A bell for her 90th

[Scott Hackler]

This project was created for my Grandmother who will celebrate her 90th birthday tomorrow (and I might add more active than most 70 year olds!). She has a couple very early bells that I made when I just got into piercing (using my Dremel tool) and when I asked her what she would like for her birthday, she said just make me something pretty. I think this should do. She has been a big part in my life and I would do almost anything for her.

Maple for the bell and padauk for the stem. Slightly below 1/8 thick on the bell walls. About 5-6 hours of piercing. Stands 8 3/4" tall and 2 3/4" wide at the bottom. Tung Oil Finish with Ren wax.

Hope I have to make her another one for her 100th! Love her to pieces.

Comment and complaints are welcome!

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[Sid Matheny]

She will be tickled pink! My dad is 96 and also going better than a lot of 70 year old folks I know.

[Doug Ladendorf]

Lovely and delicate. She will love it.

[Dok Yager]

She will Love it Scott! Hand made and delicate as well, how could she not love it You made it.

[Roger Chandler]

Wonderful work Scott.......I know your grandmother will cherish it!

[Curtis Myers]

Very nice. Photo saved for future reference.

[Thomas Canfield]

Nice bell, and nice story. What is the tone quality????????? Sounds like she does not need it to get help. Look forward to the 100th bell.

[John K Jordan]

This project was created for my Grandmother...
Maple for the bell and padauk for the stem. Slightly below 1/8 thick on the bell walls. About 5-6 hours of piercing. Stands 8 3/4" tall and 2 3/4" wide at the bottom. Tung Oil Finish with Ren wax.
Comment and complaints are welcome!


That's a beautiful work of art. My complaint is I don't have one of your incredible pieces in my collection.

Do you put clappers inside your bells? I know some people who make little bells (rather plain compared to yours) as Christmas ornaments but with no clappers.

JKJ

[Billy Tallant]

Amazing work Scott! No doubt that your grandmother will cherish it.

[daryl moses]

And another piece of art from Scott Hackler. Beautiful piece Scott, Grandma will love it!!

[daryl moses]

Do you put clappers inside your bells? I know some people who make little bells (rather plain compared to yours) as Christmas ornaments but with no clappers.

JKJ
A couple of years ago I made a bunch of bells for an upcoming craft fair. [Not nearly as ornate as Scotts] I didn't put a clapper in any of them. The first thing that everyone who looked at them did was turn them upside down to see if there was one. The wife and I got a kick out of watching them. Needless to say, my next batch of bells all had a clapper in them.

[Scott Hackler]

My early ones had a clapper, but this one doesn't. I didn't have time to source a teardrop crystal I had in mind and the fragile nature had me second guessing including it anyway.

[Ron Stadler]

Beautiful Scott, she's gonna love it.

[William C Rogers]

That is a beautiful piece. It is so well done top to bottom.

[Al Launier]

Incredibly beautiful! Museum quality. She's gonna love it for sure.

[John K Jordan]

My early ones had a clapper, but this one doesn't. I didn't have time to source a teardrop crystal I had in mind and the fragile nature had me second guessing including it anyway.


I never thought of using crystal. But you just gave me an idea - I've been turning colored acrylic lately and a sky blue clapper might be a nice surprise inside!

I have always made them out of wood, fairly lightweight, suspended with a piece of wire. Some people have mentioned they glue in a piece of fishing line but I haven't tried that. This is one that was broken on a trip so I cut it in half to show the construction:

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A 1/8"- pierced wall would give me fragility worries!

Again, I admire your beautiful work of art.

JKJ

[Frederick Skelly]

More beautiful work Scott! She will love it.
I'll look forward to her 100th and the bell you'll give her for it.
Fred

[Scott Hackler]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words.

[Paul Engle]

Nice indeed , you need to do a tutorial on this type of turning / piercing .

[Scott Hackler]

I do a demo and workshop covering this topic at symposiums and for clubs, but that is as an invited demonstrator (so I am not really the one who makes that call)! The Bayou Woodturners had me down to New Orleans last November for just that. Great fun down there and I think I started a few of them down the piercing path! It is a little difficult to do a "write up" on the topic and is more of a hands on....tricks of the trade, type deal. Thanks