Introduction: A More "Baby Friendly" Doorbell
This Instructable (more of a basic mod or hack) can be priceless for new parents. Hope it helps you as much as it helped us!
Step 1: Locate the Doorbell Cover
usually found in close proximity of the actual door...near the ceiling. This one happens to be about 30 years old. Which reminds me: BUY NEW DOORBELL COVER.
Step 2: Remove Cover
Simple enough. They aren't usually screwed to the wall or anything. The covers usually "hang" on the doorbell mechanism.
NOTICE: there are two flat metal "chimes" next to the tubes?
Step 3: Choose Your Magnets
Go to your nearest refrigerator. On it you will find upwards of 5000 magnets. At this point it is up to you which magnets you want to use. They must fit within the confines of the doorbell/cover, so choose wisely. (you'll see why in the next step.)
I choose pizza hut and A1 tattoos because who can resist a night out featuring pizza and piercings?
Step 4: Attach the Magnets to the Chimes
The actuator is the main workhorse of any doorbell. It has two electromagnetically controlled plungers that hit the chimes to produce the typical "ding-dong" chime so familiar to us all. One chime is the "ding" while the other is the.......uh......"dong". (why did I just think of Beavis and Butthead while typing this?)
The magnets should stick to the metal chimes and you want them to be placed so the plungers strike the magnets when you press the doorbell.
This makes the magnet deaden the sound of the chime to the point that you hear the ding-dong but the really is no sustain to the notes. It's more of a "did-dud" and it's very quick.
Step 5: Replace the Cover
Put the cover back on and relax when your buddies come over and forget it's nap time!
When they ring the doorbell, you'll know it, but the baby won't wake up!
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23 Comments
7 years ago on Introduction
This rocks! It is so simple it is brilliant!
Reply 7 years ago on Introduction
Thanks! Hope it helps.
11 years ago on Step 5
Great Idea!!!! :) Now if I can just figure out how to get the dog not to bark/announce every visitor to the front door, baby will be able to have an uninterupted nap. LOL Any ideas?
13 years ago on Introduction
Wow thank you so much! This was a perfect fix and it only took me about 60 seconds to do. Thank you!
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Glad to help!
15 years ago on Introduction
I'd lay money on that modification being invented at around three in the morning. Been there, but my doorbell went rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggCHK
(The chk was the noise it made when I ripped the wires out - we lived near a pub, and it is so much fun to ring random doorbells on the way home after a lock-in.)
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
So what's next, Styrofoam? XD
15 years ago on Introduction
That's a hideous doorbell cover, but the damping method is great. My doorbell is electronic, currently set to "Deutschland, Deutschland uber alles" but with a selection of alternatives... L
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
My wife and I spent months looking for a decent doorbell when we did our last remodel. They were ugly and very expensive. I came up with the idea of buying an extra vent cover and burying the guts of the old one in the wall. Since we had replaced all the vent covers with really nice looking ones this was a great solution for my wife. It cost us $25 for the vent cover instead of $100 for the least ugly one. When we had our baby I got the idea to wire the vent's damper (the thing that closes it) so that when you close it, the door bell doesn't work. People who know you know that if the door bell doesn't work, the baby is sleeping. If you don't respond to gentle knocking, you are probably that advantage of the opportunity and getting in a nap for yourself.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
I like, it I think it is has a nice architectural look to it. Perhaps it just doesn't go with the decor. It kind of has a Imperial or Gothic look to it. Needs a trumpet ring to it :)
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
I agree. That cover is awful. Thank goodness no one ever really looks at it.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
I am so going to make a doorbell that plays the imperial march from star wars.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Do post it when you have. L
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
I intend to. My friend made a dog flap accessory that plays it when the do walks in xD.
15 years ago on Introduction
Cool!! Well done!
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Thanks. Necessity is the "mother" of invention!
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
I've always said that laziness must be the father. useful instructable, kudos.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
i'd just like to take this opportunity and point out that *convenience* is the mother of necessity.
/mini-rant
thank you.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
nope! means that it's the grandmother of typos.... convenience is the mother of invention! We didnt NEED to invent the spoon it was just more convenient than using shells....