24. Handmade Wind Chimes

Photo by matttorontocanada.

Wind chimes can be made out of almost any material. Whatever pleases the eye and makes a wonderful noise can be hung up and enjoyed! Glass wind chimes and metal wind chimes are particular favorites. Or, when creating your own wind chimes, try using some of these materials:

seashells
bamboo
wood
glass
keys
tools
silverware
pipe

SILVERWARE CHIME

This chime makes use of all those odd bits of cutlery that you have accumulated over the years. And it makes a perfect gift for that person who loves to cook!

MATERIALS


4 spoons
2 forks (with some spares, just in case)
drill
1/16th inch drill bit
Needle-nosed pliers
fishing line
safety goggles

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparing the Cutlery


1. Put on your safety goggles.
   
2. Drill a hole in each of the four spoon handles, approximately 1/8th of an inch from the top. Sand holes down with metal file, so that there are no sharp edges.
   
3. Choose one fork to be the hanging fork from which the spoons will be suspended. Drill a hole in the flat part of this fork, just above the tines.
   
4. Using your needle-nosed pliers, carefully bend the tines of the fork to a 90° angle.
   
5. Bend the two inside tines of the fork so that they are pointing north and south. Bend each of the two outside tines so that they are pointing east and west. Be sure to have backup forks, in case any of the tines break.
   
6. Using the tip of your pliers, carefully twist the ends of each of the tines into a loop.
   
7. Bend the handle of the fork over to make a hook to hang the chime with.
   
8. Drill a hole in your base fork. This hole should be about 1/8th of an inch from the top of the handle.

Hanging the Chime


1. Tie a piece of fishing line from the hole in the hanging fork to the hole in the base fork. The base fork should hang about six inches down.
   
2. Tie fishing line through each of the holes created by the tines of the hanging fork. Tie the other end of each piece of string to the hole in each spoon. The bowl of each spoon should hit the stem of the base fork.
   
3. Now you're ready to hang them

COPPER PIPE WIND CHIME

This elegant copper pipe wind chime will add a touch of style and hint of music to any garden or patio.

MATERIALS


12 feet of copper tubing (this can be found in the plumbing section of your local DIY|hardware store)
metal crimper (also found at your DIY|hardware store)
drill
1/4 inch drill bit (you want one that is good for drilling into metal)
1/2 inch drill bit (to drill into the two round wood pieces)
safety goggles
roll of string
three feet of nylon rope
two round pieces of wood (small, and large)


INSTRUCTIONS


This wind chime uses a round piece of wood from which the copper pipes are suspended. The smaller piece of wood is then hung in between the copper chimes. When the wind blows, the chimes knock against the wood, creating sound.


1. Cut six separate pipes from the copper tubing at the following lengths:
   
   • 18 inches
     
   • 20 inches
     
   • 22 inches
     
   • 24 inches
     
   • 26 inches
     
   • 28 inches
   
   - To do this, you need to mark these measurements on the tubing and, using your metal crimper, cut the six pipes.
   
2. Wearing your goggles, drill a ¼ inch hole in the top of each pipe. This hole should be about a ½ inch from the top of each pipe.
   
3. Drill a ½ inch hole in the center of the large and small pieces of wood.
   
4. Drill six ¼ inch holes around the perimeter of the large piece of wood. These holes should be equidistant from one another. This piece of wood will act as the platform for the chimes.
   
5. Using your string, thread each pipe through each of the six holes on the large piece of wood. The pipes should hang a couple of inches from the base of the wood platform.
   
6. Using your nylon rope, create a loop from which to hang the chime. Thread the end of this loop through the center of the wood platform. To the base of this handle, tie the small piece of wood. The pipes will knock against this wood to create sound.
   
7. Hang and enjoy!

Reources: Repair Home and Al Carrell

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