How to Make a Wind Chime from Natural Materials

Wind chimes can be made from a plethora of natural materials from bamboo stalks to sea shells. Combine these with natural strings such as cotton or hemp and you have an earth friendly wind chime that is made with nothing but renewable resources.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hemp or cotton string
• Lengths of bamboo
• 1 Large sea shell (such as oyster or other mollusk)
• Small sea shells
• Dremel tool with drill bit assembly
• Dremel saw assembly

1. Use the Dremel saw assembly to cut bamboo stalks in various lengths from 4 to 12 inches.

2. Use the Dremel drill assembly to first drill a hole in the center point of the large sea shell. Depending on the size of the shell, drill another 8 to 10 holes around the perimeter of the shell.

3. Drill a hole through each end of the bamboo stalks. Drill a single hole in the thickest part of the smaller sea shells.

4. Attach a looped hemp or cotton string through the center of the large shell. This will be your hanger and can be as short or as long as you desire.

5. Cut 4-inch lengths of string for each hole on the perimeter of the large shell. Attach bamboo by stringing the string through the holes of one end and tie off.

6. Attach a sea shell to the bottom of each bamboo shoot in the same way.

7. Hang in a place that has a good breeze and enjoy the sounds your wind chime makes.

Tips & Warnings

• Sea shells and bamboo can be purchased at any hobby shop. Often they are already pre-drilled; so make sure they suit your needs.
• If you have fresh bamboo available, cut it to length and allow it to air dry for six weeks before using.
• During high winds, you wind chime may become tangled. Carefully work each string to set each section free.

[gpcs]

on 7/20/2008 Now where did I leave that hemp? Oops, it got burned somehow. (Ha, ha.) Seriously, another winner, Katt - I love windchimes.
-George