Working from an old drawings I modeled the easy part of the bell.  Next is the text.  I think I've got a way to model some raised letters (due to the generous suggestions here), but it will be the most challenging part.  Letters along a complex and changing curve.

Nicely done. The lettering is not too difficult; just ask if you need help.

Don Ritchie

Working from an old drawings I modeled the easy part of the bell.  Next is the text.  I think I've got a way to model some raised letters (due to the generous suggestions here), but it will be the most challenging part.  Letters along a complex and changing curve.

Nicely done!

Check out tip 5 here for getting the 3D text: http://www.textualcreations.ca/Don_Cheke%27s_TurboCAD_Tips.html

To get text that is raised and follows the form of the bell as well, I would probably create a box over the bell and subtract the bell to get a mold. Then I would scale the box up a bit and subtract it from the letters. Should work.

EDIT: It works - see attached images.

Thanks Don R. and Don C.

I looked at Don's helpful suggestions and came up with an alternative way that provided the results I was after.

Now for the really, really hard part, adding the rope that is traditionally hanging in order to ring the bell.

Now for the really, really hard part, adding the rope that is traditionally hanging in order to ring the bell.

I bet you can do it...  Here's something I came up with several months back for part of the logo for my wife's Ebay store.

The circular profile is made of tangent circles with the middle bits trimmed.  Swept along a path, and a twist was added in Properties.  But you will need to be mindful of the shape of your path.  TC's solids don't like to intersect themselves.  So a knot may need to be done differently.

Nice work Tom. Your metal material looks great.