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The Three Bells

Here is a PDF of the project, giving you templates for the bells as well as dimensions for the ring. The outside diameter of the main ring is 5.5 inches, so measure it after you print to make sure the drawing is the right scale.

The main ring is made of mahogany. It is built as two layers of twelve segments each. Here you can see the glue-up process.

The ring was turned on my 3-jaw chuck. I had to be careful about aligning it each time it got flipped - and it got flipped a lot! The ring is only 1/2" thick and 5" across.

The bells were hollowed on the 3-jaw chuck also, then finished on the Jacobs chuck.

The ringer has a 1/8" stem and a 1/4" ball. In the second picture you can see a tiny goblet on the tip of the ball. It was a good day. The ringers are attached inside the bells with a pair of screw-eyes linked together, so the bells really work!

I used a jig to route the groove that the ring fit into in the base. I turned the base on the faceplate (it's double-sided-taped to a piece of oak plywood), then left it there for the routing and glue-up.

Black sawdust! This was my "woodturner's rainbow". This is the first project I've done with exotic wood.

Finished at last! The ring and base are mahogany. The bells represent the three times that church bells toll for you. Everything got just a light coat of oil.

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