EASTON, Pa. (WFMZ) — Allentown is no longer the only city in the Lehigh Valley to have a full-scale replica Liberty Bell. Terry Pundiak of Easton spent the last 10 weeks designing his own.
From birding to astronomy, Terry Pundiak is a man of many hobbies. Now he can add creating a full-scale Liberty Bell to that list.
“I made it for the rotary club as a gift to the Lehigh Valley,” Pundiak told 69 News.
The idea came to him as a way to celebrate America 250.
“I thought I could do it for nothing because I knew how to get the cardboard free and I knew how to do paper mache and do the glue for free. I thought it was going to cost me nothing. I was wrong,” Pundiak explained.
Pundiak told us he’s made paper mache pinatas for his grandchildren so he figured he could do the same with a large-scale Liberty Bell. What he thought would take two weeks, actually took two and a half months to complete.
“It was just something that once I decided I could do it, I decided to muscle through it,” Pundiak stated.
Pundiak spent 10 to 18 hours a day piecing together the replica made of cardboard, paper mache, plaster, wood and 3D printed plastic. He said 3D printing the text and getting it just right was the hardest part.
“It took me five times. I thought mathematically I was doing a good job, it wasn’t as easy as I thought,” Pundiak explained.
He consulted a contractor on how to create the bell’s bronze color. Overall, Pundiak’s pleased with the results and learned some skills in the process.
“I want to have a sign that says don’t get too close because you’ll notice the defect,” Pundiak joked.
The replica will be on display at Coca-Cola Park for the Liberty Ignited Drone and Fireworks Show on July 3, at Bushkill Park’s America 250 Bash on July 5 and at Heritage Day in Easton on July 11.