DIY Tubular Bell Chimes Handbook by Lee Hite PDF

Tubular Bell Chimes
Do-It-Yourself
Handbook
Say it with Chimes!
By: Leland L. Hite (Lee)

www.leehite.org/Chimes.htm
Tubular Bell Chimes – Do-It-Yourself Handbook Page 1 of 65
Table of Contents
Sample Projects ................................................................................................................................... 3
SAY IT WITH CHIMES ......................................................................................................................... 7
Background ...................................................................................................................................... 7
Forward ............................................................................................................................................ 7
The Build Plan ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Tubes, Pipes or Rods ......................................................................................................................... 10
Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 11
Musical Note Selection ....................................................................................................................... 11
A Must Read Caution ...................................................................................................................... 12
Chime emulation ............................................................................................................................. 13
Strike a Note or Strike a Chord ....................................................................................................... 14
Caution At Distance ........................................................................................................................ 14
Building Big ........................................................................................................................................ 14
Choice of Metal .................................................................................................................................. 15
What Metal Sounds Best................................................................................................................. 15
Not All Tubing is Created Equal ...................................................................................................... 16
Standard Tubing Dimensions .......................................................................................................... 16
Chime Dimensions ............................................................................................................................. 16
Pre-calculated Dimensions ............................................................................................................. 16
Calculate Your Own Dimensions DIY .............................................................................................. 17
Angle-Cut Tubing ............................................................................................................................... 17
Tuning the Chime ............................................................................................................................... 18
Chime Mechanical Support: ............................................................................................................ 19
First Support Location ................................................................................................................. 20
Second Support Location (end cap) ............................................................................................ 20
Chime Support Suggestions ........................................................................................................ 21
Support Line ................................................................................................................................... 25
Nonmetallic Support Line ............................................................................................................ 25
Metallic Support Line ................................................................................................................... 25
Deburring .................................................................................................................................... 25
Grommets/Eyelets ....................................................................................................................... 25
Additional Protection ................................................................................................................... 25
Support Line Suggestions ........................................................................................................... 26
Project Sources ........................................................................................................................... 27
Chime-Set Support, Ring, Hoop or Disk & Striker Patterns ............................................................. 27
Support Location Calculator and Points on a Circle Calculator .................................................... 27
Support Disk & Striker Patterns ................................................................................................... 27
Chime Location Sequence .......................................................................................................... 28
Disk and Ring Support Suggestions ........................................................................................... 28
Striker / Clapper ................................................................................................................................. 30
Strike Zone ..................................................................................................................................... 30
Striker Shape .................................................................................................................................. 31
Striker Weight ................................................................................................................................. 31
Striker Material................................................................................................................................ 32
Keep it Clean .................................................................................................................................. 32
Conceal and Carry Chime ............................................................................................................... 32
Striker Suspension .......................................................................................................................... 33
Striker Motion.................................................................................................................................. 33
Table of Contents More at: www.leehite.org/Chimes.htm All Rights Reserved, © Leland L. Hite, Last updated 5/21/2019 Page 1 of 65
Striker Clapper Suggestions ........................................................................................................... 34

Wind Sail / Wind Catcher .................................................................................................................... 35
Solving the Dingdong: ..................................................................................................................... 36
Need More Dingdong ...................................................................................................................... 37
Orthogonal Sailing .......................................................................................................................... 37
Windless Chimes................................................................................................................................ 39
Tank Bells & Chimes .......................................................................................................................... 39
Length matters, maybe not! ............................................................................................................ 40
Cutting Tanks.................................................................................................................................. 41
Decorating the Chime ......................................................................................................................... 42
Lightweight coatings ....................................................................................................................... 42
Patina, the Aged Copper Look ........................................................................................................ 42
Patina Procedure ............................................................................................................................ 42
Sparkling Copper ............................................................................................................................ 45
Science of Chiming ............................................................................................................................ 45
Loudness Limits .............................................................................................................................. 45
Proportional Dimensions: ................................................................................................................ 46
Strike Note vs. Sustaining Note....................................................................................................... 46
The Missing Fundamental ............................................................................................................... 48
A Bell-like Chime ............................................................................................................................ 48
Conclusions........................................................................................................................................ 49
FAQs, Frequently Asked Questions.................................................................................................... 50
Appendix A: The Math ........................................................................................................................ 55
Appendix B: Music Scale with Overtones ........................................................................................... 56
Appendix C: Software Resources ....................................................................................................... 57
Appendix D: Tubing and Rod Sources ............................................................................................... 57
Appendix E: Standard Tubing Dimensions ......................................................................................... 58
Aluminum tubing.......................................................................................................................... 58
Brass tubing ................................................................................................................................ 59
Copper tubing.............................................................................................................................. 60
Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT) aka thin-wall steel conduit......................................................... 60
Iron pipe ...................................................................................................................................... 61
Appendix F: Internet Resources/Links ................................................................................................ 61
Appendix G: Credits ........................................................................................................................... 62
Appendix H: Design styles.................................................................................................................. 62
Appendix J: Example for an audible fundamental ............................................................................... 63
Cover photo by Chris from Wisconsin, showing his son who is five-feet, six-inches tall.
The C9 Chord chime set is 13 feet tall and features aluminum tubing, with a 6-inch diameter.
Sample Projects
Details for these chime sets are available on the website here. Photos by the builder
Father daughter
project by James 1 ½” EMT, by David from Alaska
Aluminum & Brass by Chuck

