Fence Post Wind Chimes

I made wind chimes with a 3d printer and some fence posts from the hardware store. They turned out pretty great too!
Lee Hite's Site - leehite.org/Chimes.htm
My Wind Chime Sizes - docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Follow me on Facebook: / robertcowandiy
My Favorite Tools - www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls...
00:00 Intro
00:50 Chime Basics
01:30 Wind Chime Design Website
02:02 The Actual Chimes
03:07 Chord Progression
03:44 THE TUBES!
05:18 Tuning
06:24 Fundamental Frequencies
07:45 All Tuned Up and Nowhere to go
08:34 Chime Mounting
09:30 Assembly
09:59 3d Printed Top Hanger
12:01 Test Run
12:28 Re-arranging
13:23 Final Arrangement
14:10 Final Product!

[@bagelofthefuture]

Cool project! Acoustics engineering is one of my favorite areas. It sits right on the line between art and engineering

[@Pinfari13]

Beautiful work! This is a project I've always wanted to try myself. Thank you for the detailed breakdown.

[@ZackZaqZakXah]

This is dope. I have quite a few fence posts and rails from switching from a chain link to cattle panel fence. Thanks for the idea. I don't have a 3D printer, so I will be fabricated some of the other parts from wood, but I can finally put those posts to use instead of just hiding them in a corner in my yard.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

No problem 👍

[@kareno8634]

Glad to see you used idea of 'evening' lower ends. Chimes' Tunes prove *you did Great. Thanks!*

[@rebeccayoung6344]

No way I could do that. OMG! It sounds so beautiful!!! I don’t know musical notes. GREAT JOB!!!

[@maryheston736]

Absolutely beautiful job

[@Otmani007]

Excellent video. Thank you for sharing.

[@sahsarjan]

Wonderful sound, I also make from stainless steel pipe of diameter 50 mm and 388 mm with seven pipes, thanks for sharing.

[@RexusKing]

Oh yeah the lower notes wind chimes are definitely better! The high frequencies of normal wind chimes are actually quite irritating to me. Yours sounds like sort of like a steelpan, which is nice.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Right? It sounds much nicer than the twinkly little ones I think.

[@michaelgoulding6609]

@@RobertCowanDIY wind chime,s are a damn nuisance, & should be banned, unless you live in the middle of nowhere where there,s no neighbour,s, other people shouldn..t have to listen to them, cos the slightest breeze & they are just constant clonking..irritating noise,

[@RobertCowanDIY]

@@michaelgoulding6609 Ha! I think you've only lived next to shitty windchimes. I think the high-pitched ones sound awful, the lower-pitch ones are quiet pleasant. But to each their own!

[@sandieparker2471]

Absolutely amazing!! Wow!

[@violainealfaric767]

Lovely sound lovely job !

[@Dr.Pepperdave]

You really have done this correctly. Kudos

[@davidshettlesworth1442]

Thanks for this excellent educational video. I learned a great deal. Carry On Sir!

[@vtc8570]

beautiful project. Kudos!

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Thanks!

[@maxinenall9950]

I love wind chimes 🥰 I have many in my yard and I would love to build this big one 🥰 but I'm not a millionaire, just an old lady living on my social security, so I don't have any of that fancy equipment you have 🤦 I guess I'll just buy another small one from the store 😁 absolutely love your videos 😍

[@bolynmcclung4447]

Best diy wind chime KZbin!

[@RobertCowanDIY]

ha, thanks!

[@HelloKittyFanMan]

Nice, I like your little caps!

[@brigittebilodeau8579]

Beautiful !

[@fernandosoares8619]

adoro e amo wind chimes,

[@obiecastro2482]

You are genius Robert dear! Hahahha great beautiful relaxing amazing sounds of simpl,e cheap material ...love it

[@stu-po]

Very nice sounding! Relaxing. Hitting them near the end makes a big difference. I think that's how orchestra chimes are hit.

