Posted by Christopher on October 12, 1999 at 12:56:24:
In Reply to: Re: Getting a new bell posted by Follow up question on October 12, 1999 at 11:35:51:
As far as I know, and I am hardly the expert (Carl K. is, though, so maybe he'll enlighten us...), there are a couple different manufacturing processes.
My future ex-bell has a big ol' seam down one side, and another one all the way around near the flare. Sheet brass is rolled into a tube, then hammered and annealed at the seam. Then the flare is spun on a lathe and pressed onto a mandrel for the proper shape. I'm guessing that my particular flare was wrapped with a different taper than the rest of the bell, attached, and then spun.
I know there are seamless bell procedures, but as far as I can tell, it takes a time-space warp or magic dust or something.
There are a few web sites devoted to brass instrument manufacturing that I have perused, but I can't remember how I found them initially. Now would be a good time to post a reply if you have more information.