There is nothing more reminiscent of yesteryear than a huge triangular dinner bell that called the family to the table. Heard far and wide, it would bring children in from their playtime and fathers in from the barn. The dinner bell produced a ringing sound when struck with a hammer, and created a different sound depending on which part of the bell is struck. With a few specialized tools, you can create your own dinner bell so your family can enjoy this old-fashioned accessory.
Things You'll Need:
- Chop Saw
- Metal Bender
- Bracket
- Screws
- Round Metal Iron Rods
- Pliers
- Length Of Chain Or Cording
Cut a length of wrought iron rod with a chop saw for the bell. Cut an additional piece to use as a mallet.
Place the rod into the metal bender between the feed roller and the guide roller.
Rotate the crank handle to begin shaping the rod. Keep rotating the crank until you reach the curve you want. Dinner bells are shaped into a triangle formed by three 60-degree curves.
Pull the crank handle back to the start position to reposition the iron.
Make a mallet by curving one end of a length of iron into a shape of your choosing. You can make a circular top or an angle. It should be a shape that can be easily grasped.
Attach a bracket to the house or wherever you want the bell. Using a length of chain or cording, attach the bell and mallet to the bracket.
Writer Bio
Becky Lower began writing professionally in 2004. Her work has appeared in "elan" magazine, a northern Virginia publication, "Good Old Days" magazine, the "BGSU Alumni" magazine and on the website thenovelette.com. Lower has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and English from Bowling Green State University.
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