How to Make a Wind Chime
Wind chimes allow us to snatch music from the air, and it takes only a few minutes to craft together a set of chimes that reflect your home decor or the whimsy of your imagination. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Tubes
- Chains
- Monofilament Line
- Craft Wire
- Electric Drill/assorted Bits
- Electric Screwdrivers
- Groove Joint Pliers
- Heavy-gauge Wires
- Linesman Pliers
- Magnetic Screwdrivers
- Needle-nose Pliers
- Nut Drivers
- Ratcheting Screwdrivers
- Wire Crimpers
- Wire Cutters
- Wire Nippers
- Wire cutters
Instructions
-
Choose a Material
-
1
Think about scrap materials you may have around the house.
-
2
Consider your decorating motif. A wind chime made of bamboo in an Oriental style might not look appropriate hanging outside a Victorian style house.
-
-
3
Check out nearly any object that generates a tone when struck.
-
4
Consider buying your material. Most popular presently is some form of hollow metal tubing.
-
5
Think about hollow copper tubing. It will age with a beautiful patina.
-
6
Think about a traditional material, perhaps hollow bamboo sections.
-
7
Consider something offbeat. Tour flea markets and pick up old metal tools, kitchenware or small bottles.
Design and Assemble
-
8
Strive for the ideal weight and balance. You want the chime light enough to be moved by a gentle breeze and arranged to hang level.
-
9
Choose metal tubes and trim them to lengths that will provide a sequence of pleasing tones.
-
10
Test different lengths of tubing - or the various materials you plan to use - by suspending each with a string and striking it with the dangler you plan to use.
-
11
Be as exact about the musical notes you want to generate as you want. A musical ear helps, but it can be determined scientifically as well.
-
12
Select the type of line you'll use to suspend the chimes. Monofilament fishing line and dental tape are options.
-
13
Select the material by which you'll hang the chime assembly. Light link chain available from any hardware store is a good choice.
-
14
Choose the material for the plate from which the chimes will hang as well as the striker and the dangler.
-
15
Weatherproof wood plates, strikers and danglers if the chime is to be exposed to the weather.
-
16
Cut out the plate from which the chime is to hang. Here's a chance to find something in a flea market that might be adapted.
-
17
Drill holes around the edges of the plate.
-
18
Feed light pieces of chain or a similar material at an angle and connect it together with a metal loop from which to hang the chime.
-
19
Hang chime elements from the opposite side of the plate.
-
20
Hang chime elements at different lengths.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
You can decorate tubing as you please - anything from colors matching your patio furniture to barber-pole candy stripes.
Supervise children when they're working with sharp tools.
