6'2-i F O U N 
5. The tallow equally mixed with the wax, in order to 
put a flight lay'of it upon the outer mould, before any 
letters are applied to it. 6. The coals to dry the mould. 
For making the mould, they have a fcaffold confifting of 
four boards, ranged upon trelfels. Upon this they carry 
the earth, grofsly diluted, to mix it with horfe-dung, 
beating the whole with a large fpatula. The compafles 
of condrufilion is the chief inflrument for making the 
mould, which confifl of two different legs joined by a 
third piece. And, lad of all, the founders’ thelves, on 
which are the engravings of the letters, coats of arms, &c. 
T he firft operation is to dig a hole of a fufficient depth 
to contain the mould of the bell, together with the cafe 
or cannon, under ground ; and about fix inches lower 
than the terreplain, where the work is performed. The 
hole mud be wide enough for a free paifage between the 
mould and the walls of the hole, or between one mould 
and another, when leveral bells are to be cad. At the 
centre of the hole is a (fake erefted, that is drongly 
faflened in the ground. This fupports an iron peg, on 
which the pivot of the fecond branch of the compafles 
turns. The dake is encompafled with a folid brick-work, 
peifie< 51 Iy round, about half a foot high, and of the pro- 
pofed bell’s diameter. This they call a mill-Jfone. The 
parts of the mould are, the cord, the model of the bell, 
and the fliell. When the outer furface of the core is 
formed, they begin to raife the core, which is made of 
bricks that are laid in courfes of equal height upon a 
layer of plain earth. At the laying of each brick, they 
bring it near the branch of the compafles,-on which the 
curve of the core is fhaped, fo as that there may remain 
between it and the curve the didance of a line, to be af¬ 
terwards filled up with layers of cement. The work is 
continued to the top, only leaving an opening for the 
coals to bake the core. This work is covered with a 
layer of cement, made of earth and horfe dung ; on 
which they move the compafles of condruflion, to make 
it of an even fmoothnefs every where. The fird layer 
being finiflied, they put the fire to the core, by filling it 
half with coals, through an opening that is kept flint 
during the baking, with a cake of earth that has been fe- 
parately baked. The fird fire confumes the dake, and 
the fire is left in the core half or fometimes a whole day: 
the fird layer being thoroughly dry, they cover it with a 
fecond, third, and fourth ; each being fmoothed by the 
board of the compafles, and thoroughly dried before they 
proceed to another. 
The core being completed, they take the compafles to 
pieces, with intent to cut off' the thicknefs of the model; 
and the Compafles are immediately put in their place to 
begin a fecond piece of the mould. Itconfids of a mix¬ 
ture of earth and hair, applied with the hand on the core, 
in feveral cakes that clofe together. This work is finiflied 
by feveral layers of a thinner cement of the fame matter, 
fmoothed by the compafles, and thoroughly dried before 
another is laid on. The fird layer of the model is a mix¬ 
ture of wax and greafe fpread over the whole. After 
which are applied the inferiptions, coats of arms, &c. by 
means of a pencil dipped in a veflel of melted wax in a 
chafing-difii. Before the fliell is begun, the compafles 
are taken to pieces, to cut off all the wood that fills the 
place ot the thicknefs to be given to the fliell. The fird 
layer is the fame earth with the reft, fitted very fine ; 
whilft it is tempering in water, it is mixed with cow’s 
hair to make it cohere. The whole being a thin matter 
is gently poured on the model, that fills exactly all the 
finuofities of the figures, &c. and'this is repeated till the 
whole is two lines thick over the model. When this 
layer is thoroughly dried, they cover it with a fecond of 
the fame matter, but fomewhat thicker; when this fe¬ 
cond layer becomes of fonle confidence, they apply the 
compaffes again, and light a fire in the core, fo as to melt 
off the wax of the inferiptions, &c. After this, they go 
on with other layers of the fliell, by means of the com- 
D E R Y. 
pafles. Here they add to the cow’s hair a quantity of 
hemp, fpread upon the layers, and afterwards fmoothed 
by the board of the compafles. The thicknefs of the 
fliell conies to four or five inches lower than the mill- 
done before obferved, and furrounds it quite clofe, which 
prevents the extravasation of the metal. 
The ear of the bell requires a feparate work, which is 
done during the drying of the feveral incruftations of the 
cement. It has feven rings: the feventh is called the 
bridge, and unites the others, being a perpendicular fup- 
port to drengthen the curves. It lias an aperture at the 
top, to admit a large iron peg bent at the bottom ; and 
this is introduced into two holes in the beam, faflened 
with two ftrong iron keys. There are models made of 
the rings, with mafles of beaten earth, that are dried in 
the fire, in order to have the hollow of them. Thefe 
rings are gently prefled upon a layer of earth and cow’s 
hair, one half of its depth, and then taken out without 
breaking the mould. This operation is repeated twelve 
times for twelve half-moulds, that two and two united 
may make the hollows of the fix rings : the fame they do 
for the hollow of the bridge, and bake them all, to unite 
them together. Upon the open place left for the coals 
to be put in, are placed the rings that conftitute the ear. 
They fird put into this open place the iron ring to fup- 
port the clapper of the bell ; then they make a round 
cake of clay, to fill up the diameter Of the thicknefs of 
the core. This cake, after baking, is clapped upon the 
opening, and foldered with a thin mortar fpread over it, 
which binds the cover clofe to the core. 
The hollow of the model is filled with an earth, fuf- 
ficiently moid to fix on the place, which is drewed at fe¬ 
veral times upon the cover of the core; and they beat it 
gently with a pedle, to a proper height; and a workman 
fmooths the earth at the top with a wooden trowel dipped 
in water. Upon this cover, to be taken off afterwards, 
they affemble the hollows of the rings. When every 
thing is in its proper place, they drengthen the outfide 
of the hollows with mortar, in order to bind them with 
the bridge, and keep them beady at the bottom, by means 
of a cake of the fame mortar, which fills up the whole 
aperture of the fliell. This they let dry, that it may be 
removed without breaking. To make room for the me¬ 
tal, they pull off the hollows of the rings, through which 
the metal is to pafs before it enters into the vacuity of 
the mould. The fliell being unloaded of its ear, they 
range under the mill-done five or fix pieces of wood, 
about two feet long, and thick enough to reach almod 
the lower part of the (hell : between thefe and the 
mould they drive in wooden wedges with a mallet, to 
fiiake the fliell of the model whereon it reds, fo as to be 
pulled up and got out of the pit. When this and the 
wax are removed, they break the model and the layer of 
earth, through which the metal rauft run, from the hol¬ 
low of the rings, between the fhell and the core. They 
fmoke the infide of the fliell, by burning draw under it, 
that helps to fmooth the furface of the bell. Then they 
put the fliell in the place, fo as to leave the fame interval 
between that and the core ; and before the hollows of 
the rings or the cap ar~ put on again, they add two vents, 
that are united to the rings, and to each other, by a mafs 
of baked cement. After which they put on this mafs 
of the cap, the rings, and the vent, over the fliell, and 
folder it'with thin cement, which is dried gradually by 
covering it with burning coals. Then they fill up the 
pit with earth, beating it drongly all the time round the 
mould. 
The furnace has a divifion for the fire, and another for 
the metal. The fire-place has a large chimney with a 
fpaeioits afli-hole. The furnace which contains the metal 
is vaulted, and its bottom is made of earth, rammed 
down; the red is built with brick. It lias four aper¬ 
tures; the firft, through which the flame revibrates; 
the fecond is clofed with a dopple that is opened for the 
, metal 
