A wind chime from old spoons
Give mismatched spoons a second life on a porch or by a window. Choose the sounds you like and arrange them into your own hanging instrument.
About this project
Some spoons ring, some clink, and some make a short, dull knock. Listen to yours before choosing which to hang. The spoon bowls hang close enough to knock against each other. Choose sounds you like and make a place for them.
Supplies
Materials & tools
- Three to five spare metal spoons, washed and dried, with smooth edges
- A sound stick, dowel, or narrow wood offcut about 25–35 cm long
- About 3 metres of strong braided cord or string
- Tape and scissors; a pencil helps mark hanging positions
- A secure hanging point and room for the spoons to swing clear of people and walls
Before you start
- Hold each spoon lightly near the top of its handle. Tap its wide bowl with another spoon. Keep the sounds you enjoy; some metal spoons ring and others do not.
- Tie the cords indoors over a table first. Keep tape and string off the bowls so they are free to ring.
Instructions
Hang the wooden bar
Tie one end of a long cord near each end of your wooden bar. Wrap the cord around the wood several times before tying each knot. Bring the two lengths up over the middle and tie them together to make a hanging loop. Hang the bar somewhere you can reach it. Adjust the cords until it sits about level. If a wrap slides along the wood, take it down and retie it.
Tie a cord to the first spoon
Cut a cord about 45 cm long. If the handle has a hole, pass the cord through and tie it. Otherwise put a thin tape band near the handle’s top. Just below it, add several wraps of tape to make a thicker ring. Wrap the cord twice around the thin band. Cross its short end over the long one, pass it through the loop, and pull tight. Repeat to make a second knot. Leave short ends sticking out. The thick tape ring should stop the cord sliding toward the bowl. Hold it over the table and gently tug the spoon downward. Retie anything that slips.
Hang the other spoons
Tie the free end of the spoon’s cord around the wooden bar. Add the others the same way, bowls pointing down. Adjust their cords so the bowls hang at about the same height. Move the cords along the bar until the bowls sit about 1 cm apart without touching. Then tighten the wraps and knots. Use the actual spoons to set the spacing; different sizes need different gaps.
Hang each spoon bowl-down from its own cord. Tape grip bands help the cords stay on the handles. Leave about a centimetre between neighbouring bowls so they can meet when they swing. Find the sound you want
Move one spoon gently toward its neighbour and let them touch. They should separate again rather than resting together. Change the spacing or turn a spoon if a bowl misses its neighbour. Listen as you go: a crisp clink or a loose clatter may be exactly what you want. Keep the cord clear of the bowls.
Give it a home
Hang it where a little moving air reaches it and every piece has room to swing. Start somewhere sheltered and accessible. A small breeze may not move this arrangement; you can also play it by brushing the spoons with your hand. After a day outside, check the knots, tape, and wood before leaving it hanging.
Troubleshooting
- The spoons never touch.
- Move their cords closer along the bar, or change cord lengths so the bowls hang beside each other. Gently move one spoon to check it can reach the next.
- Everything rests in a clump.
- Spread the cords a little farther apart and untwist them. Each bowl needs room to swing back after a knock. Shorter cords may tangle less.
- A cord slips down a handle.
- Take that spoon down. Replace its thin tape band and thicker ring, retie the cord, and gently pull-check it over a table. A spoon with a hole in its handle is easier to tie. Leave out any spoon you cannot attach securely.
- The sound is dull.
- Check that tape and cord grip only the handle, and that the bowl is not resting against another piece. Try a different spoon or keep the soft knock if it suits the chime.
Where to take it next
- Choose a short row with sounds you like together, or make an indoor hanging instrument you play by hand.
- Paint the wooden bar, wrap it in coloured thread, or make a gift around someone’s favourite old spoon. Get suitable help if you want to carve the wood.
- Use fewer, lighter spoons for a small space. Changing the arrangement is easier than adding more weight.
A closer look
When two spoons knock together, the metal moves back and forth very quickly: it vibrates. You hear that movement as sound. Holding or touching the bowl can stop the movement sooner. The wooden bar keeps the spoons apart, while their separate cords let them swing together and away again.
What it needs to do
A function can have more than one solution. These options belong to this example; try alternatives thoughtfully.
sounding pieces
Three to five clean, smooth spoons. Listen before choosing: their metal, shape, and the way they are held all affect the sound.
bar to hang the spoons from
A strong stick, round wooden rod, or narrow board about 25–35 cm long. Check that it stays straight with the spoons hanging from it.
hanging cords
Strong cord that holds a knot. Each spoon gets its own cord so it can swing and touch the next spoon.
keeping the cord on a handle
A thin tape band gives the cord something to grip. A thicker tape ring just below it stops the cord slipping downward. Gently pull-check each attachment over a table.
cutting cord
Use scissors that cut the cord. Leave short ends beyond each knot so it is less likely to come undone.