Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-10
HOW BELLS ARE MADE.
Glimpse Into the Foundry Where
chimes Are Cast.

A peep through the furnace door re-
\eals a wide molten lake OF liquid nre,
glowing with rosy light. stirred into
sluggish motion from time to time by Il
long handled iron rake. which comes out
red hot almost in a moment from ITS
fiery labor This seething mass is Il
compound of copper and tin in admiN-
ture of about three parts of the former
to one of the latter. and occasionally a
small norton of the metal is withdrawn
while the melting is in progress. and
examined by the expert. who directs,
maybe. that small quantity more cop
per or tin be added To bring ii to the
right consistency.
The floor around the furnace consists
of hard trodden earth only, and from
the lower door of the great cauldron
from which the molten mass will pres
emily flow little shallow channels OF
clay, sprnkled with powdered
plumbago. have been Scooped in the
ground. conducting to four separate
holes leading downward. These four
holes lead. we are told. to the grave be-
meath. where carefully buried in tight
~ rammed earth lie the molds of the
four bells To be east. These molds are.
of course. invisible to us. but we can
form a very fair idea of what they ar"
like from the specimens that are piled
up in negligent order round the walls.
The mold of the bell consists. then, of
two parts. called technically. a core
and cope" The core is built up ot
brick and covered with loan. which
word as even "A cockney knows is the
proper agricultural term for clay. This
loan is carefully plastered upon the
bricks and then smoothed round with Il
specially shaped instrument known as
a crook. until the core has assumed
outwardly precisely the form of the in
side of the bell which is to be east upon
it. Next the cope is prepared. This is
the outer covering. which fits exactly
over the core. but leaves a space be-
tween the two. to be presently filled
with the molten metal of the bell To be
cast. The cope itself is an iron case of
a size dependent upon the bell being
made and thickly covered with a lining
of loan.
The lining is done with great care
and skill. for upon its depth depends
the ultimate thickness of the bell. Upon
the soft loan is also nodded any letter
ing or decoration which the completed
bell is to bear, and the choosing and in
scribing of IA suitable inscription has
from time immemorial been considered
matter of grave import. The cope
is placed in position above the core. and
the whole then buried under ground
in convenient proximity to the furnace
as described. Then. when all is ready.
the lower door is opened and the mol
Al e,tya yNlI Il
the little channels scooped for it and
pours through the prepared holes into
the space between cope and core which
il is to fill. The workmen armed with
long handled iron plugs stand beside
to see that the stream flows Alright. and
to stop its course as, one by one. the
molds are filled 10 overlooking.
The temperature of the shed rises
| almost uncomfortably as this molten
mass is liberated. The liquid metal
glows first with white-hot brilliance
| which quickly gives place to rosy
! glow. lighting up the heated faces of
| the men bending over it and suffuSing
the whole building with warm and
Iuddy glare. For many minutes does
the fiery stream, in we'll regulated tor
| rents flow from the furnace doors until
each mold is filled and the surplus
| metal lies in broad red pools within the
| channels.
| Then a length the foodsates are
| closed, the fire is suffered to die down
and the workmen withdraw to other
bors, leaving the molten masses to
slowly cool and soidfy until such time
as the heat has sufficiently abated to
allow of the unearthins of the mods
With big bells this will take many
hours. The moment Of opening the
! mold is an anxious time for the found
ers. for only then can it be discov-
cred whether a perfect casting has
been made. and how much the resulting
note differs from that which was in
| tended.-Philadelphi Times