How to Make a Brass Wind Chime
Wind chimes of all shapes, sizes and materials commonly hang on porches, decks and stands in gardens. A wind chime makes a smoothing, melodic sound as the wind passes through it, making it a relaxing addition to your house. Wind chime pipes must be made of materials that produce a pitch when they bang together in the wind. They're often bamboo or a variety of kinds of metal, including brass. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 10-foot piece of brass pipe
- Pipe cutter
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Wood
- Protractor
- Band saw
- Sandpaper
- Fishing line
- Rope
- Hook
Instructions
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1
Cut the brass pipe into five lengths with the pipe cutter. A 10-foot-long piece of brass pipe will give you enough pipe to work with. The diameter of the pipe can be of your choosing, depending on how large you want the wind chime. The five lengths of pipe shouldn't be equal; cutting a variety of lengths will ensure different pitches.
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2
Drill a hole through each length of pipe roughly 1/2 inch from the end with a 1/8-inch diameter drill bit.
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3
Draw an 8-inch diameter circle on a sheet of 1/2-inch thick piece of wood. The wood doesn't have to be any specific type.
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4
Cut out the 8-inch circle using a band saw. Sand the edges of the disc to make it smooth.
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5
Drill 10 1/8-inch holes around the wooden disc in five groups of two. These holes will correspond to the holes in the brass pipe. Each of the five pairs of holes should be spaced equally around the disc.
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6
Pass a length of fishing line through the two holes in the brass pipe, let the pipe hang to the desired length and pass the ends of the line through two holes in the wooden disc. Tie the ends of the line with a simple knot large enough that it will not slip through the hole. Repeat this process for the other four pipes. The goal is to have each pipe's top end hung evenly, roughly 6 to 8 inches below the disc.
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7
Drill a 1/2-inch hole in the center of the wooden disc.
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8
Cut a 1-foot length of 1/2-inch rope. Pass one end of the rope through the hole in the center of the disc and tie a knot in its end. Tie a loop in the other end of the rope. Screw a hook into the surface from which you'll hang the wind chime and hang the loop in the rope from the hook.
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Tips & Warnings
If using a wood other than plywood for the circular disc, varnish it to protect it from the elements.
References
- Photo Credit wind chimes in a tree image by MichMac from Fotolia.com
