"Almost nothing has changed in this craft for over 400 years. Bells are still molded in clay and cast from an alloy of copper and tin.
Only a handful of bell foundries in Germany still master this craft. One of them is the Bachert bell foundry in Neunkirchen, Baden-Württemberg.
Here senior boss Albert Bachert first designs the shape of the bell and transfers it to a wooden template. It serves as a measure of the bell core, which is made of bricks and plastered with clay.
The so-called "false bell" is modeled over the core. It corresponds exactly in size and appearance to the later bell. Several layers of clay in different mixtures and millimeter-precise work are required for this. On the false bell, there are wax decorations, which can later be seen on the bell. They express themselves inside the bell shell, which is formed over the "false bell". Once the coat has dried, it is lifted off so that the false bell, which had previously been painstakingly modeled, can be broken.
If everything went well, the resulting cavity between core and jacket corresponds to the bell and is filled with the 1100 Grand hot alloy during casting. A spectacular, sweaty job that requires maximum concentration.
It takes 2 months until the bell is finished and the result is only correct if all work steps are carried out carefully and precisely. At most, machines are used to mix the clay and transport the bell - real craftsmanship! "
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