"Foundry on wheels" casts Bicentennial Bells in Ohio counties. (Industry News).

In a normal foundry, it may take several months to cast a 25-lb bronze bell. From the production of the pattern and the mold to the casting, inscription and finishing, the casting process takes time.

For the Ohio Bicentennial Bells, the process requires only two days.

This is due to the Verdin Co., Cincinnati, a bell, carillion and clock brass foundry that is casting the bells on site, in each county of Ohio to commemorate the state's bicentennial. The firm has assembled a "foundry on wheels" that will make the production of each bell a two-day public event, often coinciding with a festival or existing activity.

"This is probably the most exciting aspect of the Bicentennial Bell Project," said Jim Verdin, Verdin Co. president. "Casting bells in all 88 counties will allow Ohioans to experience firsthand old-world craftsmanship." The firm has developed a 4-piece pattern with two removable inserts for the mobile foundry.

"Bells no longer order our lives as in years past, but they continue to inspire," said Stephen C. George, executive director of the Bicentennial Commission. "This project, while re-establishing the tradition of early bell-founders, guarantees a lasting Bicentennial legacy for the generations that follow." Each bell will be personalized with a county name, forging date, the Great Seal of Ohio and the Bicentennial logo.

On the day of the casting, the cores are assemble and stacked in the mold. The brass ingots are melted over a two hour period until the melt reaches 2200F. After the addition of a flexing agent, the ladle is filled and then moved by crane to be poured over the pouring basin.

After an overnight cooling period, the cope and drag are removed with a crane. The bell is sandblasted and then ground to remove excess metal. Finally, it is polished, buffed and stained, and ready to be displayed.

Perhaps best known for creating and casting the 35-ton, 12-foot-tall World Peace Bell for the millennium celebration, other well-known Verdin castings include the Big Ben" bell in London and the 1804 San Juan Capistrano mission bells.