Windchime

[Seismic Sam]

Made a set of these a few years ago using nylon monofilament line, and due to the windy conditions on the South of my house, they got beat to death in about a year. Thanks to the extreme generousity of SteveB, I got 15 free 50 BMG cases from him, and decided to make a slightly sturdier version. Did my best imitation of Oldman's 50 BMG case polishing with my old walnut shells, and then used Brasso and clear polyurethane to keep the cases shiny. Punching out the primers is a bitch on these cases!! Then bought some 8" steel fishing leaders, cut off the top clasp leaving only the steel loop, and pulled that through the flash hole from the mouth end until the swivel ball jammed in the primer hole. Filled up the primer hole with silicone resin to immobilize the friction between leader and case, and hung the top loops on some hookeyes and then crimped them shut with a visegrips. I think it adds a certain character to the old homestead.... When the wind is cranking they sound pretty good.

Not sure if I should add a sign that says: SMILE!! You've been in range for the last mile or so!!

[FJ540]

I hope the zombies don't invade on a windy day, you'll never hear them coming.

[MnHornet]

Wow, I bet those really ring. Now, I'll have to take a picture of mine. I used 300 win mag cases for one, and the cutoff ends of some carbon arrows for another. They sound nice don't they.

[mn4wheeler]

cool wind chimes. I may have to make one myself.

[Guerrilla1979]

It would be cool if you could post a video on youtube.com. I searched there and all there is is some 40mm wind chimes, but it's of course no where near .50 cal.

[cobb]

Would like to do the same with maybe brass shotgun cases. Don't know which would cost more though, the 12 ga cases or the .50 cases.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/Brass_Brass_ ... -3832.aspx

[Rodentman]

Cool! Wonder what a group of Hi Points would sound like.

[SparkyJeff]

It would be cool if you could post a video on youtube.com. I searched there and all there is is some 40mm wind chimes, but it's of course no where near .50 cal.

40 mm? nowhere near .50 cal?

Yep, I kinda like this one. I wonder if you could tune them, ya know, with one casing each of several different calibers.
Does silicone in the primer pocket dampen the sound a bit?
Cool project!

[Seismic Sam]

Actually, I have a variety of larger windchimes scattered throughout the woods around the house, and those 40mm winchimes got me to thinking: What surplus military cases are available for an affordable price??

After wading through an incredible array of crap and posters and iPod cases and gun cases (anybody noticed that some of the newer search engines are totally useless, and will just take you to a list of stuff that has NOTHING to do with what you wanted??) I found some 90mm (24" high") shell cases for $6.95 each, but unfortunately they are steel instead of brass. If you know of other sources that are cheap, I'd be interested in those too. Thanks for any help you can give me!!

http://store.colemans.com/cart/shell-casing-90mm-p-1689.html

[Lunchbox]

Actually, I have a variety of larger windchimes scattered throughout the woods around the house, and those 40mm winchimes got me to thinking: What surplus military cases are available for an affordable price??

After wading through an incredible array of crap and posters and iPod cases and gun cases (anybody noticed that some of the newer search engines are totally useless, and will just take you to a list of stuff that has NOTHING to do with what you wanted??) I found some 90mm (24" high") shell cases for $6.95 each, and the question I have for anybody out there is whether they know if these things are steel or brass?? Thanks for any help you can give me!! If you know of other sources that are cheap, I'd be interested in those too.

http://store.colemans.com/cart/shell-casing-90mm-p-1689.html

I've got one dated 1917 that's brass.

[Seismic Sam]

Thanks, Lunchbox, but I'm looking for new stuff that is cheap. I would imagine a WWI case like that would be somewhere in 3 figures in good condition...

[engnerdan]

I think it would be cool to make one with mixed cases sizes like 50 BMG, 20mm, 30mm, 40mm.

Sam the question stands to be asked. Did you RTFM on wind chime manufacturing before you started this project? If you had you would have known monofilament is a poor choice!


Ok just giving you a bit of ****.

[cobb]

... monofilament is a poor choice!

And your suggestion for material would be???

[engnerdan]

... monofilament is a poor choice!

And your suggestion for material would be???

Come on, this is a good old fashion Sam bashing, it does not have to make sense.

Actually the braided/fused fancy crap works really well. Or the stainless wire rope like leaders are made of (like Sam used). I had some light weight braided nylon that lasted many years that I used on several wind chimes when I was making them back in high school.

[Seismic Sam]

I had thought potting the monofilament in the primer hole with silicone to prevent any friction would take care of that, but the repeated flexing of the filament directly above that finally proved too much. Cheap steel fishing leaders are the way to go, except for the big chimes, where you have to get fancy with thru bolts, bushing, and steel cables.