The sweet melody of a good quality wind chime is very soothing. This instrument plays itself by swaying in the wind. Unfortunately, commercial chimes are expensive. You can make one without too much difficulty in order to express your sensitivity through personalized sounds and decorations. Take some simple materials, learn how to tie a few knots, and you can make a beautiful hanging chime in your home.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: prepare the materials
Step 1. Choose the cylinders
The sound of the chime depends on many factors such as the material, length and width of the cylinders. The most common materials for this instrument are different metals, which you can find in the form of tubes, pipes or rods at a hobby or craft store or a recycling center. Try to find tubes with the same thickness of metal everywhere to achieve harmonious tones.
- The tubes and pipes are hollow. The rods are strong and resonate for a longer time.
- Hard metals like steel and aluminum produce sharper, softer sounds than softer metals like copper.
- The metal produces very good vibrations. Non-metallic objects such as glass or wood tubes produce a more hollow, muffled sound.
- To try out the sound produced by different metals such as copper or aluminum, go to a store that sells chimes or hit different pipes in a store with something that will make them vibrate, such as a wooden stick.
- You can also try out all kinds of novelty items like seashells or glass.
Step 2. Buy a link
Ties such as chains, synthetic thread or other sturdy material are required to hang the chime bracket from an attachment point. The strong nylon line like fishing line is ideal for supporting the weight of the instrument and can also be used to attach the tubes and roller to the stand.
- The material of the links has very little effect on the sound of the chime. This is mainly determined by the way the cylinders are suspended. The most important thing is to use strong bonds that will last a long time.
- If you want to hang the instrument from a tree or a hook, purchase a metal ring to attach the links at the top.
Step 3. Choose a clapper
It is a small object that positions itself between the cylinders and strikes them in such a way as to produce the vibrations that make the sound. A small hardwood puck is ideal.
- The leaf is often round so as to be able to strike all the cylinders in the same way. It can also be in the shape of a star. This shape allows you to hit all the tubes at the same time, but less hard.
- The material and weight of the clapper combined with the quality of the cylinders will determine the particular sound of the chime.
Step 4. Find a medium
This is a part from which you will hang the cylinders so that they hang around the leaf. Find something large enough for the chime you want to make. It must be larger than the clapper.
- Chime brackets are often made of wood, metal or plastic.
- Choose a rack from which you can hang five to eight tubes at the same height.
Step 5. Choose a "sail"
This is the part that hangs below the other parts of the instrument so that it sway in the wind and moves the clapper to hit the cylinders. This piece is often rectangular or circular and made of a material that can easily sway in the wind, such as wood.
- The sail can be a piece of wood with a fancy shape, like an animal, but it may be easier to use a simple block of wood that you can pierce and tie to the flapper with a wire.
- A small sail will last less than a large one, but a larger object will require stronger wind to move.
Part 2 of 4: attach the wing and sail to the support
Step 1. Mark the location of the links
Pick five to eight points on the stand where you will hang the cylinders and mark their position with a felt tip pen. They should be evenly spaced from the center of the support and spaced evenly. This is where you are going to drill holes for the links. Do not forget a point in the center to attach the clapper.
If necessary, mark dots on the other side indicating where you will attach ties to hang the bracket from an attachment point
Step 2. Drill out the bracket
Make very fine holes. The goal is to thread the links to which you will attach the other parts of the chime. Make a hole in the center of the support and one at each point of suspension of the cylinders. Then drill the center of the wing and a corner of the sail.
Step 3. Connect the sail to the wing
Cut a wire to the necessary length. Its length depends on the height at which you want to hang the pieces. For example, if you have 150cm of line, fold it in half, thread it through the hole in the sail, and tie a knot at the end to hold it in place. Tie another knot 40 cm or less from the first and thread the flapper on top.
- Try to position the sail near the bottom of the longer cylinder. The lower it is, the stronger the wind will have to be to move it with the weight to which it is attached.
- Remember that often the higher the chime, the stronger the wind. If the sail is too close to the ground, the instrument will not resonate much.
Step 4. Connect the leaf to the bracket
Thread the wire that comes out of the top of the flapper through the hole you drilled in the center of the bracket. Tie it firmly over the top face of the stand to hold it in place. If the wire is long enough, you can also use it to hang the chime from an attachment point. You can also use a hanger as a hook.
