steam powered bell

[impalas64]

does any one know where i can buy a steam powered bell that i can put on my 1 1/2 berkshire steam engine seen one at the last train meet and really liked it let me know thanks

[Rwilliams]

In theory a steam operated bell is nice but in reality, the long line to feed the cylinder is more of a condenser for the steam and you have pressurized water slobbering all over the front of your engine until the line heats up. The full size ones used compressed air for this reason. Many times guys just model a dummy air cylinder and related parts to simulate the air ringer assembly and call it good.

However, if one still desires the ultimate in detail for their bell to operate with air or steam, Superscale has done some excellent development work on just such a device over the past few years and does have a prototype that operates quite nicely on air. You may want to contact Barry of Superscale to see what the availability and pricing is for that appliance.

Robert

[Bill Shields]

RRSC (Chet Peterson days) had a bell ringer years ago. I have one that I purchased from them in the early 80's.

It is still in the sealed bag.

I have seen them work, so there is no reason to believe that duplicates cannot be made.

Does RRSC now sell one?

[gwrdriver]

I don't know where you can buy a bell set now but this was the first large scale one, the Kemtron bell. This was produced initially for commemorative display but it was in 1-1/2" scale and the best looking (best proportioned) of any model bell set I ever saw. The bell came turned, polished, and RTR (ready to ring.) The steam/air ringer mechanism was a dummy but the bell could be made to operate by modifying the castings with additional or substitute materials. This bell is long gone but the drawings (actually hand sketches) to convert it to operational float around from time to time.

[Bill Shields]

RRSC shows it in their current catalog, ringer, bell and all.

BEFORE you ask, I already have 2 people wanting to purchase my Ringer.

If RRSC no longer supplies them, I will make drawings of the ringer and make them available, free of charge, on my www site.

[Rwilliams]

Bill,

The idea of drawings might be a nice idea. Years ago we took two sets of castings for the ringer and sorted through them to use the best ones in order to assemble one good looking dummy air ringer. That was back in the middle 1980's. I can only imagine what condition the molds are in by this date. About 8 years ago I ordered the air ringer casting set from RRSC and waited, and waited, and waited. Eventually I got my money back and figured just move on. I can see why you have customers waiting in line for the casting set. Your offer of drawings will most likely be well received.

Robert

[Dick_Morris]

There was a bell ringer drawing in the Live Steam Newsletter. It says "Bell Ringer - 1 1/2 Scale Engines, Chet Peterson 1-28-60"

[Bill Shields]

do you have that Newsletter?

[1bigjohn]

I bought one from from RRSC at Cabin Fever this year. WORKING

[Bill Shields]

a working ringer - or a dummy?

[Hudson Honey]

couple years ago at the LALS memorial day meet Barry(superscale) had one...worked nice. said he was working on making them......not sure if he went into production on them. maybe give him a call.


Pamela

P.S. I'm going to have one on the hudson...and am going to fiddle with timing between the bell and the real dinger bell that will be hidden. so when the lil bell(minus the clapper) swings the bell rings. as if I don't have enough other things to fiddle with.

[Bill Shields]

I checked Barry's catalog yesterday - nothing there.

I am not interested in under-cutting him by producing drawings of something he is already selling.

Working on drawings now. About done.

Pamela:

Getting the fake bell to synchronize with another ding-a-ling would be so far down on my list, it would be somewhere with whale turds - at the bottom of the ocean.

FYI: These things don't always cycle at the same time. It is dependent upon pressure and 'stiction' in the bell yoke assembly, which is used to return the unit to 'pop' again.