One-step cleaner chimes success for bellmaker’s powder installation
Outsourcing powder coating tolls a cumbersome clang for a maker of wind bells. Building his own powder line with a one-step cleaner as the system’s cornerstone lays the foundation for melodious product quality and process control.
From the ruggedly independent mind of a lobsterman burst forth an idea of sweet musical resonance. Jim Davidson navigated the waters off the coast of Maine with the coastal and harbor bells as guides. More than just markers, their sounds had an evocative quality that Davidson wanted to capture. To this end, he started to experiment with steel to recreate the gongs and bells that floated among his lobster traps. With his love of the sea and his cleverness, he created a collection of bells to mimic the harbor bells and sea gongs. Through playing with different weight of steel, he created wind bells that echoed the ocean sounds he knew so well. These chimes proved popular, and in 1975, Davidson and his wife May began a family enterprise, North Country Wind Bells, from their town of Round Pond, Maine. Thirty years later, the business thrives but still relies on family ties and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. "Working in a family business has its challenges, but it's highly rewarding to be able to carry things out," said Connie Davidson, operations manager and daughter of company founders, Jim and May Davidson.