Q&A for How to Build and Tune a Wind Chime

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Question

How can I increase sound from wind chime?

Community Answer

Keep the chimes tightly packed around the striker. Place them all at even lengths from the striker and each other. Add a striker and sail if you don't have one. Hang the wind chime higher from the ground and place it in an area where more wind can reach it.

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Question

If I use copper tubing, what is the best and lowest maintenance way to prevent long-term corrosion from weather?

Community Answer

Copper has its own corrosion resistance called "Patina". If you've ever seen green metal roofing, soffit or rain gutters, that's what this is. If you don't like either look and you want the reddish bright copper, you'll need to protect it from oxygen. A spray shellac or clear coat varnish with several coats will temporarily inhibit oxidation. Look for a product with UV stabilizers as sunlight tends to quickly break down most of these, especially water-based products.

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Question

Is there any way to tune the chimes other than length adjustment?

Community Answer

Use a frequency counter. There is a PC program that will count the frequency of sound if a regular counter is not available.

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Question

What are the length of pipe for brass wind chimes?

Community Answer

You can make the pipes as long as you want. Feel free to experiment with the length to find the sounds you like, remembering that shorter pipes produce higher but shorter sounds. You can consider cutting pipes in a descending length such as making them 22, 20, 18, 16, and 14 inches long.

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Question

What do I use on the pipe to thread the string through?

Community Answer

You can use a carpet needle or upholstery needle.

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Question

If I cap my pipes and run my string through them, will that diminish or muddle the sound?

Community Answer

Yes, it will. Think of the baffles used on trumpets in a jazz band. The sound will hit the cap instead of running through the open ends and reverberate back into the pipe. You'll still hear it, but it will be muddy as you mention, and won't have that beautiful tone.

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Question

How do I make base steel pipes that are all the same length?

Community Answer

Consult a manufacturer. You'll pay a premium as opposed to say going to a local hardware store, but if you want exact tolerances you'll need to get them from a professional machine shop or direct from the manufacturer. I'm guessing you're trying to match a single tone for all of them. If you have a sander, you might be able to achieve this goal by making small changes on cheap pipes from the hardware store.

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Question

What do I do if my wind chime isn't making much sound at all?

Community Answer

Several possibilities: are the spaces between the striker and tubes too far or the tubes spaced too far apart? The sail must be large enough to catch enough wind to move the striker with enough force. Also, larger-diameter tubes are louder than small.

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Question

Will it make a difference in sound if I cut the ends of a wind chime at an angle?

Community Answer

In theory it may, due to shortening of the scale, which creates quicker and higher pitched notes and shorter sustain. However, it will probably be a slight difference in pitch.

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Question

If I lower the clapper on a wind chime, will I get a deeper sound?

Community Answer

No, you can only get a deeper pitch by having longer tubes. The clapper location will only affect tone quality, but the middle will probably be best.

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Question

Can the striker for a wind chime be made of plexiglas?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. It will produce a "sharper" tone than wood does. It is not an unpleasant "ring", but it just depends on what you want for the sound. Try out a different striker for comparison. The softer the material (i.s., pine, walnut, oak, Plexiglas, etc.) the softer the ring.

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Question

How much does the striker need to weigh for a wind chime?

Community Answer

The weight of the striker does not really matter. It should be the same thickness, or slightly smaller, than the platform and formed to a "rounded V' shape to make the best contact with your chimes. It also depends on the diameter of your chimes. The thickness of your striker should not exceed the thickness of the diameter of your chime material.

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Question

Does it matter how long I cut the tubes the right length?

JACOB HERNANDEZ

Community Answer

Changing the tube size and width would affect the tone and pitch of each tube.

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