sierraclub.org - sierra magazine - march/april 2013 - repurpose: silverware fish chime
Silverware Fish Chime
Turn old spoons into musical guppies
By Wendy Becktold
Lori EanesWind chimes can be incredibly sophisticated, with pipes cut to calculated lengths to produce specific notes. But I just wanted something simple that would look and sound pleasant--and that wasn't mass-produced.
I liked the wind chimes I found online that were fashioned from silverware, especially one with spoons turned into dangling schools of fish. I nearly bought it, but decided to try making my own instead. I'm all for supporting artists who recycle old household items into such delightful creations, and I often worry that I'm not talented enough to replicate something a professional has made. But I love overcoming those doubts. I see it as a form of environmental activism: The more stuff I make, the less I just reflexively buy.
And it's fun. I dug some old spoons out of our overstocked silverware drawer, sawed off the handles, pounded the bowls flat, and drilled two holes in each piece--one for an eye and one for some fishing line. I hung my piscine music makers from the lid of a silver sugar bowl, put them out on the porch, and listened to them swim.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 6 | CONSTRUCTION TIME: 6-8 HOURS
It's important to have a solid, well-anchored vise to secure the spoons while you cut and drill.
What You'll Need: - 4 to 6 spoons of similar shape and size
- Heavy hammer or mallet
- A bunch of sturdy paper (like poster board)
- Pen
- Clamp
- Rotary tool with a high-quality bit for cutting metal
- Goggles
- Gloves
- Sanding bit and/or file
- Pliers
- Rubber band
- Tweezers
- Lid from a sugar bowl or small cooking pot (preferably with a handle on the top)
- Measuring tape
- Fishing line
- Electric drill with a high-quality bit for drilling through metal
Inspired by the designs of Neva Starr at etsy.com/shop/nevastarr.