from Columbus
By Kenny Schneider that plays

Bach's, Joy of Man's Desiring
when struck by a person walking by.
Copper by
Gareth Thomas
from England 6 inch aluminum
By Craig Hewison from the UK
2" Aluminum, Traversed Mercator by Caleb Marhoover
Pictured is a sculptural/musical interpretation of the
distance which divides my youth from adulthood. Here,
this journey is presented through the linear elevation
profile of the terrain which fills that divide.
Chimecloud by Lutz Reiter, Marco Copper by Dan from Virginia

Dondana and Arnim Jepsen from the
Chalmers Institute of Technology
Göteborg, Sweden
1 inch Copper by: Musician,

Travis Oberg, California
Cast iron by David

Jack Nash, 6 aluminum
pipes using the pentatonic
scale
Tides by Margaret Noble

Tides was to be a series of dynamic public art concerts
with large-scale sculptural kites, tuned wind chimes and
performances by experimental choral singers. Formally
dressed in black, choral performers were to improvise
with varying bell note melodies driven by the kite lines
they would fly.
Featuring two inch aluminum, Jon selected

Alaskan birch for the striker and designed a
sculptured support using copper tubing.
Bill Moyer used eight,

Windless Chimes by 2 ½” Aluminum one-inch copper pipes
Sontag Creations with a pentatonic scale
By Neal
tuning beginning at A3,
2-inch Aluminum for this artistic
C-9 Chord by Ken arrangement
Copper by Michael
Merle Walther, 1 ½” painted

EMT, 3" wooden ball striker
and a Moose wind catcher
One inch aluminum

By Paul Stoops
Aluminum by Duc Billy 6-inch diameter x 13-feet

from Viet Nam long aluminum by Chris
Tomáš Jarošek from from Wisconsin
the Czech Republic
developed a special (Cover Photo)
tuning for this chime
set. See website for
details
SAY IT WITH CHIMES: Providing you with easy options for making good choices
when designing and building tubular-bell wind chimes from tubes, pipes, or rods, is
our number one goal. You can build according to a set of plans detailed below or
you can design a chime set specific to your personality and style.
A variety of best practices, patterns and calculators are provided to accommodate

your particular skill level, construction resources and budget. Avoid the common
mistakes often found in commercial chimes and you can easily construct a great
sounding set of tubular bell chimes.
You can anticipate just a few decisions before you’re ready to begin construction.
There is a lot of information in this document and on the website, but don’t let it
overwhelm you. Most of the information provides choices for making a design
decision.
Background: In 2001 when building chime-sets for my daughters as Christmas presents, I asked what
makes a chime a good chime. Little did I know what I was getting into when I asked that question. While
I would not consider myself an expert by any definition, these findings can be valued for the
understanding of tubular bell chimes. My experience with this project has evolved over time and is
presented to help you design and build a great set of tubular bell wind chimes. Updates continue almost
monthly as development goes forward.
Forward This handbook is a work inprogress, so if you spot something that needs clarification or
correction, please let me know. eMail
Additional resources to this handbook are available for download from the website
leehite.org/Chimes.htm and they include:
1. Precalculated dimenions for the complete note range from C1 thru C9 (tubes total = 75, rods = 90)
2. DIY calculators for the complete note range from C1 thru C9, for the pentatonic scale, and for the
C9 chord that determine the correct length and hang point for tubes or rods unrestricted at both
ends.
3. Look-up tables for stand size tubing.
4. Standard Music Scale with overtones
5. Look-up table for material properties.
6. An embedded Top Support Disk Calculator allows you to determine the correct layout based on
your chime diameter, striker diameter and the clearance between the striker and the chime tube..
7. An embedded location calculator for points on a circle can be usedfor layout of the top support disk
holes or radial star strikers)
8. Chime-set support disk and striker patterns for a 3-chime set thru an 8-chime set, including
patterns for either a traditional circular striker or the new radial star striker.
9. Wind sail/wind catcher patterns.
10. Stand alone support disk calculator with points an a circle calculator
Material type = Aluminum, Brass, Cast Iron, Copper, Steel (EMT thin-wall conduit),
Stainless Steel and Titanium.
All dimensions are calculate based on the tubing OD (outside diameter) and ID (inside diameter)
measured in inches, and for specific metals. Results are dispalyed in both English and metric units.
The DIY calculator uses nominal values for metal properties. However, if you know the exact metal
density and the exact modulus of elasticity, you can enter that data for your specific metal in the data
section of the DIY Excel calculator.
The Build Plan

