Hi All,
Okay, I’ll make this short and sweet. I’ve been searching for days on
the internet for sterling silver bells (jingle bells). I’m looking
for some that are anywhere between 9-12mm and that actually jingle
(not “clapperless”). So far, I’ve got zilch! Any suggestions out
there? Thanks!
Erich C. Shoemaker
Erich
Why don’t you make them. Anyone with basic ‘silversmithing’,
actually goldsmithing skills.
Punch/buy sterling circles about 0.5 mm in thickness, drill a hole in
the centre, and anneal. Use a punch about 1/3rd the size and punch in
a dapping block in a hole a little smaller than the circle itself.
Take a piece of 0.8 t 1 mm wire and melt up a bead on one end. Thread
wire into hole in bell top from the inside and hold at proper length
for a clapper and melt another bead on other end to make button for
the bell top. Tumble polish.
Karen Bahr
Karen’s Artworx
Check with suppliers who sell to those who make bellydance costumes.
The costumes require a number of little things which jingle and make
noise when shaken – drilled “coins” are used, but so are many other
items.
You might find them.
Elaine
How about trying the bells from silver Torah Crowns. Google that in
NY-- call around and ask for replacement bells in the sizes you need.
They will likely refer you…
If you don’t find them, buy the “clapperless” and insert a little
steel or silver ball to make them ring!
Noel
Hi Erich,
I used to work for a antiques refinisher and we got a lot of Judaica
in from the Synagogues. There were several sterling cases for the
Torah (sorry, it has a name but I can’t think of it!) and they all
had sterling silver bells. Now these cases were large and the bells
were about 1/2" or 3/4" in diameter, but they were definitley not
handmade. So that said. Maybe if you search some of the religious
paraphenalia websites you might find some. My best guess!!
Rae
Make your own silver jingle bells. Take two discs of silver and
drillsmall center holes in each. Dome each of the discs (see my web
site for doming instructions). Make a clapper by balling up one end
of a wire and making a loop on the other end. Attach this to another
wire loop with the straight end threaded through one dome. Solder to
the dome, or loop this wire and wind the straight end around back on
the stem until it is tight to the dome. On the other dome, saw and
“X” a cross the dome hole and extend the cut nearly to the dome rim.
Paint “white out” on the clapper mechanism to prevent the moving
parts from re-soldering. Solder the two half domes together. Or, you
could enlarge the dome hole with the “X” enough to accommodate the
clapper mechanism so you can insert it after the domes are soldered
to a bead.
The typical jingle bell is “clapperless” with a metal ball inserted.
Make the bead as indicated above, but be sure the holes are smaller
that the inserted ball. Insert a stainless steel ball (hardware
store), or insert a silver ball coated with “white out” into the
domes before soldering to a bead.
On the good advice from someone on this forum several years back, it
is the "X’ cut that allows the bell to ring. Without it, you have a
rattle.
Hope this helps,
Nancy
Hi Eric
I make them…they are easy. Dome two discs in a dapping block
until they are half spheres. Solder them together at the “equator”,
placing some jingles inside, (I use silver balls, and don’t forget to
add them!). For added decoration you can then solder a ring of wire
around the solder joint. Draw an “X” on the" north" and "south"
hemispheres with the center of the “X” at the north and south pole
and the arms of the “X” extending almost to the equator. Cut the
lines with either a saw blade, or I use a diamond disc on my
flexshaft. Drill holes of a diameter you like at the base of each arm
and voila…you have a jingle bell. I solder on a small ring at the
north pole and then use a larger more decorative bail for the actual
hanging. If you don’t solder the decorative bail right to the bell
you get more jingle. You can make them any size you want. They are
very fun earrings and I have sold several for charm bracelets. I wore
one as a pendant on an Amazon trip…figgered I could just ring my
bell if I got lost. Thankfully, I didn’t have to try my theory out!
If you choose to try this…
Happy Dapping.
Lainie
Make your own silver jingle bells.
