I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

It connects a lever (via a pin) to a long wire rope that pulls the
clapper on the hour-bell (please excuse terminalogical
inexactitudes). And it's snapped. 120 years of being stretched
between once and twelve times an hour have finally caused the stem to
snap just below the bottle jack.

I can't get the broken bit out either.

I have made something Heath-Robinson would be proud of to
make a temporary repair - mainly for Remembrance Sunday, in which the
Bell is the star turn. But I ought to consider a more permanent repair.

Suggestions (of a Christian nature Please!) as to how I might approach
this would be very welcome.

As always, I await your wisdom with bated breath.....

R.

"TheOldFellow" wrote in message
...
I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

It connects a lever (via a pin) to a long wire rope that pulls the
clapper on the hour-bell (please excuse terminalogical
inexactitudes). And it's snapped. 120 years of being stretched
between once and twelve times an hour have finally caused the stem to
snap just below the bottle jack.

I can't get the broken bit out either.

I have made something Heath-Robinson would be proud of to
make a temporary repair - mainly for Remembrance Sunday, in which the
Bell is the star turn. But I ought to consider a more permanent repair.

Suggestions (of a Christian nature Please!) as to how I might approach
this would be very welcome.

As always, I await your wisdom with bated breath.....

R.

FWIW what I would do is to take a grinder (angle or bench!) to the welded
nut, removing it completely, then weld on another nut, and make up a new rod
using a piece of screwed rod,

As I have access to a garage with welding and grinding facilities it looks
fairly simple, but any competent village mechanic, blacksmith, engineering
works (in order of possible cost!) should be able to adapt something
suitable

Des

In article , Dieseldes
scribeth thus

"TheOldFellow" wrote in message
...
I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

It connects a lever (via a pin) to a long wire rope that pulls the
clapper on the hour-bell (please excuse terminalogical
inexactitudes). And it's snapped. 120 years of being stretched
between once and twelve times an hour have finally caused the stem to
snap just below the bottle jack.

I can't get the broken bit out either.

I have made something Heath-Robinson would be proud of to
make a temporary repair - mainly for Remembrance Sunday, in which the
Bell is the star turn. But I ought to consider a more permanent repair.

Suggestions (of a Christian nature Please!) as to how I might approach
this would be very welcome.

As always, I await your wisdom with bated breath.....

R.

FWIW what I would do is to take a grinder (angle or bench!) to the welded
nut, removing it completely, then weld on another nut, and make up a new rod
using a piece of screwed rod,

As I have access to a garage with welding and grinding facilities it looks
fairly simple, but any competent village mechanic, blacksmith, engineering
works (in order of possible cost!) should be able to adapt something
suitable

Des



Indeed .. having spent a week or so in a Belfry installing cables for a
radio broadcast transmitter it seems to me that improvisation is the
order of the day where this equipment is concerned.

So see if you in the 21st cent can do better then what they did in the
19th
--
Tony Sayer

In article ,
TheOldFellow wrote:
Suggestions (of a Christian nature Please!) as to how I might approach
this would be very welcome.

The threaded part looks like a bit you can buy easily - they have a left
hand and right hand thread to adjust the length. But it would be an easy
job to fabricate the broken bit - any blacksmith should be able to do it
from stock size rod and then thread to suit. Might be more of a problem if
that's the left hand thread bit, though.

--
*The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:29:03 +0000, TheOldFellow wrote:

I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

It connects a lever (via a pin) to a long wire rope that pulls the clapper
on the hour-bell (please excuse terminalogical inexactitudes). And it's
snapped. 120 years of being stretched between once and twelve times an
hour have finally caused the stem to snap just below the bottle jack.

I can't get the broken bit out either.

I have made something Heath-Robinson would be proud of to make a temporary
repair - mainly for Remembrance Sunday, in which the Bell is the star
turn. But I ought to consider a more permanent repair.

Suggestions (of a Christian nature Please!) as to how I might approach
this would be very welcome.

As always, I await your wisdom with bated breath.....

R.

==================================
You might be able to adapt or use directly one of these:

http://tinyurl.com/39xvka

Cic.

