https://www.ringingforums.org/categories/4/tower-maintenance/feed.rss Sun, 17 May 2026 17:28:11 Z TOWER MAINTENANCE - Ringing Forums en https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/542/ventilation Sun, 21 Sep 2025 21:29:51 Z Phil Burton 542@/discussions We are finding that our tower is becoming uncomfortably hot during the summer months. As a sandstone tower, it tends to retain the warmth sometimes days after the heat outside has subsided. Similarly, in winter, the walls remain very cold even after a cold snap. We have next-to-no ventilation in... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/527/plump-sallies Sat, 19 Jul 2025 14:55:43 Z S Pullin 527@/discussions We are shortly to order some new ropes and I'm keen to avoid a repeat of our existing ropes whereby the sallies have always felt thin. Whilst they look a decent thickness there feels little substance to them and you can easily feel the rope inside. There seems to be great variety in the feel of... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/508/cleaning-bellropes Sun, 20 Apr 2025 11:25:28 Z A M Hodge 508@/discussions Does anyone have further experience of cleaning bellropes (including sallies) that have become mouldy, grubby, or stiff and unpleasant following the use by ringers of glycerine, chalk and other 'potions' while ringing, please? I recall an article in the Ringing World on this topic a few years ago.... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/14/height-of-sallies Sat, 21 Dec 2024 23:26:23 Z Ron Sambridge 14@/discussions Is there a standard height of the sally from the floor of the ringing chamber either when the bell is down or when it is up? https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/463/clapper-ties Sat, 05 Oct 2024 12:40:42 Z Richard Norman 463@/discussions During our major bell chamber/floor/frame clean two wooden bell ties were found hidden in/under the detritus. They are made of wood and riddled with woodworm. No one knew about them (even me and I have examined the area but did not see them under all the dust and mortar/stone) One of them broke so... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/423/tying-bells-up Sat, 28 Sep 2024 14:15:03 Z Philip Pratt 423@/discussions Does anyone know an approved way of tying bells that are "up"? I would normally not condone the practice as I am unaware of any accepted process of doing so, but I thought I'd ask to see what the response is. I dare say it's not uncommon for ringers to do it throughout the country. I'm aware... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/387/pedants-revolt Sat, 25 May 2024 12:12:51 Z Richard Norman 387@/discussions Hi Recently tightened our frame bolts so read the manual (again) and a few issue-ettes that you might consider for the next edition First you refer to us a ‘steeple keepers’ (SK); well the guy who trained me was but we only have a tower so a misnomer? Tower keeper? Most churches with steeples (1)... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/420/psp-rope Sat, 11 May 2024 08:30:45 Z John Harrison 420@/discussions Marlow pre-stretched polyester has orange and black tracer threads. About 35 years ago I didn't know that and bought some PSP from a boat chandler, which had a single blue tracer thread. It wasn't as good, and felt a bit stretchy on the heavier bells. Since then I've had the simple model: orange... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/399/ringing-in-holy-week-24th-30th-march-2024 Thu, 29 Feb 2024 09:23:44 Z Alison Hodge 399@/discussions There was some discussion on this topic 2 years ago. So if you have no ringing in Holy Week - how about taking time to spring clean the tower instead and also to do some checks of the bell installation itself. Advice on maintenance can be found here - https://belfryupkeep.cccbr.org.uk Record what... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/381/increasing-sound-levels-in-a-ringing-room Sun, 11 Feb 2024 16:20:18 Z Alison Hodge 381@/discussions Does anyone have experience of increasing the sound level of the bells in a ringing room please? If so please let us know. In particular, does anyone have references to any articles on the topic that may be available e.g.have appeared in the RW. I have seen some. Thanks https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/375/who-maintains-the-bells-that-we-ring Sat, 27 Jan 2024 12:40:54 Z Alison Hodge 375@/discussions Do any ringing societies maintain a list of people in their area who are involved in belfry maintenance work? If there are, would you be willing to share data with the CCCBR Stewardship & Management Workgroup? Please do not include any information in a reply on this Forum but contact the Workgroup... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/361/custody-of-tower-keys Sun, 31 Dec 2023 18:42:18 Z Oliver Lee 361@/discussions i'm not sure if this is a common problem, but in one tower where I ocassionally ring I was horrified to discover that the tower captain seemingly didn't have any knowledge about where the key to the bell chamber was. personally I find this nothing short of dangerous the tower itself is a ground... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/28/ash-for-stays Mon, 10 Jul 2023 08:21:12 Z Alison Hodge 28@/discussions Most ringers will know that wood from ash trees is used to make stays. Ringers will also probably have heard in the last few years that many ash trees are now suffering extensively from "ash die back" - a disease that leads to the death of the trees affected. We may therefore anticipate plenty of... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/316/dem-stays-dem-stays-dem-dry-stays Sat, 01 Jul 2023 08:23:03 Z Richard Norman 316@/discussions With global warming and ash die back Should we oil bell stays? What would be the aim? Use of brittle ash die back wood? We have just bought one ‘spare’ stay; it will only cover 4 of our six bells but as they are the bells on which we teach it should cover a higher proportion of breakages ALL Wood... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/194/hard-hats-in-belfries Mon, 24 Oct 2022 15:01:35 Z Rebecca Banner 194@/discussions We are currently working with our church's H&S officer to update the risk assessment in regards to the tower. He is insisting that we wear hard hats when going above the ringing room. (He explains that there is a possibility of bumping your head when going through the hatch, and that he has done so... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/172/bell-rope-maintenance Sat, 27 Aug 2022 09:12:52 Z Peta Steadman Bee 172@/discussions Please can anyone advise us. Is there a CC course or any other course for teaching aspects of bell maintenance & rope splicing etc? https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/164/springy-rope-due-to-hot-weather Sat, 13 Aug 2022 08:15:57 Z Barbara Le Gallez 164@/discussions Hello, is anyone else finding that their ropes are becoming very springy in this hot weather? We are noticing it with our tenor (11 1/2 cwt with a long draught and a hemp rope). It is becoming quite hard to ring. Our other bells, with poly top ends, are fine. Thanks, Barbara https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/127/church-of-england-faculty-rules-july-2022-changes Wed, 01 Jun 2022 08:38:18 Z Alison Hodge 127@/discussions There are some more changes to the Faculty Rules that come into effect on 1st July 2022. The majority of the changes are about achieving "net zero carbon" but there are 2 changes that affect bells in Lists A and B of the Faculty Rules as follows: Clapper shafts In matter A3 in List A (bells etc.)... https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/105/dyneema-ropes Sun, 24 Apr 2022 21:33:33 Z Fergus Stracey 105@/discussions We have dyneema top ends on our ropes and the cloth casing has worn. Does this mean that the ropes should be replaced or can we carry on using the ropes? https://www.ringingforums.org/discussion/88/westley-award-2022-now-open-for-nominations Fri, 22 Apr 2022 08:06:20 Z Alison Hodge 88@/discussions This year the CCCBR Stewardship and Management Workgroup and Westley Group are again teaming up to recognise the efforts of those who have become involved in belfry maintenance in the last few years and whose achievements make such a difference to bell installations and fellow ringers. A prize of...