[@insolentstickleback3266]

Great video I really appreciate you sharing and helping others who are looking into how to make their own clanky danglers. Yours sound pretty dang good, genuinely surprised a fence post could manage it : D

[@mlpabq1]

I picked up 6000 feet of 1" conduit cheap and am ready to start making chimes. I made one years ago without all the note science and tuning, just random lengths. It turned out well and I hear it outside my bedroom every night.

[@zebulon2.198]

They sound pretty good on camera. Nice job.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Thanks! They sound great in real life too.

[@bloodz4lyfniggas]

What a great project! My favourite channel on youtube :D

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Ha, thanks!

[@schlenbea]

Thanks for the idea!! Just bought 1 singular fence post and going to cut it up a bit to get a chime going and see how it turns out! Thanks for the spreadsheet and information on where to drill the mounting hole. 22.4% got it!

[@RobertCowanDIY]

nice!

[@doyrayburn2668]

Nice chord. Very pensive and mysterious.

[@user-ei1dy7sd8i]

There are several blue grass shows all over florida we travled 20 week a year beautiful music people and outdoors we sold chimes ,wood craft, and whirley gigs. Made enough to cover cost and enjojed the great companyand the outdoors

[@tikitiki7610]

you are an excellent teacher. i think my old 80 yr brain cells might come close to understanding. i am going to save your web site and when it gets below 80 degrees/80% humidity, i am going to try this.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

thanks and good luck!

[@DENNIHDX]

Thank you

[@lannesconstruction4893]

very nice my friend . i am going to make one to litte farm . i want to make with three octaves . thank you for the video

[@archuka1]

Nice shop

[@RobertCowanDIY]

thanks!

[@barbaraamador2893]

I would buy this!

[@exoplanet11]

Cool!

[@ranger2316]

Nice ...!

[@therealviceroy]

Totally off topic, but those are some amazing looking birch trees you have there. Pretty jealous honestly. And great work as always

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Thanks! Those are all aspens. We have a few groupings of them on our property.

[@therealviceroy]

o wow I didn't even know about Aspens. Thanks for the info

[@oahuiian]

Nice!

[@doglover19591]

Robert, hugging your neck over the internet! I have dreamed of doing this forever. Saved this and that... 🤔 meh, clueless. I'm only moments into your video. But, I know already you have honed into my dream. 😘

[@RobertCowanDIY]

You can do it!

[@WhatDadIsUpTo]

I'm in the throws of building wind chimes, but with a twist. I live alone out in the middle of nowhere. I'm building individual low-tone single-tube chimes tuning (ya, if I don't pull out all my hair first) each chime to a note similar to low-frequency notes on the pentatonic scale. Each chime is mounted solo around my house and barns, so sounds seemingly come out of nowhere, just drifting on the wind. I also build Aeolus wind harps, which are hidden in a wooded area and produce erie, kind of frightening sounds for anyone adventurous enough to investigate. 😂

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Oh, that's a really cool idea!

[@craigbowie8925]

I can see now. Heavyweight Battlebot using whirling tuned pipes called Windchime!

[@steelwood74]

Nice job, I'm planning on hanging chimes from used circular saw blades. Cheers from Downunder

[@RobertCowanDIY]

oh cool!

[@JohnBerthoty]

Very nice. A couple of questions: If you paint the tubes, won't it deaden the sound? If you don't protect the cut ends (un-galvanized), won't they rust?

[@jasonloke2219]

I love giant wind chimes. I have 9 sets in my apartment balcony. Thanks for sharing!

[@ReggaeRedeemer]

tha ks for making this extrmely complicated with things like 3d printed materials. 😂 i think ill watch another video till i have a conplete shop and a 3d printer hahaha

[@RobertCowanDIY]

You're welcome! I didn't make the video for anyone other than myself. I make what I make and use the tools I have! You can modify the design to suit your own skills and tools.

