Has anybody ever made any wind chimes?

[Dennis Peacock]

The LOML really LOVES wind chimes.....I'd like to know what kinds of metal tubing it takes to get the nice tones. Anybody here ever made any? I'm looking for tips, tricks, design ideas, and most of all....great tones. She doesn't like those that sound like they came out of a kids toy store. The last chime set I bought here about almost $70 and she really likes them.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Uh....Dennis.....I'm thinking a little spindle turning and one of those lamp drills.........Tune your own.....:D

[tod evans]

dennis, we have several at the house, either emt or copper are the tubes. i like the sound of ceramic clappers better than wood or metal..02 tod

[Dave Ray]

Dennis, a buddy of mine makes wind chimes out of silver spoons, that he buys real cheap in second hand stores (Pawn Shops). They sound real good and definitely are different. Just another thought to add to your mix. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Halsey MCCombs]

http://www.midnightpass.com/mainebuoybells.html Just a idea for styles Halsey

[Steve Clardy]

Hey. Ain't you supposed to be stacking wood in a shed somewhere:confused:


Copper tubing works well. Looks good after a year or so.:D

[Dennis Peacock]

Hey. Ain't you supposed to be stacking wood in a shed somewhere:confused:


Copper tubing works well. Looks good after a year or so.:D

Nope...no woodstacking..........yet. The lady is out of state until tomorrow afternoon. I will call here and see if we can work something more "reasonble" out. There's some wood in there I'd like to have....but I don't want a bunch of junk.

Copper tubing.....I may give that a try. :)

[Art Mulder]

I find that I get tired of the sound of the metal ones far too quickly.

Instead, every now and then I think about making them with bamboo for the pipes. Gives a much more muted, gentle tone.

FYI, FWIW.

[Joe Pelonio]

I make them out of stained glass, really nice tinkly sound, but more delicate to heavy winds.

[Randy Meijer]

Dennis: Do an Internet search and you will find lots of plans. I have made several sets out of 3/4" electrical conduit. Tuning the things by getting the tubes cut to the correct length and drilling the holes for the hangers in the right place is critical if you want a nice sound. You can't just cut the tubing and drill the holes indiscriminately.


I may have a link to the plans for the last wind chime that I built. I will check when I get home and post whatever I find. It has 6 tubes, the longest being around 42" IIRC.

[Doug Shepard]

I find that I get tired of the sound of the metal ones far too quickly.

Instead, every now and then I think about making them with bamboo for the pipes. Gives a much more muted, gentle tone.

FYI, FWIW.

Amen. My next door neighbors have some large bamboo ones - the biggest might be 2" diam if that. It's a real mellow soothing sound. The people kitty-corner behind me have metal ones that are positively annoying in comparison.

[Kevin French]

My father gave me some 1 1/4" brass tube I cut it to 6, 9, 12, 15, 18". the star is one of a stack of about 20 I found in the dump. all the holes I drilled I inserted small gormets to cut down on the waring on the line, which is a braided waxed line.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g179/sweeper54/windchimes.jpg

[Gary Herrmann]

My wife brought a set home a few years ago. I don't know how much they cost (nor do I want to) but to me, they sound like church bells ringing in the distance. My musician neighbor says they ring in G minor.

I just like having a beer and reading a magazine on the porch when its windy, so what do I know?

[Randy Meijer]

Dennis:

Here is a small set.

http://www.michaelholigan.com/departments/tvshow/seg_tscript.asp?ts%5Fid=5744&text%5Ftype=S&text%5Fpage=1&mscssid=FGR5TU125JFX9PK3NJLNBSK6S58KBWC8 (http://www.michaelholigan.com/departments/tvshow/seg_tscript.asp?ts%5Fid=5744&text%5Ftype=S&text%5Fpage=1&mscssid=FGR5TU125JFX9PK3NJLNBSK6S58KBWC8)

And here is a big set.

http://www.michaelholigan.com/departments/tvshow/seg_tscript.asp?ts%5Fid=9713&text%5Ftype=S&text%5Fpage=1&mscssid=FGR5TU125JFX9PK3NJLNBSK6S58KBWC8 (http://www.michaelholigan.com/departments/tvshow/seg_tscript.asp?ts%5Fid=9713&text%5Ftype=S&text%5Fpage=1&mscssid=FGR5TU125JFX9PK3NJLNBSK6S58KBWC8)

I'm sure you can find other plans on the Internet; but these will get you started. Randy

[Aaron Koehl]

My wife brought a set home a few years ago. I don't know how much they cost (nor do I want to) but to me, they sound like church bells ringing in the distance. My musician neighbor says they ring in G minor.

I just like having a beer and reading a magazine on the porch when its windy, so what do I know?
Hmm.. a wind chime that rang with a good jazz chord, like C7b9/#5. I wonder if I could discern between different voicings in wind-chime..

