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Topic: Tube bender, The Bell Demensions< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
SentinelGard Offline




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Posted: Sep. 21 2004, 03:12

Hi Every one . I want ot make a Tubulbell . If any one can help me with demnsions or plans on how to do it properly can any one help me out ..  Many thanks.

Peace ........  

Da Sentinel of Ozz..... :cool:


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TOBY Offline




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Posted: Sep. 21 2004, 18:36

According to Tom Newman the original (which was subsequently stolen form Trevor Keys studio) was about 18 - 20 inches across with a tube diameter of about 1 and half to two inches.

Getting hold of a stainless steel tube of appropriate size won't be your problem, however bending it will be. You'll need a pipe jig, something to heat the steel to bending temperature (very hot) and finaly a lot of skill. I've got a friend who is a trained sculptor who once told me that the famous bent tubular bell was the work of a master tube bender. And remember whoever did that tube bending for Trevor Key wasn't trying to copy something that already existed and it's quite concievable some of the subties is the original and now famous design were arrived at by accident.

Oh and when you've finished your master tube bending you'd then need to get your finished 'bell' chromed and that ain't cheap even for something reletively small.

Hope I haven't dampened your spirits but I did look into getting one done myself and decided 'I can't be arsed'   ;)
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Luca Offline




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Posted: Sep. 22 2004, 16:39

Doesnt he mean he wants to make a tubular bell as in the instrument? that would be easy wouldnt it? just get a load of pipes and cut them so they are the correct pitch? (ok perhaps not that easy, but you get what i mean.. thats a far cry from bending pipes into strange shapes)
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TOBY Offline




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Posted: Sep. 22 2004, 17:24

True. Just buy an old car exhaust and whak it with a hammer. Depends on what your definition of a tubular bell is. Do you mean a tubular bell or do you mean a Tubular Bell?
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Wayfarer Offline




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Posted: Sep. 23 2004, 15:30

I di myself a little Tubular Bell when I was at the Technical High School... Well, I did it with grey-coated electric cable, which is far more bendable than steel...

I think I have a picture somewhere... ;-)

-- Wayfarer


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Holger Offline




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Posted: Sep. 23 2004, 16:05

Quote (TOBY @ Sep. 21 2004, 18:36)
I've got a friend who is a trained sculptor who once told me that the famous bent tubular bell was the work of a master tube bender. And remember whoever did that tube bending for Trevor Key wasn't trying to copy something that already existed and it's quite concievable some of the subties is the original and now famous design were arrived at by accident.

Oh and when you've finished your master tube bending you'd then need to get your finished 'bell' chromed and that ain't cheap even for something reletively small.

Strikes me as funny that they tried to keep the album production so low-budget as to have Mike recording only when the studio wasn't used by anyone else, and then spend all that money on the cover?!
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TOBY Offline




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Posted: Sep. 23 2004, 17:07

It might not have cost any money. Trevor Key might have done the whole thing himself for all we know. Or maybe he had the right contacts to have people to do it for him cheaply. Who knows?
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Wayfarer Offline




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Posted: Sep. 24 2004, 17:35

Quote (TOBY @ Sep. 23 2004, 23:07)
It might not have cost any money. Trevor Key might have done the whole thing himself for all we know. Or maybe he had the right contacts to have people to do it for him cheaply. Who knows?

Mike O.: Hey, Trev! We need a cover for the record I'm working on...
Trevor Key: Sure! Any ideas?
Mike O.: Up to you, man! Think about it while I carry the garbage out!
Trevor Key: Ok. Hey, wait... What's that?
Mike O.: Just a broken vibe from the tubular bells set... I think I hit it really hard on the last take. It's completely unusable.
Trevor Key: Mmmh... It has a nice shape. Can I keep it?
Mike O.: Sure! What on the hell do you want it for...
Trevor Key: I'm having an idea... Mmhhh... Maybe... Did you say this is from the tubular Bells?

;)


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torbenyj Offline




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Posted: Sep. 24 2004, 19:20

hi
Does anyone know where the tubular bell LOGO comes from - how was it born??
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Mirage Offline




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Posted: Sep. 25 2004, 14:21

SentinelGard,

Your best and easiest bet is to go to your local muffler shop. Ask the mechanic there if you could purchase some straight 1 1/2" exhaust pipe, his hydralic tube bender, about a half hour of his time. (Bring a six pack of beer, this always helps). Oh yeah, don't forget to bring a real good picture of what you want.

Next stop go to the phone book and find someplace that chromes motorcycle exhaust systems, they should be able to do the job easily.

Total cost should be under $100 US.

Hope this helps

(I did this myself about 25 years ago, right after I bought Hergest Ridge, So I know this can be done, it rendered a bell that is about 18" from bend to bend. P.S. I paid about $25 for the whole process). :)
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SentinelGard Offline




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Posted: Sep. 26 2004, 03:00

WOW...  thanks guys, .... some really great ideas.   And yes i do mean a Tubularbell like on the album covers not an instrumant.

I might give the Exhaust mechanic a go , sounds like the best idea..

Cheers all...  

I'll keep you all posted on how i go..
:cool:


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Korgscrew Offline




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Posted: Sep. 28 2004, 08:17

As far as I know, Wayfarer isn't far wrong...Mike, having bent the bells during the recording, thought that having a bent bell on the cover might be interesting, so suggested it to Trevor Key...and so the twisted bell was born.

It would be interesting to find out a little more of the exact history of the cover photograph. The original transparencies are no doubt still in tact somewhere, though they may have faded slightly with time.
It would be interesting to find out who made the original bell, and even more interesting to find out where it is now (it was stolen from Trevor Key's studio quite a few years ago...but I'll bet someone's got it on display somewhere).
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