[@grilledcheesephd]

Tips: Steel tubes with a seam don’t sustain as long as seamless tube. The seam can be a bit thicker and therefore more rigid, and this can mute the sustain. So if you use steel, find seamless tube. Otherwise use aluminium which is more common, and usually seamless. Aluminium is also lighter, and has a smoother finish than steel fence posts, so it looks better spray painted too.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Yep, I'm making some with aluminum and they do look a lot better.

[@fireofenergy]

I've been looking up the finish... Steel primer seems to be more scratch resistant than aluminum primers, because aluminum is non ferrous. You need a 2-part industrial epoxy primer and even then, I wonder how long it will hold up. I'm not sure what the pros use, though. Whereas bare steel, the paint seems to hold well with just basic oil based rust inhibiting primers designed for steel. Of course, the galvanized material isn't easy to paint, though.

[@HelloKittyFanMan]

Wow, those DO sound REALLY good for being relatively inexpensive for their size! I wonder how the ones with pipes this size, but which are about $550 for a set (like what you might find at farm supply stores or gift shops) are made, and of what metal. I would LOVE one of those sets but they are WAYYY too expensive for my taste!

[@2011Maynard]

Great project and result. Is there a reason you didn’t make them all hang even at the bottom? Letting me know why-not may save me a mistake I don’t want to make, as that is how I would do mine. Thanks for sharing!

[@motoputz3201]

8:27 that is too cool, can't wait to build one! just curious though, did you try tuning by ear instead of using an app? I'd bet you can get real close and save "some" time.

[@JamesZ1025]

Very nice! Have you tried leaving the posts in the original position and then simply raising the striker? I think if you hit the chimes near the top or bottom you’d get similar effect and it would look more aesthetically pleasing.

[@ThePurpleHarpoon]

If the striker is at the top, there would be a very long stretch of wire from the striker to the sail at the bottom. If this is the case, during strong winds, the wire may wrap around the chimes thus creating all sorts of chaos.

[@bartholomewceremony6981]

And now I know.. thank you sir.

[@kjsewell9972]

what app are you using to tune the chimes. I look but am confused what I am looking for because I am not musicale.

[@daficara4112]

Size the pipes you use please? And what kind of pipes you used? Stainless stell or aluminium?

[@jamidesena16]

Would I be able to purchase the 3d printed parts?. I'm very interested in making these wind chimes. It was an awesome tutorial

[@emilypeters10]

Not sure if I missed it out not but what is the diameter of the of the suspension platform and the striker?

[@AKP742]

excellent effort in putting the idea in reality , i was also thinking it is quite easy with aluminium 1" dia & 1 mm thick tube , but could not get pretty sound. what is the material of the fence post.

[@dwatson4]

In the winter, when the trees are bare, the sound will travel much further.

[@brutalbeatsprod]

Do you have files available for the 3D printed stuff?

[@TA-kr1di]

How much longer should we cut them than your spreadsheet measurements?

[@mariakathleen1064]

Nice work!! They sound fabulous!! And i think they look great just as bare metal, too I'm curious, though, if you do paint the pipes, will it affect the sound?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

From what I understand, paint won't significantly impact the sound.

[@michaela.wexler3539]

Robert, would you be willing to share or sell your 3d printer program for the parts you made in this video? Thanks!

[@myownspiritlevel]

I found if the striker hits at one of the nodes, the sound is the best. So, my chimes aren't aligned at the top, but the nodes are aligned with the striker.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Correct, the striker needs to also be in the 'sweet spot'.

[@alainadmyt4922]

Niiiiccee

[@JonathanRansom]

This is a cool project, to buy those would have cost a ton. I didn't realize they were DIY friendly.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

The ones I saw in the store (that inspired this project) were $700!

[@JonathanRansom]

@@RobertCowanDIY I would have said that's unreasonable, but seeing the amount of work you put into these, seems about right.

[@barrettabney]

I'm an audio engineer and I have Spectroid on my Android phone for spectrum analyzer. It's a very nice and simple frequency analyzer app.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Good to know!

[@WilliamBati]

Mr Cowan, the wood pieces of mine have rotten due to age. I noticed you created your own with a 3D printer. Does it make sense to buy those parts to replace them? Or should I just toss it and buy a new one? Are these parts available for sale?

