Making a Jingle Bell

written by Bill Clemens - January / February 2007 Hammer & Tong

* Two Bells made by Bill Clemens - large bell is approximately 2 1/2 and smaller one is approximately 1 3/4

I began experimenting with making these bells over a year ago when a how to article appeared in an affiliate newsletter. I quickly discovered that cutting out the bell blank was a stumbling block in making them. I first tried making them from thinner material than called for and found out that they don't form well from thin material. I then cut, ground, and filed one from the right material and was able to complete a bell but wasn't happy with the top half which seemed to be flat bent petals on a round hemispherical base. I next got a dozen blanks plasma cut at a local metal supply shop that only required some grinding on one side to remove the flash. I subsequently have had blanks laser cut and now after having made several dozen bells think I have the how to down well enough to offer this article to all.

Tools

Top Swedge

Tailer hitch ball or ball bearing with 10-12 inch 1/2 -3/4 stem welded on.

• 2 for large bell
• 1 1/2 for small bell

* Fig. 01:

Bottom Swedge

Pipe with top end flared using horn of anvil

• Large ID ~ 2 3/8 ( 3 inch thick walled pipe)
• Small ID ~ 1 3/4 ( 2 inch pipe )

Add angle iron for use in vise or hardy stem for use on anvil.

* Fig. 02:

Shown below is a quick hardy stem made from flat stock 1/8-1/4 thick and the width of the hardy hole.

* Fig. 03:

The space from the top of the flared pipe to the bottom of the tool needs to allow the bottom of the bell and ring to be inserted. This is a minimum of 2 3/4 for the large bell and 2 1/4 for the small bell.

Bell Blanks

Cut (or have cut) bell blanks using the templates at the end of this article. Use 3/16” (or 7 Gage) for the large bell and 1/8” (or 11 Gage) for the small bell. Make a center punch hole on the inside of the blank for drilling the stem hole and touch mark the blank on the outside.

* Fig. 06:

You may also decorate the outside of the bell at this point, such as adding leaf veining to each of the 4 petals of the bell as shown here:

* Fig. 07:

Dish each of the petals of the bell blank using a spoon swedge and ball pein hammer.

* Fig. 08:

Form Bell – Heat the blank uniformly to a yellow heat and begin sinking it into bottom pipe swedge with the top ball swedge. This will take several heats as you are upsetting the material between the bell’s petals.

* Fig. 09:

To help shape the bell use the top ball swedge on the anvil to smooth out and round the portion of the bell being upset between the petals.

* Fig. 10:

Continue sinking the bell until the ball swedge can just be removed from the bell.

* Fig. 11:

Use the smaller ball swedge on the large bell or a 3/4 inch rounded end rod on the small bell to round out the area between the petals into a ladle swedge block.

* Fig. 12:

Stem – Drill 1/4” hole in bottom of bell to accept stem

* Fig. 13:

Forge stem from 6 inches of 1/4 inch round. Head one end and taper 1 1/2 inches of other end to a blunt taper.

* Fig. 14:

Heat the headed end of the stem and insert in the bell bending the stem at approx 90 degrees close to the bell.

* Fig. 15:

Heat and flux the stem head and then wrap with copper wire. Preheat the bell and then reinsert the stem. Heat slowly to near welding heat watching until the copper wire melts.

* Fig. 16:

Remove from forge and hold head in place until bell cools and copper hardens.

* Fig. 17:

Heat stem and form ring with scrolling tongs. Take care not to overheat the bell and break the copper braze.

* Fig. 18:

Heat tapered end and wrap around stem with scrolling tongs to finish ring.

* Fig. 19:

Place bell in forge with petals down and heat to bright orange. Set bell in pipe swedge, insert ball bearing (3/8 to 7/16” for small bell 1/2 to 5/8” for large bell) Hammer petals closed with gentle blows near their base.

* Fig. 20:

Space petals with thin tapered chisel/fuller while using a hammer to close them.

* Fig. 21:

Completed bell has a bulge where the metal has been upset between the petals and the hole at the end of the slots is not round but flat on the bottom. You may choose to leave the bell like this or remove it. It does not seem to have much effect on the sound of the bell. First file or grind the bulge flush following the contours of the bell. Next, with a round file or die grinder, round the bottom of the hole.

The bell should be heated again to critical temperature(non-magnetic) and quenched to improve it's ring.

Options for the bells include using a nut and bolt in place of the ring to fasten the bell(s) to a leather strap. You could also drill and tap the base of the bell to accept a bolt for this same purpose.

Materials List for Bells

Tools

• Top Swedge
  • Trailer Ball or Ball Bearing
    • Large Bell – 2”
    • Small Bell – 1 1/2”
    • 10-12” 3/4 round for stem
• Bottom Swedge
  • Pipe with top edge rolled *Large Bell - 2 3/8” ID *Small Bell - 1 3/4” ID
  • Angle Iron for base in vise *Hardy Stem for use on Anvil
• 3/4 round end Fuller
• 1/2 -3/4 wide thin tapered Fuller

Bells

• Blanks cut using template below
• 6" pc of 1/4 inch round for stem/ring
• Ball bearing for Ringer * 3/8 to 7/16 for small bell * 1/2 to 5/8 for large bell
• Copper Wire to forge braze stem to bell

This article is based on a article by Steve Alling that appeared in the Nov-Dec 2005 issue of The Upsetter, the Newsletter of the Michigan Artist blacksmith's Association.

Scale Drawings for Bell Blanks

• Large –measures 6 1/2 “diagonally corner to corner – use 3/16” (7 Ga) Stock
• Small –measures 4 7/8 “ diagonally corner to corner – use 1/8” (11 Ga) Stock

* Fig. 23:

* Fig. 24:

Example of Bell with Leaf Veins

-- RebStaup - 31 Jan 2008