Building your own bamboo wind chime in 9 easy steps
These are some simple instructions to help you make a basic bamboo wind chime. Just picture in your head the most basic and typical bamboo wind chime you can and you will have a good idea of what we are about to make. So with that you can take a look below at the instruction and please don't cut your self.
- Find some lengths of bamboo. It is important that the bamboo is seasoned or dry. You will be able to tell because it is brown. Chances are any garden center will have exactly what you want. Depending on the size of chime you are looking for the diameter should be between 1″ and 3″ just to make it easier to work with. If you want to go bigger or smaller then by all means go for it.
- Once you have your lengths of bamboo you need to cut it to its finished length. This all depends on the bamboo. You want to have to full chambers and most of a third. so cut above the first chamber and then give two full chambers and finally cut it off just before the third.
- Using a vise, hold the bamboo in place so you can cut the bamboo length ways. You want to cut the open third chamber down its length. Depending on how tough the bamboo is you may be able to use a sharp knife but more likely you will l have to use a hand saw or a hatchet and mallet. Start my making a cut just after the start of the third chamber about half way through. This is the end of the long cut. Now using a saw or hatchet cut open the chamber length wise and make is so half of that open chamber is cut away. Do this with all 7 lengths.
- Drill a hole 1 ” down from the top in each piece to hang it from.
- Cut a plywood circle about 8″ in diameter and divide it into 7 sections and drill a hole 3/4″ in from the outside making a spot to hang each bamboo chime from.
- Tie the bamboo chimes from the plywood disk using thin picture wire or fishing line.
- Cut a plywood disk about 1″ smaller then the inner space between the hanging bamboo for the striker and drill a hole in the center to hang it from.
- Hang it from the upper plywood disk at a height so it strikes the middle of the bamboo pieces.
- That is about it. Finish if you want to.
This is a simple design and you can make changes as you see fit. Just remember the longer and bigger diameter the bamboo the deeper the sound will be. Bamboo wind chimes are a great choice for areas where annoying your neighbours can be a problem.
