How to Make a Wind Chime

Got a drawer full of odd buttons, single earrings, and spare keys you can't bring yourself to toss? This craft puts them to work. CraftyHope turns a clean tin can lid and a handful of junk-drawer bits into a colorful wind chime for your porch or garden.

The whole thing is upcycled, so your cost is close to nothing. You punch a few holes in a cleaned can, wire up your favorite little treasures, and link everything together with jump rings. No two chimes come out the same, which is half the fun.

Follow along and you'll have a one-of-a-kind wind chime swaying outside by the end of the afternoon.

What makes a chime ring

Sound comes from hard things hitting hard things. Keys, bells, old spoons, metal charms and washers clink. Plastic buttons and wooden beads clack softly or not at all. Put at least three or four metal pieces at the bottom of strands, where they swing the most.

Spacing matters as much as material. Dangles that hang too far apart never touch. Too close and they knot together. Leave about a finger width between neighbours and vary the lengths, so the ends sit at different heights and strike each other on the way past. A heavier center dangle works as a clapper.

Other bases that work

• Driftwood. Drill small holes along the length and hang dangles in a row.
• An embroidery hoop. The inner wooden ring makes a light circle. Seal it before it goes outside.
• An old pot lid. The knob becomes your hanger. Punch holes around the edge.
• A mason jar lid ring. Small, cheap, and easy to tie onto.

Smoothing the edges safely

Wear work gloves while you handle a cut can. Flatten any burr with a hammer on scrap wood, then run a metal file along the rim in one direction until your gloved thumb slides over it. A side-cutting can opener leaves a smooth rim to begin with, so use one if you have it. Punched holes have a rough back side too. File those or use large jump rings so the wire cannot saw through.

Wire, fishing line and knots

20 gauge craft wire is right for wrapped loops on beads and buttons. For long strands, braided or monofilament fishing line in the 20 to 30 pound range holds up well outdoors. Tie it with a palomar or improved clinch knot, the same knots anglers trust, and put a dab of clear glue on each one. Plain overhand knots in slippery line work loose in the first good wind.

Weatherproofing

Tin cans are steel with a thin coating, and they rust wherever you punched or scratched it. Hit the can with a rust-inhibiting spray primer before painting, then finish with a clear outdoor sealer. Seal any painted buttons or charms too. The same idea is covered in how to paint rocks for the garden.

Where to hang it

Hang it at head height or a little above, somewhere it will catch moving air. Under a porch eave keeps the worst rain off. Skip the spot right outside a bedroom window, and think about your neighbours before you hang a loud one by the fence.

Common mistakes

• Tangled strands. Too long or too close. Shorten them or add a swivel at the top.
• Rust streaks. No primer. Sand the spot, prime and reseal.
• No sound. Too much plastic. Add metal at the strand ends.
• Wire pulling out. Close every jump ring fully with two pliers.

If the wire loops are fun, the same skills make a beaded bracelet. For another piece to hang in the garden, try a suncatcher.