[@ellsworth5841]

Mr. Cowan - Excellent tutorial, sir. And the final product sounds just great. I do love the tones you picked. I have a couple of comments, all related to wind (yes, all first hand). Light winds are (obviously) your friend. Heavy winds will make you think your chimes are going to die. First, the lower edges of chimes which CAN swing far enough to hit their neighbors absolutely WILL hit their neighbors. And where those bottom edges hit another tube, any paint (including powder coat, tried that) will be chipped off in a continuous circle around the circumference of the offended tube, as well as around the bottom edge of the offending tube (make sense?). In the case of an unpainted galvanized fence post, my guess is the galvanizing will eventually be hacked away as well, and you'll end up with a rusty circle around the beaten up tube. Lee Hite's solution to prevent tubes banging into each other is the "support disk". Haven't tried this yet, myself, but it seems like a perfect idea. The second high wind problem I've had is that if the support line of the wind sail CAN wrap itself around a nearby porch post (or tree, in my case) it absolutely WILL, pulling the line up through the chimes on that side and ceasing all the melodious cacophony. Well, that's not quite right; the tubes will still bang into each other, but the striker disc will be unavailable. It's not that Mother Nature doesn't like wind chimes; but she sure does like to test them once in a while.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Yep, I've had these issues, but it's not been a problem. It sounds just fine with the tubes banging against each other, but a future iteration would have a cage striker which prevents this.

[@evanhodgson3104]

I like the big chimes I made.!! It gets the dogs barking.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Huh, our dogs just ignore them, interesting.

[@peethreeorion]

Robert, when there's a lot of difference in lengths between your longest and shortest chime, it can be pretty hard to hang all the chimes where they'll be struck at the bottom. I see in your final set-up, some of the longer chimes are being hit well above the bottom. I know you try to hang 22.4% from the top; would that same 22.4% distance from the bottom be a good spot to strike?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

the 22% is where the waves are cancelled, so striking there will result in the least sound.

[@steelwood74]

The mounting holes that are 22% off the length down from the top, is that at the desired final length, or the length you cut it at initially?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

I made a mistake. It SHOULD be drilled after they are cut to final length, but I did it the other way around. I was using the holes for mounting when I tuned. I should have made a jig to hold them while I tuned them and THEN drilled the mounting holes. Thankfully, I only really had to shave off 1/8" or so when tuning, so it didn't matter much.

[@nickdano7723]

I love the idea, and it came out great. I plan on making the exact same chimes. I wanted to do the same with the little connectors with the brass inserts. Where did you find those, and what are they called? Also, where did you get the top piece? Thanks again for a wonderful video.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

I 3d printed those, they're custom. The top piece was printed as well.

[@nickdano7723]

@@RobertCowanDIY Hi Robert, thanks for the fast response. I'm sure you have been asked about this many times. How much would it cost for you to plicate the brass connectors and the top plate for me? That is a very well planed out details.

[@spooderbike4814]

Excuse me, Mr. Cowan, May I ask, Since Copperhead is coming in Season 6, I've also heard Teams from Europe are coming, specifically Team Shock and Aftershock. What are your opinions on them? because they're easily one of if not my favorite Robot from the Robot Wars Reboot. (Series 9-10, Team shock competed with Shockwave in series 8)

[@RobertCowanDIY]

That's a loaded question! I generally feel that Robot Wars is quite a bit different than Battlebots. Of course the concept is the same, but with most of the bots being heavily sponsored in the US and the lack of a pit and/or house-robots, Battlebots tends to be focus more on insane damage, rather than strategy and armor.

