The Stay
The stay is the piece of wood which sticks up from the headstock. The purpose of the stay is to be able to set / stand the bell in the mouth up position without the bell going round and round when it goes beyond the balance point. Stays are mostly made of ash. It might seem odd that a stay is made of wood and not metal considering the fact bells are heavy are exert a lot of force but they are wooden for a very good reason. Stays are designed to break. They are, in a nut shell, the safety mechanism of the bell. When a ringer pulls the bell with too much force the stay will snap resulting in the rope being taken up and the bell will ring itself down. The use of the stay snapping releases all that great amount of force and prevents it from spreading through the frame.
If however the stay and slider were metal, the force will travel right from the key components of the bell and the frame and will cause excess pressure on them. As a result, it can damage them.
Stays are used on full circle bells only, Swing chiming bells rung by a lever don't allow the bell to be rung no more than about half way so it isn't needed. Bells hung dead on wooden beams or metal joists also don't need them as they don't move at all.
Stays come in different forms:
Curved stays which are attached to the side of the headstock which curve inwards and end at the middle of the headstock. This is because the bell has a wide wooden headstock and the curve makes sure that bells set is even at both stroke.
Tapered Stay
Similar to the curved stay, a tapered stay is also fitted to the side of the headstock. This one is a lot easier to make and the taper does the same effect on the set of the bell as the curved one.
Straight Stay
Another type of stay is the one you will find on most bells with metal headstocks. They are a completely straight piece of wood which slots into a square hole on top of the headstock. They are usually held in by 2 coaching bolts.
Hasting Stay
Still made of wood, the other example of a stay which is less common is the Hasting Stay. The Hasting stay is just found on bells in Hastings but it is found on bells all round the country. It consists of the normal wooden stay but with a metal toggle on the top which flicks backwards and forward. As the bell swings round, the toggle comes in contact with a metal rail below the bell where the slider would usually be. The only disadvantage with Hasting stays is that they have to be put on the bell with the highest precision as the slightest measurement off can cause the stay to not function properly. Apart from the toggle on top of the stay, another metal piece prevents the toggle from going a certain distance so it doesn't go further that it should and in return, completely miss the rail below or even worse, obscure it!
If however the stay and slider were metal, the force will travel right from the key components of the bell and the frame and will cause excess pressure on them. As a result, it can damage them.
Stays are used on full circle bells only, Swing chiming bells rung by a lever don't allow the bell to be rung no more than about half way so it isn't needed. Bells hung dead on wooden beams or metal joists also don't need them as they don't move at all.
Stays come in different forms:
Curved stays which are attached to the side of the headstock which curve inwards and end at the middle of the headstock. This is because the bell has a wide wooden headstock and the curve makes sure that bells set is even at both stroke.
Tapered Stay
Similar to the curved stay, a tapered stay is also fitted to the side of the headstock. This one is a lot easier to make and the taper does the same effect on the set of the bell as the curved one.
Straight Stay
Another type of stay is the one you will find on most bells with metal headstocks. They are a completely straight piece of wood which slots into a square hole on top of the headstock. They are usually held in by 2 coaching bolts.
Hasting Stay
Still made of wood, the other example of a stay which is less common is the Hasting Stay. The Hasting stay is just found on bells in Hastings but it is found on bells all round the country. It consists of the normal wooden stay but with a metal toggle on the top which flicks backwards and forward. As the bell swings round, the toggle comes in contact with a metal rail below the bell where the slider would usually be. The only disadvantage with Hasting stays is that they have to be put on the bell with the highest precision as the slightest measurement off can cause the stay to not function properly. Apart from the toggle on top of the stay, another metal piece prevents the toggle from going a certain distance so it doesn't go further that it should and in return, completely miss the rail below or even worse, obscure it!
Photos of the different stays:
Hasting Stay: Washington, St Mary (4th)
Straight Stay: Eastbourne, St Saviour & St Peter (4th)
Tapered Stay: Storrington, St Mary (2nd)
Curved Stay: Cowfold, St Peter (5th)
Straight Stay: Eastbourne, St Saviour & St Peter (4th)
Tapered Stay: Storrington, St Mary (2nd)
Curved Stay: Cowfold, St Peter (5th)
