Headstocks

The headstock is the part from which the bell hangs and its design and construction has perhaps the greatest effect on the ease or otherwise of ringing of any part of the installation.

Headstocks were traditionally made of hardwood, most usually of elm, cast-iron and more latterly fabricated steel now being more usual. Nicholson Engineering can supply headstocks of all three materials. Where the canons or supporting loops to the crown of an old bell are to be retained for conservation reasons it is necessary to fit a canon-retaining headstock. Such headstocks can be the cause of problems if not properly designed and where there is a mix of canon-retaining and conventional headstocks difficulties can often result.

Our own design of fabricated steel headstock has been developed such as to make the dynamics of the two types indistinguishable by ringers and is a great advance over all previous designs. Our headstocks are individually designed and made for each bell but to a complex formula, thus ensuring conformity with each of the other bells in the ring. These headstocks are always hot-dip galvanized and fitted with steel gudgeons set in true alignment. Like all our galvanized steel components, they are then etch-primed and given two coats of top-quality machinery enamel.