Hi all I am wondering about becoming the scourge of my neighbours(*) and making a garden set of tubular bells.
I'd like to find a source of suitable metal pipe. It should be:
- of decent diameter, say >= 20mm
- non-rusting (within reason)
- cheap
Scaff pipe is a bit too hefty, and something like 28mm Cu pipe is a bit pricy. Any thoughts about something in between? I'd probably need a bit less than 10m.
(*) not really, it would only be for when the granddaughter came round...
Thanks J^n
I am not sure if cu has a good ring to it. What about something like cheap shower curtain pole or aluminium aerial mast?
Make sure she knows about Mike Oldfield.
It's fine. I have a set hanging in my workshop that I made years ago from standard 15mm copper pipe. The 'ring' sounds just like any such wind chimes. If you want to protect the pipe from the elements, spray it with Halfords clear lacquer. This is made for protecting ally wheel rims and the like. It's a real easy spray can, cheap, quick drying, and very tough. I use it for all sorts of oddball uses. My three tubes are 32 cm, 37 cm and 43 cm, which gives that nice 'mournful' slightly off-key sound combination that makes these chimes so endearing to everyone ... :-) Each tube is suspended using a fishing line through a pair of 3 mm holes drilled straight through about 7 mm from the top
Arfa
chromed steel pipe as used for some plumbing. But it ain't rustproofed.
brass is a possible.
There seems to be lots of info here:
Copper pipes as chimes outside these days wouldn't be there for long.
Don't really see why not. Three foot of 15mm copper pipe is hardly worth nicking for the scrap value, is it ?
Arfa
Hi all thansk for the many and varied responses...
For the record, I'm not making wind chimes, but something you have to manually strike to make a sound. I like the idea of Alu Mast poles .. but Andy Dingley's bike tubing sounds even better. If I hadn't scrapped my Bob Jackson Super Tourist a while ago...
Will update you as the thing progresses...
Cheers J^n
There are previous discussions online about making glockenspielenthingens.
Or you could ask this guy what he used - probably aluminum tube
You need something sonorous ..that rules out scaffolding tube and copper pipe.
Brass pipe might work ... chrome on brass towel rails for example ?
I have one I bought in Canada many years ago ... and it is some hard aluminum alloy tube .. quite thin wall.
We've got an almost-set of tubular bells in the orchestra. Almost-set because somebody borrowed the low 'C' and never brought it back. They are made of thick gauge 1.5" brass tube with a brass cap brazed onto the top. They are very heavy too. Ours are heavily chrome plated. They are suspended on multistrand steel cable - similar to bike brake cable
- which passes through holes drilled very near the top.
Out in the playground of a local primary school they have a much simpler set. These look like white coated wardrobe rail which I suspect is just steel tube with white PVC coating. They have no cap and very little tone but the children find them enjoyable at playtime. Incidentally they also have some suspended pots and pans - Google cacerolazo to find out how much fun people have with those!
Nick
In message , The Night Tripper writes
I put up the gazebo this afternoon (I just wand SOMEWHERE I can sit out of the rain outside), £24 from Argos a couple of years ago
A lot of nice resonant steel tubing there
*!#@ you're brave, Geoff. As I sit here in soggy Northants, it's pissing down outside, and blowing a gale. Are you relying on the weight of water that soaks into the canvas, to hold it down ? :-)
Arfa
No he is using better canvas and has a swimming pool mounted on sticks, for now.
In message , Arfa Daily writes
Well, pissing down it is 100 miles south also, but I have a nice sheltered garden with a couple of trees .
... but I have a few square meters that are at least dry (even if I have yet to pluck up the courage to go and sit out there)
replying to The Night Tripper, Old Basing Old Bloke wrote: Did you actually make a set of tubular bells? If you have, well done. If not, I made a set from 28mm copper pipe and they play quite well. They are a full 3 octaves from C2 @ 1331.1mm to C5 @ 479mm, and containing 37 chimes. They have been in the garden for about 2 years, and because copper age hardens, the tone has become progressively brighter.
I used about 30 metres of 28mm copper tubing at about £250, and about £50 worth of timber and various bits of hardware. If you are interested in making one, I can give you the cutting and hanging reference I used, and some photos as a guide.
Bet you are popular with the neighbours then! Brian
replying to Brian Gaff, Old Basing Old Bloke wrote: Double glazing is a wonderful thing. Anyway, soft wooden mallets are very quiet, I seldom use the hard plastic ones which really do belt the sound out. It is a nice simple toy for the grandchildren to play with.
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