[John Shuk]

I made a set from aluminum a long time ago when my friend ran an anodizing shop. They were really nice. I gave them away and wish that I never had. I've also used copper pipe as well as steel bar stock. All have been fine. You often see people use old forks and spoons which are hammered flat. They seem to work just fine. I don't think you can go wrong with anything you choose.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

It is really easy:
Cut any metal tube to a length that you arrive at by comparing the tone of the tube to a tone from a piano, guitar, or other known chord producing instrument.
Select the tones that correspond to the tones used to make up any chord whether it be magor or minor. The sound you want is a chord when the tubes are all struck.

The rule to follow if to avoid random lengths as they will produce an atonal racket. Instead use lengths and tubes you arrived at using a method as I describe.

You want the sound of the final assembly to be a chord not merely a random collection of noises.

Other than that, the world is your oyster

[W Craig Wilson]

Hmm.. a wind chime that rang with a good jazz chord, like C7b9/#5. I wonder if I could discern between different voicings in wind-chime..

Yea and I'll bet you're just the guy to write an algorithm to calculate the lengths based on diameter and mean density of the materials.

Oh, the boundless enthusiasm of youth. Lighten up, youngster; wind chimes are for making mellow ;)

[Dennis Peacock]

Yea and I'll bet you're just the guy to write an algorithm to calculate the lengths based on diameter and mean density of the materials.

Oh, the boundless enthusiasm of youth. Lighten up, youngster; wind chimes are for making mellow ;)

ROFL!!!!!!! Aaron may be just a kid, but I do like some nice Jazz/Blue tunes as well. ;) Old fellers can still "get down" when it comes to some good foot stompin' music that makes ya wiggle. :D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

ROFL!!!!!!! Aaron may be just a kid, but I do like some nice Jazz/Blue tunes as well. ;) Old fellers can still "get down" when it comes to some good foot stompin' music that makes ya wiggle. :D

Dennis at our age and build ........it's more of a wave.....wobble......roll than a wiggle!:D

[samson smith]

The LOML really LOVES wind chimes.....I'd like to know what kinds of metal tubing it takes to get the nice tones. Anybody here ever made any? I'm looking for tips, tricks, design ideas, and most of all....great tones. She doesn't like those that sound like they came out of a kids toy store. The last chime set I bought here about almost $70 and she really likes them.

Yes, its very simple to make wind chimes. You need four same size metal pipes, two steel plates, one hanging pin, and thread etc. You make five holes in the steel plate; four in the corners and one in the center. You attach all metal rods to the corner holes of the steel plate by thread and placed other steel plate with the help of thread between the metal rods that is attached to the hanging pin that passes through the center hole of first steel plate.The first steel plate attached to the hanging pin. It produce music like sound. At last your wind chimes is ready.

[Belinda Barfield]

Dennis, no advice on the wind chime construction, but a word of caution. A friend bought a very expensive, large bamboo wind chime. I spent quite a few nights on her deck drinking wine and listening to the soothing tones. She left them out over what passes for winter here. Some time in January came time for power washing of patios and decks at our condo complex, so my friend moved everything inside from her deck. She came home from work late in the afternoon to find her condo filled with wasps, and two verry distressed cats. Apparenlty the wasps nested in the large bamboo tubes and then hibernated (i guess) over the wnter. When the chimes were moved into the warm codo the wasps woke up and decided it was time to play. So, watch for the wasps.:eek:

[Mike Langford]

Hey guys (Samson & Belinda)....Y'all do realize this thread is from 2006 :D Dennis has probably built a few wind chimes in the roughly 5+ yrs.... (it also only took me 6 days to reply to yawl's replies ;))

But its all good.....

[Belinda Barfield]

Hey guys (Samson & Belinda)....Y'all do realize this thread is from 2006 :D Dennis has probably built a few wind chimes in the roughly 5+ yrs.... (it also only took me 6 days to reply to yawl's replies ;))

But its all good.....

A) Dennis never followed up to say he had built windchimes, therefore I had no closure on the thread.
B) Just because it's from 2006 doesn't mean that wasps aren't still building nests in windchimes.
:D:D:D

Just tryin' to do my part . . .

P.S. It's "y'all's". There ain't no W.:D

[John Shuk]

I've used random lengths of copper pipe in the past. I was pleased with the result.

[ray hampton]

A) Dennis never followed up to say he had built windchimes, therefore I had no closure on the thread.
B) Just because it's from 2006 doesn't mean that wasps aren't still building nests in windchimes.

w
:D:D:D

Just tryin' to do my part . .


. P.S. It's "y'all's". There ain't no W.:D

wasps in the house is not that bad compare to picking up a hornet nest in the dead of winter and tossing it in the back seat , the car heater brought the hornets out before the driver got home

[victoria stiles]

Its not difficult to make wind chimes. A friend of mine was having hand made wind chime. Its not too difficult to make wind chime. you can attach aluminum pipes, glass pipes with the compact disk. They really look nice. You can also use bamboos with the wooden plates using metal hooks. Wind chimes made by hard disks also look good and produces beautiful music.

[John alder]

This post reminds me I made one years back out of a discarted door bell chime 3 lenths of brass 1 inch tubes,I think I am going to rebuild it and put it in the vegie garden.Tanks for the idea.

[victoria stiles]

Yes sure. It will be a good idea to make. please tell me about your chimes after making them.