Tune up time

Mark Rayner shows how to make wind chimes for your garden or a Christmas gift.

You will need: A paint tin lid, 2 metres of 15mm-diameter copper pipe, 20mm treated plywood, stainless steel sink strainer, a 40mm x 4mm stainless steel eye-screw, 6mm x 15mm, stainless steel screws, 4mm x 20mm stainless steel nuts, bolts and washers.

Galvanised chain, 2.5mm black nylon cord, small offcut of dowel, pencil, ruler, pliers, hacksaw, metal file, screwdriver, adjustable spanner, drill with 4mm drill bit and a jigsaw. Exterior PVA glue, sandpaper and a paintbrush.

Testpot of Resene Waterborne Woodsman in Resene Pitch Black.

Step one
Use a large paint-tin lid and pencil to trace a circle on to a piece of 20mm plywood. Cut out the circle with a jig-saw and smooth rough edges with sandpaper.

Step two
Cut eight, 250mm lengths of galvanised chain.

Step three
Cut eight lengths of copper piping at differing lengths from 210mm to 280mm, as shown. Smooth rough edges with a metal file.

Step four
Place the small piece of dowel in the first length of copper piping and drill a 4mm hole about 15mm from the end, right through the piping, as shown. Remove the dowel.

Step five
Thread a 4mm bolt through both holes and through the first link of one length of chain. Use a small washer on each side and fix with the nut. Tighten with a screwdriver and adjustable spanner. Repeat with the other lengths of copper piping and chain.

Step 6 a set of for how to make wind chimes for your garden or a Christmas gift

Step six
Mark eight equidistant points round the plywood circle. Fix a chain at each point about 15mm from the ply edge with a 15mm screw, as shown. Thread a length of black nylon cord through the sink strainer’s central hole and knot it underneath.

Step 7 a set of for how to make wind chimes for your garden or a Christmas gift

Step seven
Drill a 3.5mm hole through the plywood circle’s centre. Thread the other end of the black nylon cord through, from the underside. Place a blob of PVA glue in the hole and screw the eye-screw in place from the top, as shown. Cut off excess cord.

Step 8 a set of for how to make wind chimes for your garden or a Christmas gift

Step eight
When the glue is dry, apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman to the plywood circle, allowing each coat two hours to dry.

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Resene Paints Ltd – www.resene.com