Sleigh Bell Door Ringer - Critique please

[Vikefan]

I just made this sleigh bell door ringer for a customer (they picked the bells (by tone) and also the concho, the color and "L" carved in the top.  The will be using it to train dogs to go to the restroom I am told.

Please take a look and offer any pointers about my work.

Thank you,

Vikefan

[cbossio]

I'm not sure what there would be to critique. That's beautiful. I'd be proud to hang that and I think you just sold me on the idea for next years Christmas gift for my mom. 

[fredk]

Very nice.

You asked for it - I presume the bumps on the rear are due to the bells' mountings. I think those areas will show wear eventually. I think a third layer, sandwiched, with cutouts for the bell mountings. It need not be full width and length but skived to feather edge and glue onto the front piece then the rear piece sewn on over.

[Tugadude]

Yes, very nice work.  My comment is related to Fred's.  What happens if or more likely when a bell gets loose and falls off?  Nothing lasts forever.  So you need to be able to get to the back of it in order to replace it.  I'm sure you could somehow attempt to do it from the front, but it wouldn't be the same.  Just a thought.

[Rbarleatherworks]

I love that ... and I love those bells!  May I ask where you got them from? 

I have been wanting to make exactly that but haven't found any nice bells like those. 

And How did you end up attaching them?

[chuck123wapati]

they look really great! I think I would have ran a strap through those slots, like bullet loops to hang the bells from is that how you did it?

[Vikefan]

I ran Tandy's Kodiak 5/32 lace through the mounting slots on the bells and tied a knot in each end, I figure that should be pretty durable for many years of use.  I put the back on so the bell backs would not mar up her door she will be hanging this on.  See attached pictures of what the back of the bells looks like, and lace run through the hole.

Here is a link for where I purchased my bells.  They are quality bells too!  At the bottom of this link you can listen to the tone of the different sized bells.

https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/catalog/item-detail/00120-cb-2/120-sleigh-bell/pr_23227

 

FredK,

Thank you for your inputs and this was my very first sleigh bell project.  I will take your advise under advisement. " You asked for it - I presume the bumps on the rear are due to the bells' mountings. I think those areas will show wear eventually. I think a third layer, sandwiched, with cutouts for the bell mountings. It need not be full width and length but skived to feather edge and glue onto the front piece then the rear piece sewn on over."

   The lumps are indeed the backs of the bells.  I might just cut out circles of leather to put in under each bell in order for them to sit up higher and no poke through as they are doing now.  I hope this lasts them a while.  I just felt this would keep from marring up her door, if I left the bell backs exposed.

Vikefan

 

 

[SilverForgeStudio]

3 hours ago, Vikefan said:

 

Hey Vike! Love the bells- One thing of note in the picture above- I hope you ran a chainsaw/rat-tail file through those holes to clean up the flash from the hole punch! 

That gnarly little edge can chew slowly through things...  Fit and finish of things is a fidgety thing!

I definitely like the bell link as well- thanks for sharing! Great project!

[Mark842]

Very nice looking. My only critique is what the others have touched on. In the future you may consider using a bell like Weavers #115 sleigh bells. They come with a hole in the bottom instead of that tab that sticks out. This allows you to punch a hole in the leather for a tubular rivet. Install the rivet from the bottom up through the leather and then into the bell. You can then insert the splash stamp to set the rivet into the bell and set the rivet. You will have a nice smooth rivet head on the back. You can leave it as is or line it and it will be smooth. The bells will be firmly attached and the ring great. Been making them for years this way.

[RockyAussie]

22 hours ago, Vikefan said:

The will be using it to train dogs to go to the restroom I am told.

Looks good....but for how well they last I would not worry ...... next Christmas and all of them trained dogs to clean up after.....might not be so popular ???

[Vikefan]

As for running a file through the holes, I did not, and really didn't notice any sharpness on the one's I ran the lace through building it.

Mark842

Can you send some pictures of the tools you use to rivet them to the strap?  And what is the tone like on 115's?  And are those bells as durable?

What is as splash stamp?? I've never worked with one, and have no idea what that is. 

Thank you,

Vikefan

 

 

[Mark842]

Super busy day today. I will try and post some pic's tonight. The bells sound great and they are a great quality bell. They sell them in different sizes for different tones. If you go on Weavers website you can find them and they actually have a video with someone shaking them so you can hear the different tones. They sound better when mounted on leather as in the video he is holding them in his hand so it muffles them some but you can get an idea of the tone.

[TSes]

If you go to the Weaver page the Vikefan listed and scroll down a little from the bells, you'll also see solid brass mounting pins for the cast bells. Click on the pin picture, and it will show you how to use them. We've been using them for years, and never had a failure. The stamped type bells that Mark842 mentioned, can be riveted to a strap using a pop rivet gun, going through the back of the strap, and into the bell.

Edited January 23, 2020 by TSes

[KJD2121]

The project looks amazing.  What did you use to punch the slots for the bells?

[Vikefan]

KJD2121,

 

I used a 1/2" old Osborne slot punch.  That size seemed to be perfect for this style bell.

Vikefan

[Vikefan]

I went back to weaver and I must say, IMO I like the richer stronger tones of the more expensive bells that I used on my project. 

I am hopeful that the bells stay on with the lace I used for many years.  If not I guess I will have to rebuild it for the customer.

 

Vikefan

[fredk]

7 minutes ago, Vikefan said:

I went back to weaver and I must say, IMO I like the richer stronger tones of the more expensive bells that I used on my project. 

I am hopeful that the bells stay on with the lace I used for many years.  If not I guess I will have to rebuild it for the customer.

 

Vikefan

a. you say its to train dogs - remember dogs hear higher pitches better than we do and lower pitches worse than we do

b. Its a fine bit o work,  it'll last well,  we are just super critical cos thats us! 

[sinpac]

Well done.

[Bob Blea]

I think they are really cool!

[KJD2121]

On 1/23/2020 at 8:18 AM, TSes said:

If you go to the Weaver page the Vikefan listed and scroll down a little from the bells, you'll also see solid brass mounting pins for the cast bells. Click on the pin picture, and it will show you how to use them. We've been using them for years, and never had a failure. The stamped type bells that Mark842 mentioned, can be riveted to a strap using a pop rivet gun, going through the back of the strap, and into the bell.

What size of rivets do you use for the stamped type bells?

 

[TSes]

1 hour ago, KJD2121 said:

What size of rivets do you use for the stamped type bells?

 

We get them locally from Columbus Fastener in Columbus  Ohio. 5/32" diam., and grip size 1/16-1/8. I'm sure they are available lots of places.

[KJD2121]

1 hour ago, TSes said:

We get them locally from Columbus Fastener in Columbus  Ohio. 5/32" diam., and grip size 1/16-1/8. I'm sure they are available lots of places.

Thank you for the info, I appreciate it very much.

[sinpac]

Here is the one I did several years ago two layers with green velvet on one side and red velvet on the other side. I used the wire method for my bells.