The Bells Heard Round the World: C.S. Bell and His Secret Formula - Paperback

Koehl, Tim: - TIMOTHY J. KOEHL brings a rich, eclectic background, experience, and knowledge to this subject. He had sixteen years of direct hands-on experience in foundry work and bell-making, starting at Charles Singleton Bell's bell foundry in Hillsboro just after graduating from high school in 1970. Bell's Foundry was on its last leg and could have closed. Instead, it was turned around by significant improvements made over the next five years. In those five years Tim worked his way up from laborer to Melt Supervisor and was entrusted with C.S. Bell's secret Crystal Metal iron bell formula. Then he was Melt Superintendent for the Wickham Piano Plate Co. for a brief stint, followed by eight years at Kenton Iron Products as Plant Superintendent and part owner of the company. Fast forward to 2022, Tim and his wife, Deb, formed debtim LLC and bought C.S. Bell's second foundry location, the C.S. Bell Foundry and Showroom, built in 1866 and renovated in 1892. It is listed as an Historic Landmark with the United States Department of the Interior. The property is located at 160 West Main Street, in the Hillsboro Historic District. There are now two murals on the building, as described in Chapter Nine. In 2024 the Koehl's undertook Project Reindeer, bringing back home to Hillsboro the largest production iron bell in history. Cast in Hillsboro in 1922 and rescued from a church in Pennsylvania. This big, beautiful bell is now on display behind the C.S. Bell Foundry and Showroom building. In retirement Tim turned his focus to confirming and recording the history of bells and bell-making in America. He has an entire building devoted to the rehabilitation of bells. In 2020 he started his Facebook page C S Bell, in which he aids, advises, and educates fellow bell buffs around the world.