How to Make Homemade Bamboo Wind Chimes
Bamboo wind chimes make a sound similar to that of rain trickling over rocks or tapping a tin roof, a sound that many find soothing. They also have a rustic, chic look that metal and glass chimes lack. If you want to keep your garden or landscape elements natural, bamboo wind chimes are the way to go. Another plus is that you don't have to purchase them; you can make them yourself in an afternoon. This project makes a good gift from children to parents or from friend to friend. It also helps recycle bamboo room dividers, dead canes from a local stand of bamboo or old bamboo furniture.
Things You'll Need
- Dried bamboo canes
- Hack saw
- Hand drill
- Nylon cord
- 6-inch wooden disc
- 4-inch-wide, 1-inch-thick wooden disc
- 2-inch metal ring
Instructions
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1
Cut your dried bamboo canes into eight pieces with slow, careful hacksaw strokes. Choose between cutting them all the same length or cutting each piece 1 or 2 inches shorter than the last. Cut just under the joints so that both ends of each piece are open and hollow.
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2
Drill two holes horizontally through the top of each bamboo piece. Cut eight lengths of nylon cord about 10 inches long. String a cord through the holes in each piece.
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3
Drill eight holes down through the edges of your wooden disc, spacing them ¾ inch apart. Make sure the holes are large enough to accept a double thickness of your nylon cord. Gather the ends of each cord together, pass them up through a hole and knot them to secure them in place.
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4
Cut a length of cord about 2 feet long. Drill a hole through the center of your 4-inch disc and slip the cord through it. Tie a knot in the end of the cord to keep the disc in place.
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5
Tie a second knot in your nylon cord about eight inches above your 4-inch disc. Slide the cord above the knot through the hole in the center of your 6-inch disc. Tie the top end of your cord to a metal ring for hanging. Hang in a breezy spot.
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References
- Photo Credit wind chimes image by david hughes from Fotolia.com
