How to Make Wind Chimes From Old Silverware

Co-authored by Diane Henkler

Last Updated: November 19, 2024 Approved

The sound of wind chimes jingling in the breeze can be a very pleasant addition to a spring or summer afternoon spent outdoors. If the idea of making your own wind chimes appeals to you, you are in luck: these simple decorative pieces can be crafted from a number of different repurposed materials. The guide below describes how to make wind chimes from old silverware using only a few tools and a little bit of time.

Steps

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For this project, you will need 6 pieces of silverware, at least 1 of which must be a fork. Forks and spoons are preferable to knives, as the thick handles of knives make them difficult to drill a hole through for hanging. You will also need a pair of pliers, a pair of needle-nose pliers, a drill and a set of drill bits, and some fishing line or thin ribbon.
2
Prepare the fork that will be the centerpiece. All of the remaining pieces of silverware will hang from this central fork. To prepare it, you will need to drill 2 holes in it and bend its prongs to allow for hanging the other pieces.
- Begin by drilling the hole for hanging the entire wind chime. This hole should be placed in the handle of the fork, very close to the end. Select a very small drill bit for this job - preferably 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) or smaller. All-purpose drill bits will generally be able to handle drilling through metal if they are high-quality. You may want to secure the fork to a work surface using a C-clamp while you drill.
- Next, drill a hole in the central fork for hanging a piece of silverware directly below it. This hole should be drilled in the center of the broad part of the fork, just above the tines.
- Now you'll need to bend each of the fork's tines in a different direction to make room for the other pieces hanging below. Use your pliers to bend each tine until they are at a 90 degree angle to the fork's handle. Make the bend right where the tine meets the broad part of the fork, and spread the tines out until they are each at right angles to their adjacent tines.
- Finally, curl the end of each tine so that the fishing line can be looped through it. Use your needle-nose pliers to grab the end of each tine and wrap it back on itself until it forms a small loop.
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Only 1 hole needs to be drilled in each of the 5 additional pieces of silverware. Position the hole very near the end of the handle of each piece. Again, you may want to secure the silverware with a C-clamp when drilling.
4
Make decorative changes to the remaining pieces of silverware if desired. The 5 remaining pieces of silverware can be hung as-is, or they can be altered in shape.
- For example, you can use your needle-nose pliers to curl the tines of forks tightly back onto themselves. You could also curl the blade of a knife or the basin of a spoon in the same way.
- Another option is hammering each piece of silverware flat. This would best be accomplished by laying the silverware on a hard work surface and striking them with a sledgehammer.
5
Hang the lower pieces of silverware from the central fork. To begin assembling the wind chimes, cut 5 pieces of fishing line to the length that you want the lower pieces of silverware to hang.
- Carefully tie the end of each piece of fishing line to the hole in each lower piece of silverware. Cut off any excess length after securing the knot.
- Loop the other end of the fishing line through 1 of the curled tines of the centerpiece fork. Tie a knot to secure it in place. The fifth piece of silverware should be tied to the hole you drilled in the broad part of the central fork.
Now, the 5 lower pieces of silverware should be hanging from the centerpiece fork above. The only remaining step is to tie a piece of fishing line through the hole in the handle of the central fork. This fishing line can then be tied to a hook in your ceiling, covered porch, or another location.

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Question

Does this wind chime really make a pleasant sound?

Community Answer

"Pleasant sound" is completely subjective. The sound will be pleasant to some, and perhaps not so pleasant to others. If you make them and you really dislike the sound, just leave them up until one of your friends says, "What a lovely sound," and then give them away.

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Question

If I am using glue to close the loops around the prongs, how can I keep them from coming undone?

Gabriel

Community Answer

You need to use thin wire to hold your silverware instead of glue. 18 to 26 gauge copper or silver wire is good enough for the weight of the ornament. Make a pretzel loop 3 or 4 inches / 5 to 10 cm from one end. Slide the silverware's prong or handles through the loops and pull the wire tight to close the loops and tighten the piece. Now grab the end and twist it to firmly hold them in place.

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We've gone through several drill bits, either using a hand drill, or my husbands Shop Smith. We've used bees wax on the drill bit, placed the drill bit in water to cool it, you name it we've done it. I'm making wind chimes out of, silverware, stainless flatware. I'm just plain discouraged. We've used all the special sorts of drill bits. Can you tell me what we're doing wrong?

Community Answer

Don't drill so fast. Take it slow and let the bit do its work. Also, you may need to anneal your silverware if it is hardened. Heat it up to glowing red and let it cool down slowly.

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Tips

You can give stainless steel silverware an aged appearance by exposing it to direct flame. The flame's heat will discolor the steel in unpredictable patterns.

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You can string decorative beads along the fishing line for a more ornate appearance.

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Flatten the forks and spoons in a vice so they will hang straight.

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