With our church building turning 75 this year, we promised to animate the two big bells in the bell tower, to let the town know we are still here and going strong. Talk is cheap, so we didn't get too excited until we heard the singing from on high. Well today, on the feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude, we let the anthems ring. May they proclaim loud and proud that the Kingdom of God is at hand for another 75 years!
When I ran the idea of animating the church bells past the pastoral council, one gentleman said, "We have them, might as well use them!" My thoughts exactly.
Two 36" bells and one little bell lie inside this bell tower. Placed there at the construction of the church in 1950, the bells remind all within earshot, that God's Kingdom is present on earth. So, be at peace! Charles Marton, of happy repose, was the main church bell ringer in the early days. Living across the street until the late 1960s, probably instigated that. Since then, the bells have only seen random activity, usually before a funeral or a special Mass.
These guys are fun. When I first laid eyes on them they said me, "Please let us play!" Roger that.
There are two main ways to electrically toll church bells, rock them with a chain and motor or strike them from the outside. We chose to strike them, as the wooden wheels wouldn't allow for the rocking motor and the strikers where much less expensive. After a bit of searching and inquire, McShane Bell Company, out of Missouri, was our specialists of choice.
Once the parts arrived last week, Darin and I got to work. The tower is well constructed, but there was literally 75 years of dust and dirt up here. Good time to clean house. So we shop vacced the whole upstairs before we dove in.
Outside, where dirt belongs, was a good place for all this grime.
Once swept clean, we got to work. Electric strikers do sound different than swinging the bells. Part of this is because when the bell rotates, and the clappers dong, the sound swings out. Striking the bell from the outside, in a stationary position, can sound more like a death toll. To help curb this problem and mix the sound up a bit, we fixed the bells at their normal tolling angle and at opposite positions from each other. Couldn't hurt, anyway.
Then we removed the original clappers.
And hoisted up the new parts from down below.
This was more-or-less what we were after. Once fixed and triggered, a magnet on the bottom of these strikers causes them to dong the bell. Pretty simple.
So we got some bolts and a new 3/8" drill bit, and got to work.
It was amazing how well everything fit together. The head on the end of the striker is about 1/4" away from the bell, when it is in the closed position. When the magnet hits, the weight of the hammer head collapses the springs up high and makes it fall on the bell more naturally. Once bolted and adjusted into position, we fixed the bell in place with a little smooth wire and a wrenching rod. Ranchy.
Then we pulled the ropes. A new era has dawned.
Big Horn Electric was our service provider of choice. Lowell did a good job of working with the wiring dynamics and cleaning up our old power system.
McShane preset some settings for us to get going with. Once we get some internet over here, we'll be able to get a bit more creative. Nerves were high as we pushed go.
Success. So interesting to watch. Bells are cool. They don't take much to make them sing.
Beautiful! The Church is ever ancient, ever new!
Bring it.
St. John the Baptist in Buffalo, Wyoming has something to say. The Catholic Church that Jesus Christ established, is not long forgotten. She is alive and well, all throughout the world. The Church is the presence of God's kingdom on earth, says the Second Vatican Council document Gaudium et spes. The ringing of the church bells reminds us of this mystery. They call us to prayer and they also give us hope. It'll be interesting to see what the neighbors think, as I plan to ring these big beauties three times a day! Let's ranch, Catholic Cowboy style.
