How to Make DIY Wind Chimes With Copper Pipes
Learn how to make wind chimes — outdoor art pieces that sound as pretty as they look — with this easy step-by-step guide.
Jennie Andrews
Step aside garden stools and friendly gnomes: Wind chimes are the only garden accessories that sound as pretty as they look. And making your own is easier than you think. Copper piping brings an architectural vibe to the project, keeping the lines sleek and timeless. With only a few hardware store supplies and basic cutting and drilling tools, you'll have a set of DIY wind chimes that will add sparkle and sweet sounds to your outdoor space — no special skills required.
Tools and Materials
- copper pipe
- fishing line
- terra cotta saucer
- copper pipe cutter
- small pot
- measuring tape
- marker
- scissors
- diamond drill bit
Jennie Andrews
How to Make Wind Chimes
1. Measure and Cut Pipe
Measure and mark eight copper pipes, starting with an 18-inch length and decreasing each one by two inches, ending with a 6-inch length. Each length produces a slightly different tone, which is what gives your wind chimes that ethereal, musical sound. Use a handheld tension pipe cutter to cut each piece at your marked measurements. Additionally, cut one section of pipe about one inch long.
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
2. Drill the Hanging Holes
Using a 1/8-inch diamond drill bit, drill a hole through each pipe about an inch from one end, making sure the bit goes all the way through. Take your time here; let the drill do the work to keep the holes clean. Do not drill a hole in the small, 1-inch piece of pipe.
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
3. Drill the Saucer
Using the same diamond bit, drill nine holes in a terra cotta saucer — one in the center and eight evenly spaced around the outer edge. (The outer holes are where your pipes will hang, and the center hole is for a small pot that acts as the clanger.) To find the true center of the saucer, lay a ruler across the widest point and mark the middle, then rotate the ruler and repeat until your marks converge on the same spot. For the eight outer holes, use the same ruler method to find four evenly spaced points around the edge, then split the spaces between them to land all eight. Mark everything before you start drilling so your spacing stays balanced.
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
4. Hang the Pipes
Thread a length of clear acrylic filament through the holes in the top of each pipe, positioning the pipe at the midpoint of each filament. Feed both ends of the filament up through one of the eight outer holes in the saucer. Arrange the pipes from longest to shortest as you go, so they form a gentle spiral when viewed from the side. Once all eight pipes are hung, gather the filament ends together at the top of the saucer and tie them loosely. (You'll adjust the final lengths and tension later.)
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
5. Add the Clapper
Use the 1-inch pipe to act as an anchor for your clapper. Thread a piece of filament through this small pipe, leaving two equal tails on either side. Feed both tails through the drainage hole in the bottom of the small pot (threading from the inside out), so the pipe sits horizontally inside the pot, holding it in place. Then feed both filament ends up through the center hole of the saucer and join them with the gathered filaments from your pipes. The pot should hang just low enough to tap the pipes when the wind catches them.
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
Jennie Andrews
6. Adjust and Hang
Gather all of the filament ends together and adjust the tension until your pipes hang at the heights you want and the clapper sits right in the sweet spot. Tie everything off with a sturdy knot, and trim any excess filament. Finally, find the perfect breezy spot to hang your new favorite garden accessory.
Jennie Andrews
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