length? • Is it worth adapting slider-bars to accept straight, instead of curved stays?
Are ‘Hastings’ stays accurately fitted, with freely pivoted dingles? • Are all stays properly secured, especially in hollow metal headstocks?
Are sliders securely pivoted, running freely and not binding on slider-bars? • Are sliders grooved over the edges of slider-bars? • Are the slider-bars’ upper surfaces aligned with the slope of the sliders? • Are the slider stops located correctly for the ‘set’ of each bell/ • i.e. the bells should not be too ‘light’ or ‘deep’ set
Are pulleys free-running? • Are grease reservoirs fitted; do pulleys rattle? • Are timber pulleys warped ……. or are plastic pulleys grooved? • Are all pulley sheaves correctly aligned below the wheels? • Do rope chutes through floors transmit (or block) sound from bells correctly? • Are rope bosses or rope holes in floors: • correctly aligned below pulleys and wheels? • are they grooved? • are floor and ceiling bosses securely fixed? • Are rope guides and any ‘slap-boards’ secure?
Plastic pulleys can be susceptible to grooving …. Wooden pulleys less so
Are ropes worn: • At garter holes? • Above or below sallies? • Are terylene top ends fitted? • Are any carpets or rope mats woollen? • If there are no mats, is the floor smooth?