I don’t know where one can buy silver bells, first off. Years ago I
made this bell:
http://donivanandmaggiora.com/ourwork/jdport/sculpture/pages/1018_jpg.htm
the “previous” button goes to another view of it…
Bell making is pretty fascinating, and at the risk of being called
names, I’ll share some of what I found in making it, and a few
others…
First off, nobody’s going to crucify anyone for calling anything a
“bell”, but in the world of bell making bells are cast, and gongs
are made out of sheet metal - that is the distinction between the
two. I know that people at large, including me, tend to think of a
“sweet” sound as bells and a booming sound as gongs - again, no
problem there. But if it’s made out of sheet it is properly called a
gong.
Real bells have zones of thickness to them - they have names that I
have on a paper buried somewhere - look up “campanology” for more.
Those zones give bells nuance and melodic overtones - a gong is one
note, a bell is more of a wave of sound. Bells can be tuned by
adjusting the relative thickness of those zones (your basic dying
art)- the base of a bell is a big, thick strap of metal that gives
the main tone and most of the volume. The clapper hits right on that
strap.
Bells are made by templates - a piece of sheet metal or even wood is
made that has a fixture for the center, and a cutout of the profile
of the inside of the bell. A post is put into a base, plaster is put
on the base and the fixture (like a piece of tubing) is put on the
center pole. The template is rotated around the plaster on-center
until the plaster is cut down to the shape of the inside of the
bell. Then wax is put over the plaster and a template with the outer
profile is put on the same center and rotated until the wax is
shaped to the outside of the bell. Remove wax (or not, for big
bells) and cast.
I know it’s not the question asked - I figure maybe someone will
take this and turn it into a project…Pretty cool stuff, and in
the end you get a musical instrument…
Hello again everyone!
I just wanted to drop a quick note to everyone to say thank you so
very much for all of the helpful I think that I might
have found a few possibilities that I can now explore thanks to all
of your advice. At some point, I would like to try making my own
bells for kicks, but right now, I am looking for 100+ bells…
unfortunately, I just don’t have time to create all of those by
myself. Nevertheless, thanks a bunch for the “how-to” guides! I’ll be
sure to try them out as soon as I get a chance!
Thanks again Orchidians!
Erich
That was a very interesting lesson on campanology John. Fascinating
and illuminating stuff indeed. I didn’t previously know the
technical difference between bells and gongs - you learn something
new every day!
There have been some very interesting “tutorials” in answer the the
"sterling silver bells?" thread and bells are something I’d never
even thought of making, but now my mind is coming up with ways to
make and use bells! Thanks to the poster and all the people who have
answered it.
Helen
UK
I didn't previously know the technical difference between bells and gongs
Actually after I wrote that I realized that there are others, too.
What people call “sleigh bells” are probably something more like
chimes than “gongs”. And again, we all call some things bells that
maybe aren’t technically that. It’s just how the bell business
works.
Anyway - a day or so ago I got the email flyer frm Fire Mountain
Gems, and there were a wide variety of those very “bells” that were
asked about dispayed right there…
Hello everyone,
I don’t know if this has been mentioned but you can spin bells on a
lathe. You might contact some metal spinners if you need several
made. I have also seen small dies that are used in presses to form
bells in one punch. As far as making them you could carve a piece of
wood or have someone who turns wood make the shape you require. Take
a sheet of paper and form it around the wood and use it as a template
to cut the metal. Don’t forget to add some extra for material
thickness.Then mount the wood in a vise or something and form the
metal. I also have seen people use plastic steel to make short term
dies for forming.
Have fun?
Daniel Wade
Hi Eric,
I spent years looking for silver bells and I found none, I just had
to make my own. There is one manufacturer in Brooklyn, NY. " Eastern
Silver" they have silver bells, but do not like to sell them, they
want you to buy their whole piece of silver judaica just to get the
bells. Theirs are cast.
jennifer friedman
http://www.jenniferfriedmanstudio.com
I spent years looking for silver bells and I found none
It could be that the reason for the above is because the very best
metal for making a quality bell, from a bell-maker’s point of view,
is bronze. It’s not to be cheap, it’s considered the best
combination of hardness and resonance to make the best tone in a
bell. Doesn’t mean silver isn’t out there…
Hi All,
John is correct, the best bells are made of bronze. As a matter of
fact it’s a special bronze, composed on average of 60% copper and
40% tin. It’s a very hard and rather brittle alloy and, wouldn’t you
know it, they call it bell metal.
What a tone!!
Dr. Mac