[@spooderbike4814]

@@RobertCowanDIY Now, If I may ask, How do you think Aftershock (If they’re in Season 6 and if Team Shock even decides to bring it, just repaint it or keep it the same) would do in battlebots? Would it be a Top 4 seed? A Top 8 seed? Or would it just be Okay? Me, personally? I know Aftershock isn’t Champion Material Compared to the other bots in the field, but it still a massive threat. And What would your strategy be if You and Team Copperhead Fought it and who would win between Team Copperhead and Team Shock? (Sorry for the huge question by the way, there’s just so much to talk about when it comes to Robot wars teams crossing over with Battlebots.)

[@prontogolf]

Curious why you chose the progression you did, since a 2-octave major chord isn't on Lee Hite's website. Cheers!

[@RobertCowanDIY]

I just liked the sound. You can create any progression you want, we just played a few things on a piano and came up with this.

[@agenericaccount3935]

My neighbours will hate me. Perfect.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Haha. In reality, they sound really great off in the distance. It's very subtle and you have to really listen for them.

[@sandrajohnson2489]

Lee doesn't explain however how to tie from the large top ring to a smaller ring that holds up the chimes on a hook. I have repainted the wood parts on a set of chimes and had to replace the string that was holding everything together. The string kept breaking and the tubes fell off. (made in China). I am now having a problem trying to tie the cords from the larger wooden circle to a small metal circle that will hang on a hook outside. I cut six pieces of cord and they are attached to the larger wooden 'base' with eye hooks. Lee has his chimes attached to the bottom of a bird house which is not helpful to me. ~sigh~

[@gunnaragersten9319]

With a 3D printer and all the fancy tools, I guess price on pipes really don’t matter 😄

[@RobertCowanDIY]

3d printers are REALLY cheap, and you can do this whole thing with a file and drill. I have fancy tools, but they're not necessary.

[@lotusresistencia2290]

Please Robert, can you teach us how to make a new sound healing instrument called "Kailani"? The way to do it looks like a wind chime but there is no tutorial yet on the internet teaching how to do it...

[@RobertCowanDIY]

I'm not sure I want to be associated with "sound healing", sounds like pseudo science to me.

[@joell439]

👍👍😎👍👍

[@rogersprague563]

Yeah I made one out of wood and EMT didn't tune it also used nylon cordage to hang them you can hang another striker on the same line just down farther to strike the longer pipes my wife loved them they lasted several years and a bad wind storm tangled them all up and broke some strings and the wooden striker, the sound was awesome !

[@iski951]

Do you remember what size diameter emt you used and the lengths of each chime?

[@ThePurpleHarpoon]

If you drill the mounting hole before tuning, your mounting hole will not be the correct distance from the end, after shaving off the excess material. As the length of tubes decreases, so does the distance of the mounting hole from the top of the tube. If you alter one, you must alter the other.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Mounting holes are made last, after the final dimensions are made, and they are tuned.

[@ThePurpleHarpoon]

At 4:58 you say 'Let's get to tuning these things' ..... after you show where the mounting holes are placed. Then you shave more material off the end of the tube. It may not be much, but for every millimetre shaved off, the hole should be moved 0•224 mm. It may not matter much regarding the sound, but if the hanging holes are to be 22•4% of the length from the end, you can't really drill them then start trimming the end.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

@@ThePurpleHarpoon Ah, I screwed up, the video was made after I made them, I actually had them tuned already in that shot... My bad! You're right though, you need to tune first, then drill the mounting holes.

[@shotgun2197]

Do you have the 3d files listed anywhere?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

I don't. They're pretty simple and will highly depend on what your configuration looks like.

[@fm00078]

Curious, is there a sound difference striking at the bottom vs top?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

It depends on where exactly you strike. If it's the same distance from the end, it won't really matter. It's more about where in the length you strike, regardless of which end. Does that make sense?

[@fm00078]

@@RobertCowanDIY Yes, consistent distance strike makes sense. Do you know what metal is the best material for the longest holding tone? Fine video, thanks.

[@matostruck]

Hi. 22.????Did you find the right %? Nice job.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Check the link in the description, there's a lot of math that goes into it. It's just the wave propagation, it will cancel itself out around 22% from the end.

[@fsphil]

All it needs now is a MIDI port

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Next version for sure.