Part 3 of 4: add the cylinders
Step 1. Choose a cutting method
If you want precise notes, start by measuring the metal. Alternatively, you can use tubes as long as you want knowing that the shorter they are, the higher they will produce.
Many store-bought chimes produce a five-note pentatonic scale. How to get the desired grades depends on the type of cylinder used
Step 2. Cut out the cylinders
Measure the tubes to the desired length, mark the points and cut them out. You need a pipe cutter, a hacksaw or a handsaw. In the latter case, make sure the blade is suitable for the type of metal you are cutting.
- You may be able to have the tubes cut at a hardware or hardware store.
- If you have a piano or keyboard, play some notes and compare it to that produced by the cylinders when you hit them. Shorten each tube as needed.
Step 3. Sand the edges
Wrap the tubes in towels to protect them. Rub the cut edges with a file or sander to smooth them out. If the cylinders are not quite short enough, you can take the opportunity to file them down to remove the excess. Unless you remove a lot of metal, which would make the note higher, the sound of the chime will not be affected.
Step 4. Drill through the metal
How to do this depends on the material in question and how you want to hang the cylinders. For example, if they are copper, you can punch the sides of the part to be attached by making two holes facing each other and threading a wire through them later.
Step 5. Cut the wire
Take the wire that you are going to use to hang the cylinders and measure links of the desired length. It is advisable to position the top of each tube as close to the bracket as possible to prevent the chime from swaying too much. This will facilitate the work of the clapper.
- The length of these links affects how the clapper hits the cylinders. If it is not suitable, the clapper may have difficulty reaching certain tubes.
- If the cylinders are hung too low, they will sway more in the wind, preventing the chime from ringing true, as the clapper will not be able to hit each tube the same way.
Step 6. Thread the cylinders
How to do it depends on how you pierced them. If each tube has two holes at the top, just thread a thread through both far enough that you can tie it together. You can also choose a more complicated method. For example, you could thread a screw through both holes and attach a wire to it, or thread each link through a hole drilled in the center of a closed end cap and knot it before gluing the end cap to a cylinder.
Step 7. Connect the tubes to the bracket
Thread the threads through the holes you drilled around the perimeter of the bracket and tie the end above the top face of the item. When you are finished, lift the stand. The cylinders and flapper should hang below and the sail should hang a little lower.
To keep the bracket straight, try to distribute the weight of the cylinders as evenly as possible. Hang the longer ones facing each other
Part 4 of 4: suspend the chime
Step 1. Try the chime
Lift it up or find a way to hang it temporarily, like a string with a knot. Expose the instrument to the wind or strike the cylinders to see if they produce the desired sound and notes. Make sure all parts are secure and hang evenly.
Step 2. Move the clapper
For now, it is likely that the upper ends of the cylinders are aligned with each other near the bracket, and the flapper is slightly below the middle of the longer tube. You can manipulate the height and position of the tubes and the clapper to achieve different effects.
- If you line up the bottom ends of the cylinders, the wires connecting them to the bracket will all be different lengths and the clapper should be slightly below the middle of the shorter cylinder.
- If you line up the middle of the tubes, the flapper will be flush with the middle of each tube. The links will all be different lengths and the ends of the cylinders will not line up neither at the top nor at the bottom.
Step 3. Install a hook
If you haven't attached a tie to the top side of the stand, you can attach a metal hook to it. You may need to bend it with flat pliers so that it can be hooked onto the metal chain you will use to hang the chime.
You can also extend one or more links attached to the cylinders and the leaf above the support, or install three hooks arranged in a triangle to suspend the instrument
Step 4. Choose a location
Look for somewhere to install the chime. Hang it from a tree branch, a metal ring or hook, or anywhere else. Find a location where there will be sufficient wind and hang the instrument high enough to achieve the desired sound.
Advice
- Do not hesitate to try out different materials that can produce musical notes as they collide to make the cylinders.
- Decorate the chime as desired. You could string beads on the links or glue three wooden blocks on top of each other to form the support.
- Test the chime frequently during manufacture to ensure the instrument's sound and appearance meet your expectations.