Fixing a wind chime

[19&41]

I've never tried for it, but I guess the ideal set would be each of the whole notes in music. I've had as many as 12 and as few as 1. It's one of those things one would need to experiment on.

[19&41]

my mother had 2 chimes that had 2 strung circular coaxial yokes and about 8 strings, each with a rectangle of glass about 3/4 inch by 2 1/2 inch they were fastened to the strings with gummed paper. all the sounders were at different levels, to be able to strike one another. They made a gentle tinkle.

[William]

Six sounders would be half a scale of musical notes, which kind of makes sense. Selecting which six notes you want would be another thing, unless that has no bearing on the making of chimes?

Bill

[19&41]

Arriving at a specific sound has bearing inasmuch as the dimensions of the sounder determines the nature of it's sound. If I really wanted to get specific tones, I would use aluminum rod. It seems to be most responsive to adjustment, by removal of material.

[William]

Thanks, Rex.

Bill

[19&41]

Here are some pics. The first is a long aluminum chime with a central sail and clapper. The yoke is a lid from a brass bric a brac. The second is a segmented brass vase with a sun sail and ring clapper. The third is supported on copper chain. It has a yoke made of grounding wire and 2 square sounders with ground wire clappers through shim stock sails. The fourth is a set of aluminum rod sounders on a combination yoke and sail that sets the whole thing in motion.

SORRY The pictures added in inverse order from the descriptions.

[William]

Nice job, Rex, I bet they sound good too. I like all the different styles. Where did you find the inspiration, or, were they all ideas you had?

Bill

[19&41]

I guess I just wanted to try something new each time, thanks.

[electra225]

I really like the long one made with aluminum tubes.

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

Rex, those are interesting and very
creative designs for your chimes.
Thanks for the photographs of them.

My arm is needing my patience to continue to heal,
and this topic really caught my eye today.
We are enjoying a windy, cool day after the cold front
and rain came yesterday.

This brought about my memories of how much I
enjoyed learning about Haiku poetry in junior high.
So, as my wind chimes are speaking, I was inspired
to write a Haiku for my friend and his wife in Italy.

This poetry is a meditation I will pick up again, as
it really allowed me to center as the tip of an arrow
does; to use a Zen metaphor.

[19&41]

Thanks, no problem. Greg, those are all aluminum rods, not tubes. They sell lengths of it at Home Depot. You'd be surprised at the beautiful chiming sound they make, from the xylophone like tones of the shorter lengths to the cymbal like sound of the long ones. It's interesting to see the different materials and shapes that can make pleasant tones, like brass rod wound into mainspring shapes making clock chimes or lengths of metal flat stock making hammered tones. I made one that was a 1 ft. brass disc made into a top that I'd set spinning with a electric drill, strike the edge and it'd ring for about 5 minutes while it spun.

[electra225]

We came home from shopping just now and found another wind chime laying on the patio. More rotten string. This may be a chronic problem after the summer is over. The lower strings broke on this one.

[19&41]

When one of mine has a line failure, I just go ahead and string the others. It's like replacing headlights in pairs.

[electra225]

This one has one string for all six sounders. The tops of the sounders are even, so that makes it easier. There is a staple with a knot under it that keeps the sounders in their proper alignment. This should be interesting. I believe all the string is still there, just in pieces.