DIY A More Peaceful Wind Chime With An Idea Inspired By Erin Napier

The metal wind chimes hanging on your porch may sound soothing to you, but they could be one of those things your neighbors secretly hate about your property, if those clangy chimes are too cacophonous. On Season 2, Episode 3 of HGTV's "Home Town Takeover" (set in Fort Morgan, Colorado) host Erin Napier notes that wooden chimes have a completely different sound compared with the "tinny" sound of metal chimes. Wood chimes can be quieter and more soothing, and give something of an organic vibe. It's why so many zen-style gardens have bamboo wind chimes, for example. On the episode, Erin's husband, Ben Napier, opts to create large wood chimes for a public space. He uses scraps of hardwood from around the world in random sizes to create a "community of sound," celebrating the global diversity found in Fort Morgan. 

DIY wooden wind chimes can be as simple as Ben Napier's method: Using various scraps, blocks, and hunks of wood in assorted shapes and sizes, then drilling holes to attach wires or fishing line to hang them. The top suspension platform, holding everything together, can also be made from scrap wood, a piece of driftwood, or a traditional wood or metal round. You can also craft the whole thing from driftwood or pick up wood or bamboo tubing at your local craft or home improvement store. The fun with this type of chime design is there are essentially no rules.

Sort through your scrap wood to find pieces that might be chime-worthy: Any hardwood pieces without splits that are at least a couple inches long could work. You want the wood to weigh enough to hang straight and have some sound when knocked together, but light enough to blow in the wind. Using wood of varied widths and lengths creates different tones; if you tap on any of the wood with a hard object, you'll hear tonal differences. Since this is a project based on simplicity, you're not going for specific notes, just an overall pleasant sound. If you have any hollow pieces — like part of a discarded bamboo tiki torch, or long, smooth driftwood sticks — those can be added to the mix, though they'll resonate more than the solid wood chunks. 

Drill a hole about half an inch from the top of each piece, centered so it hangs straight. The top can be whichever end or corner you like, including the point of a square block of wood so it hangs in a diamond shape. Finish the wood with outdoor paint or wood sealer, because forgetting to seal exterior wood makes it lose its structural integrity over time. Thread thin wire or fishing line through each hole, then tie the top end to a longer suspension board, a piece of driftwood, or even a cross post on top of a vertical center post, as the Napiers did for their (very large) wind chimes. Each piece should be spaced near enough so it bumps into its neighbors in a light breeze. Hang the whole thing up, and you're ready to enjoy your mellow wind chimes. You could even place them near the house to help prevent birds from flying into windows.