--
===================================
Using Ubuntu Linux
Windows shown the door
===================================

Cicero wrote:
On Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:29:03 +0000, TheOldFellow wrote:

I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

It connects a lever (via a pin) to a long wire rope that pulls the clapper
on the hour-bell (please excuse terminalogical inexactitudes). And it's
snapped. 120 years of being stretched between once and twelve times an
hour have finally caused the stem to snap just below the bottle jack.

I can't get the broken bit out either.

I have made something Heath-Robinson would be proud of to make a temporary
repair - mainly for Remembrance Sunday, in which the Bell is the star
turn. But I ought to consider a more permanent repair.

Suggestions (of a Christian nature Please!) as to how I might approach
this would be very welcome.

As always, I await your wisdom with bated breath.....

R.

==================================
You might be able to adapt or use directly one of these:

http://tinyurl.com/39xvka

Cic.


Turnbuckle A.K.A. Rigging Screw, Barrel Screw, Bottle Screw

Available from ironmongers, farmers' suppliers, fencing suppliers,
chandlers, etc.

Also, presumably, you have considered calling specialists? e.g.
http://www.bell-hangers.com/

On Mon, 5 Nov 2007 15:29:03 +0000, TheOldFellow wrote:

I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

It connects a lever (via a pin) to a long wire rope that pulls the
clapper on the hour-bell (please excuse terminalogical
inexactitudes). And it's snapped. 120 years of being stretched
between once and twelve times an hour have finally caused the stem to
snap just below the bottle jack.

I can't get the broken bit out either.

I have made something Heath-Robinson would be proud of to
make a temporary repair - mainly for Remembrance Sunday, in which the
Bell is the star turn. But I ought to consider a more permanent repair.

I'd echo the comments of others, look for a local blacksmith, as the
original almost certainly came from a similar source.....

--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

On 5 Nov, 15:29, TheOldFellow wrote:
I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

It connects a lever (via a pin) to a long wire rope that pulls the
clapper on the hour-bell (please excuse terminalogical
inexactitudes). And it's snapped. 120 years of being stretched
between once and twelve times an hour have finally caused the stem to
snap just below the bottle jack.

I can't get the broken bit out either.

I have made something Heath-Robinson would be proud of to
make a temporary repair - mainly for Remembrance Sunday, in which the
Bell is the star turn. But I ought to consider a more permanent repair.

Suggestions (of a Christian nature Please!) as to how I might approach
this would be very welcome.

As always, I await your wisdom with bated breath.....

R.

Dear R

What you have is an historic item and should be respected as such. The
general principle when dealing with non-church buildings is repair not
restore. Thus if at all possible to repair then that should be done.
The general idea is to leave as much of the original fabric as
possible

How about the following suggestions?

Try heating up the broken thread with a blow lamp and give it a slight
tap as it cools and see if that will shift the stuck thread

Absent sucess there try freezing it and then put the hot part of the
lamp only on the outer bits to get a differential expansion and then
try to undo it
How to undo such a thread? Well you could flle the top part to a
hexagon or square and see if you can get a small socket on it with a
rachet

or use a drill and opposite threaded bolt / screw on the broken off
bit

Once out it would be a matter of determining if the original is
repairable by welding or other means - it does not look hopeful so I
would look to seeing if you can scarf weld on a new bit of threaded
rod
a real fuss pot would look at the existing thread which may well be
hand made and make a facsimile

Of course only a maniac like me would suggest such a laborious
conservative repair but there are a few of us around that deal with
historic buildings and it is just possible you may be of a like mind!
Good luck

Chris G

"TheOldFellow" wrote in message
...
I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

It connects a lever (via a pin) to a long wire rope that pulls the
clapper on the hour-bell (please excuse terminalogical
inexactitudes). And it's snapped. 120 years of being stretched
between once and twelve times an hour have finally caused the stem to
snap just below the bottle jack.

I can't get the broken bit out either.

I have made something Heath-Robinson would be proud of to
make a temporary repair - mainly for Remembrance Sunday, in which the
Bell is the star turn. But I ought to consider a more permanent repair.

Suggestions (of a Christian nature Please!) as to how I might approach
this would be very welcome.

