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I am building some games for a puppet minestries, we call it the gong game. Its a kid sized version of carnival game where a person uses a sledge hammer to hit a lever that raises a slider up a pipe and ring a bell at the top. Kids love it. Anyone know a good surplus source for those round fire bells? We dont need working clangers since we will just throw them away anyway. Need about 8 to 10 bells.<p>Any good suggestions Mendelsons didnt appear to have any.

Hi.
Get compact car brake drums at the wreck yard.
Miguel

Bob:
Oh boy! …..a query that involves the NUTS rather than the Volts aspect. Some how, I’m feeling that you are going to be paying a premium price for that type of bell/gong ….IF….you can even find 10 of them. How about considering an easy(cheap/free ?) to find junk item. The common automotive/trucks cast iron brake drum. I seem to find them to have quite a sonorous ring to them when taken off the wheel when placed onto the concrete ……and this, even with them almost immediately being dampened. I’ll bet it will at least sound as good as some I’ve heard at Coney Island.
So just get a kiddos solid rubber foam rubber ball that will not pass thru the drums center hole then a short support rope is passed through the balls center ( Drill/Cut thru) and knotted on the other end.. then use that as a test support. Thus being able to evaluate the tonal quality of all of the different potential units that you are going to run across, as you manually engage the rim with your striking component.
Then comes incorporation of the mounting mechanics…..with less dampening giving better tonal response and loudness.
Addenda:
Ay Miguel...11.27 versus 11.37 PM posting, looks like I shouldn't have had that coffee break .hi hi.<p>73's de Edd
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<p>[ November 11, 2003: Message edited by: Edd Whatley ]</p>

Thanks for the suggestion but this game has to be lightweight. Brake drums are way too heavy. I built one of these about 8 years ago and its had a ton of use. My minestries friend has constant requests by people wanting to buy them. Last weekend I helped pack up after a 2 day show and people requested I build some more. The original 8 inch bell came from a security company a friend worked for. It had been removed from service, its clanger solenoid was bad. Sadly our friend died recently but I am going to try calling the company and asking if they have some old bells laying around.<p>You typically find these bells in schools and such if I can figure out how I will put up a picture of the game. Its a lot of fun.<p>Thanks a lot for the idea I think theres probably a surplus store somewhere with a big bin of them, noiw if I just knew where to find them.

Heres a picture of what I am looking for.<p>http://www.linecamp.com/merchants/class ... pulls.html<p>Kinda sad tto pay a lot for the solenoid and toss it in the garbage. I want to put up a picture of the game so you better understand what I am trying to do but thanks for the help!

This might be a bit goofy but I have a light weight alternative that is also cheap (under $3 US). How about use a metal bowl commonly used for dog dishes? Here is an example of what I mean:<p>http://www.petsmart.com/products/product_287.shtml<p>These are available at any grocery or department store that sells pet supplies. The web link is just so you can see a picture. You might also be able to find metal mixing bowls in the human dish section of stores as well.

Thanks its off to the pet store I go. With a roomful of kids this HAS to be loud. I e mailed some ebay sellers to see if anyone has a group of bells.

I would think that being in Pittsburg there would be a great number of these bells in many of the abandoned buildings there.<p>Look in old factories and specifically, if you could find an old school about to be torn down.

there is one Here
:p

almost all the "old, real" filling stations had telephone ringers outside the garage.. they have the large bells on them.. and sound good plus lightweight.. most of them are still hanging there just waiting for someone to volunteer to remove them...

Thanks I got 10 on e bay for $9 each brand new. That was a good deal but I want to thank all of you for your suggestions. I aso bought some clear schedule 40 PVC pipe today, for a ball game. Sewer pipe you can see thru. <p>This project is coming along great! I will post pictures when this is doe if anyone is interested.