[@abcd-gg6jz]

When i see a full body spinner in battle bots i always see the shell and the teeth bolted to it. why dont they make a shell as one piece from a single block of metal? with the shell and teeth as one piece instead of being bolted?

[@seanrobertson7122]

Harder to machine, harder to fix / replace teeth.

[@sushsidnd]

The shell is also usually made of a more machinable/softer/less-dense/cheaper material then the teeth. The teeth are usually made of S7 tool steel which is about the hardest material you can buy but it's impossible to machine, is extremely dense, and can cost a lot.

[@deepans3967]

What is the material of that pipe?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

It's fence post. Galvanized steel.

[@ritchiemarsteller8884]

This is the most complex video on how to make a wind chime

[@DMB088]

What is the diameter of the posts? I see 2 different sizes for sale at home depot

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Sorry for the delay, I used the 1-5/8".

[@ludekjirous3866]

great sound! Can i ask you about the diameter of the post?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

I'd have to look, but just check Home Depot's site and look for fence posts, it's just the standard size.

[@ludekjirous3866]

@@RobertCowanDIY Ok, thanks. I am asking becouse of the tuning, the lengt of the pipes that are in the excel sheed that you share are useless without the diamer, right?

[@emilypeters10]

So did you figure out what size the diameter was?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

@@emilypeters10 Sorry, the OD is ~1.63" and the wall thickness is 0.07". So it's technically 1-5/8", 16ga it seems.

[@tlrmd4you]

"Oh my gosh, they sound amazing!!!! I would love to cheat and have your measurements!!!! Lol, if you are willing to share your height from which they are hung and the length of the pipe?? They are amazing!!!

[@RobertCowanDIY]

The link is in the description. But you will need to tune them still, the wall thickness isn't consistent, so cutting them exactly to length won't guarantee they sound right. They will always need tuning.

[@taigaforest..]

Do you sell?

[@billnelson6060]

Can I ask for the lengths of each tube

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Check the description, there's a spreadsheet linked in there.

[@HelloKittyFanMan]

I bet that's the distance even if we don't look.

[@tlrmd4you]

This is so complicating!!!! I am using 3 and half inch manure spreader line, from the farm!!! (Making farm memorabilia!), But I was looking for the deep sound, so made them longer...but oh my goodness, so many things to take into consideration!!!

[@rebeccayoung6344]

Man! You could create a PIPE ORGAN!

[@stanleyeallen]

WHAT DIAMETER ARE YOUR FENCE POSTS?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

They are 1-5/8" OD with a 0.065" wall thickness.

[@jacobtidwell1005]

THANK YOU!! if it was mentioned in the video I missed it but I've been scrolling for this comment

[@sergeantseven4240]

ASA would be a much better material to use over PETG. There have been several people online who have tested color fastness and life span of petg prints outdoors and it does get bleached and become brittle in the sun. ASA does not though and is a bit more like ABS in strength...

[@rabishkumar3173]

U can deliver in india

[@RobertCowanDIY]

No, I don't sell stuff.

[@MrDksmall]

Being a light sleeper, there won’t be any wind chimes outside my bedroom window. 😄 nice project though.

[@RobertCowanDIY]

Ha. the bedroom is fairly far away. Also, learn to sleep deeper. This happens when you don't rely on wedges for robots.

[@MrDksmall]

@@RobertCowanDIY If I can’t sleep deeper after raising 2 kids, it’s not going to happen now. And what does wedges have to do with sleep?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

@@MrDksmall Poor attempt at a joke!

[@AkshatGulati24]

@@MrDksmall Wedges reference comes from combat robots. He builds those. You should definitely check his other videos.

[@MrDksmall]

@@AkshatGulati24 I know what Robert meant by a wedge bot, I competed back in 2000 for a few years. We also host the Arizona Robotic Combat events, which Robert has attended.

[@alainadmyt4922]

I want one, how much?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

$1M.

[@ijcruver]

Do you sale anything?

[@RobertCowanDIY]

nope.