As always, I await your wisdom with bated breath.....

Visit a ship's chandler or an architectural ironmonger with the bits in your
hand and you ought to come away with a suitable replacement. They are known
as bottle screws, rigging screws or turnbuckles. I wouldn't get one made by
a local blacksmith, as that is likely to be made from mild steel, while the
ones you buy should be made from high tensile steel.

Colin Bignell

"TheOldFellow" wrote in message
...
I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

It connects a lever (via a pin) to a long wire rope that pulls the
clapper on the hour-bell (please excuse terminalogical
inexactitudes). And it's snapped. 120 years of being stretched
between once and twelve times an hour have finally caused the stem to
snap just below the bottle jack.

I can't get the broken bit out either.

I have made something Heath-Robinson would be proud of to
make a temporary repair - mainly for Remembrance Sunday, in which the
Bell is the star turn. But I ought to consider a more permanent repair.

Suggestions (of a Christian nature Please!) as to how I might approach
this would be very welcome.

As always, I await your wisdom with bated breath.....

Emailed

In message , TheOldFellow
writes
I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

I like the way you've blacked out your name on the ruler

did you nick that from school ?

As for the bells ...

divine intervention, leave them be



--
geoff

On Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:55:54 GMT, geoff wrote:

In message , TheOldFellow
writes
I seem to have become unofficial, unpaid, untrained, horologist to my
local church.

The bells don't work, (well, nothing worked until I got the
Victorian-mortar-filled grease and starlings-droppings out of the cogs)
and this is the culprit:

http://tinyurl.com/36tdd9

I like the way you've blacked out your name on the ruler

did you nick that from school ?

As for the bells ...

divine intervention, leave them be

Agreed, especially if it's in a residential area. I remember 6 months
of misery when I lived next to a church as I got worken up very early
every Sunday morning with "clang, clang, clang" going on for 10
minutes :-(

M

On Tue, 06 Nov 2007 11:05:10 +0000
Mark wrote:

On Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:55:54 GMT, geoff wrote:

I like the way you've blacked out your name on the ruler

did you nick that from school ?

My wife's name.... I nicked it from her.

As for the bells ...

divine intervention, leave them be

Agreed, especially if it's in a residential area. I remember 6 months
of misery when I lived next to a church as I got worken up very early
every Sunday morning with "clang, clang, clang" going on for 10
minutes :-(

M

It's not a residential area, the Church is in the middle of a field.
And the local residents (all farmers) have been complaining that the
clock ain't working, so they are missing the first pint!

The bells you are talking about are the tolling for services. We do
that too, but as it takes muscle power, not for ten minutes!

Anyway, as you say, Divine Intervention - I met a local in the graveyard
just after I posted (strimming his Dad's grave), and he's got the tools
to fix it. In the mean time, my Heath-Robinson attempt is still
holding up. Now all I have to do is get the hands to point in the
right direction!

Thanks for all the help everyone.

R.

On 2007-11-06 11:34:56 +0000, TheOldFellow said:

On Tue, 06 Nov 2007 11:05:10 +0000
Mark wrote:

On Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:55:54 GMT, geoff wrote:

I like the way you've blacked out your name on the ruler

did you nick that from school ?

My wife's name.... I nicked it from her.

As for the bells ...

divine intervention, leave them be

Agreed, especially if it's in a residential area. I remember 6 months
of misery when I lived next to a church as I got worken up very early
every Sunday morning with "clang, clang, clang" going on for 10
minutes :-(

M

It's not a residential area, the Church is in the middle of a field.
And the local residents (all farmers) have been complaining that the
clock ain't working, so they are missing the first pint!

The bells you are talking about are the tolling for services. We do
that too, but as it takes muscle power, not for ten minutes!

Anyway, as you say, Divine Intervention - I met a local in the graveyard
just after I posted (strimming his Dad's grave), and he's got the tools
to fix it. In the mean time, my Heath-Robinson attempt is still
holding up. Now all I have to do is get the hands to point in the
right direction!

Thanks for all the help everyone.

R.

It sounds to me that you have the basis for a barter.

You fix the bell, each farmer buys you a pint.