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Two types of silencer are in use at St Peter's. For bells where the easiest access is from above, silencers based on ratchet straps are used. For those which are easily accessed from the side, a more traditional method is used, with a wooden bar across the mouth of the bell holding the clapper in place.
A common problem with the latter type is that they are often held in place using wing nuts. These can be awkward to fit, especially when it is not easy to see what you are doing underneath a bell. If the wing nut is accidentally dropped, it can be difficult to find and retrieve.
A former ringer at St Peter's, Geoff Abel, solved this problem by using a ‘Brighton’ type sash window fastener. The bolt is hinged and has a captive nut, so that it is easy to close and secure the catch by touch alone if you cannot see what you are doing.
The following notes describe the manufacture of a silencer to a similar design, for use at St Giles', Sandiacre.
Materials
Materials
This will be enough to make one silencer.
PSE timber 69mm x 34mm (available at Wickes)
3 pieces approximately 12 inches long
1 block 4 inches long
1 flap 5 inches long
Ironmongery:
2 x M6 70mm coach or carriage bolts (available at Wickes)
2 x M6 110mm coach or carriage bolts (available on-line)
1 Sash window fastener, ‘Brighton’ type (available on-line)
1 65mm butt hinge (available at B&Q)
2 rubber door stops (available at B&Q)
Methodology
Methodology
Two of the 12 inch lengths of wood will form the end pieces. Cut one end of each of these at forty-five degrees (these will be trimmed before finishing).
Hold the two end pieces together in line and offer them up inside the bell at the appropriate depth (i.e. so that they will rest just above the clapper ball). Draw a line across the pair where they overlap. Once the two pieces are removed from the bell, put them together again so that they overlap in the same way, and take a measurement of the total length. This will be the length of the finished silencer - make a note of it, as you will need it later.
The remaining 12 inch length of PSE timber will form the centre piece. Find the mid-point and from that mark out lines to show the thickness of the clapper shaft at the point where the silencer will be fitted. Remember to allow for any taper in the clapper shaft.
Use the 70mm bolts to join one of the end pieces to the centre piece. This should be done so that the end piece overlaps the centre piece with its untapered end reaching to one of the clapper shaft position marks.
Use the 110mm bolts to join the other end piece to the other end of the centre piece in a similar way, and also to fit the 4 inch block to the end piece. This should be positioned so that it will butt up to the flap when it is centrally positioned over the gap left between the end pieces for the clapper shaft.
Use the hinge to fix the flap to the other end piece. One half of the hinge fits between the flap and the stay. Use a rasp to make a channel in the end piece to allow for its screw heads.
If the diameter of the clapper shaft is more than the 34mm width of the wood, use the rasp to remove the required amount of wood from the centre piece and flap.
Fit the sash fastener between the flap and the four inch block, so that when tightened it will hold the flap securely closed.
Try fitting the silencer inside the bell. Trim each end equally so that there is space to screw the door stops onto the ends of the silencer to enable a close fit.
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