All eight bells ringable!

With a bit of help today from two professional bell hangers (actually lots of help), we got the last two bells finished.

Here is the 3rd, complete with rope, stay and pulley.

There were only 5 of us up the tower, so we could only ring the back five.
(Apologies for the rather uninteresting picture - I can't ring and take video at the same time!)

What a sound!

Very close now!

Last night's efforts were such that the 3rd bell is now hanging properly on its bearings, and the lifting gear has been removed. The bed plates just need a couple more screws in them before the bell can be swing up.

 Here is the 3rd bell in situ.

This is the view across to bells 5 and 6. It's looking much more like a belfry now!

There's very little bell work to do now, just put the pulleys, stays, and sliders on the 2nd and 3rd.

The try-out won't be too far in the future.....

....but there are still lots of other jobs to do, such as sound control and getting the clappering set up with an electronic timing meter which I just happen to make and sell!

Eight bells hanging!

Another full day in the tower saw all 8 bells now sitting in place!

This photo shows bells 2 and 3 complete with their wheels and gallows ends at the rear, with bells 8,4,5 and 6 left-right across the middle.

The 2nd bell has had its bearings fixed down so that it could be raised. The 3rd on the right isn't too far behind.

Another bell finished

We really are making rapid progress now. Tonight the 4th bell was completed.

Here it is being tested.

Now our attention will be on getting bells 2 and 3 finished in time for Christmas!

Six bells swinging

A daytime session today saw the 4th fitted with its wheel, rope and stay, which was enough for the bell to be swung to check alignment and clearances.

 The next session should see the modified slider fitted and the pulley raised by 85mm.

The other milestone today was that we lifted the 'gallows ends' steelwork up the tower and 'parked' them near to where they will be needed using chain blocks to keep them upright. These will be put in place across the ends of the frame for bells 2 and 3.

Now it's 5 out of 8!

We have now finished hanging the 5th as well!

 

This is the bell in the middle of this photo, with the clapper tied using an old bicycle inner tube.

Also visible on the left is the 4th bell which is now sitting in its pit. When the wheel has been fitted, it can be accurately aligned and then screwed to the frame.

Behind this is the 3rd bell, which has been hidden in the far corner of the belfry for over 2 years. This is now sitting on planks so that the headstock can be fitted. It will then be lowered to the floor underneath so that the new steelwork can be put in place. This consists of two inverted 'U' shaped beams called "gallows ends" which tie the two sides of the frame together.

Half of the bells ringable!

Another landmark in the project was achieved tonight! In finishing the 6th, half of the bells are now ringable. These are the treble, 6th, 7th and tenor.

Here is the 6th.

We even rang rounds on the back 3 tonight, but I didn't have a spare hand to video it!

The 5th is nearly finished as well, so this ought to be finished next week.