Step 1: Select the number of chimes (typically 3 to 8) for your set and the musical notes. It is helpful
to understand the limitations for effective note selection as discussed in the section on the bell-like
chime. Keep in mind the physical size for the set. Whether you use pre-calculated dimensions or one
of the DIY calculators, observe the length for the longest chime as a guide for overall size. Remember
to include extra length for the wind sail that hangs below the chimes.
Step 2: Select the metal for the chime tube.
Step 3: Cut each chime to the length provided by the pre-calculated table or the DIY calculator. Cut
slightly long (about 1/8”) to allow for smoothing and deburring the ends to final dimensions.
Step 4: Smooth the ends to remove sharp edges and to provide a professional appearance. Place an
old towel or cloth on a table to protect the chime from scratches. Roll the chime back & forth as you
file or sand the ends smooth. Slightly chamfer or round the outer edge.
If you're new to cutting metal and looking for an easy method, I

use an abrasive metal cutting saw blade in a radial arm saw.
This works equally well with a cut-off saw, aka chop-saw. The
blade pictured right is under $5.00 at Home Depot. The
traditional tubing cutter or hacksaw works well also.
Step 5: Drill the support holes at the hang-point location provided by the pre-
calculated table or the DIY calculator.
How to drill the tubes without a drill press or V block: Using card stock or a manila folder, cut a strip
about ½” by 8”, then wrap around the tube and tape it, so that you now have what looks like a “Cigar
Band”. Lay it on a table and flatten it so a crease forms on both sides. Example: Let’s say that the
instructions asks for a hole 10 ½ inches from the end of the tube. Slide the “Cigar Band” down the
tube to the 10 ½”. Position one crease at your mark and then rotate the tube over to the second
crease and mark that location. Now you have drilling marks exactly opposite each other.
Step 6: Deburr the support holes in preparation for your support line.
Using a drill bit larger than the hole, place the bit on the outside of the hole and rotate by hand. This is
generally enough to chamfer the outside hole.
Outside Before Deburr Outside After
Step 7: Deburr the inside support hole. First, using a round or half-round file,
remove the burr from inside the tube. Finish the task by using a section of
coat hanger wire with a small bend at the far end, as shown right. Place the
wire in a drill and insert the bent end thru the hole. As you rotate the wire,
lightly pull back on the drill and the bent wire will bend over any inside burr.
See picture below.
Inside Before Inside After
Step 8: Select the method or style for the top support disk or ring and select the material to be used.
Step 9: Select the top support disk cutout pattern for your specific tubing size and number of chimes
in the set. Download the support disk & striker patterns PDF from the website and just print the page
specific to your tubing size and number of chimes in the set. You may need to print two copies, one
for the support pattern and holes location, and one for the striker pattern.
Step 10: Select a circular striker, a radial star striker, or a striker-keeper, all are included in the
patterns from step 9.
Step 11: Select and print a pattern for the wind sail from selections in Patterns for Wind
Sails/Catchers PDF available on the website, or design your own.
Step 12: Weather protect the top support disk or ring, the striker and the sail with a UV protective
finish. Decorate the chime tube as desired. A few suggestions here:
Step 13: Select the line, cord or chain for supporting both the chime tube and the top support disk or
ring.
Step 14: Select the style for hanging the chime tubes, i.e. top aligned, center aligned or bottom
aligned. Bottom aligned is best because it allows the striker to easily contact the end edge of all
chimes, the ideal strike location. Top aligned may have a more aesthetic appeal and on occasion
some like center alignment. All three locations work well when you keep the striker away from the
center dead zone.
Step 15: Select the sequence for locating the chimes on the support disk or ring.
Step 16: Attach the support line or chain to the chime using a simple jig you can make here
Step 17: In your workshop, temporally hang the support disk or ring above eye level. Depending on
your chime alignment selection (top, bottom or center) hang each chime according to both the
alignment requirement and the chime sequence diagram.
Step 18: Hang the striker according to the alignment diagram and avoid striking exact dead center for
any chime. All three locations work well when you keep the striker away from the center dead zone for
the first overtone. Don't worry about killing the first overtone with center placement. The first overtone
dead zone is very narrow and is easily overcome with a slightly off-center strike.
Tubes, Pipes or Rods

What's the difference between a pipe and a tube; the way it’s measured and the applied use. Pipes are
passageways, tubes are structural, and for the purpose of tubular bell chimes, we consider them the
same. The important parameters are the outside diameter, the inside diameter and the type of metal.
On the other hand, a rod is a solid metal cylinder that can produce a very diferent sound compared to a
tube. The DIY calculators on this website can predicted the resonant frequency for a circular rod and the
hang point location. If you want to design and build a chime set using rods rather than tubes all you have
to do is set the inside diameter to zero and enter the outside diameter and type of metal into the DIY
calculator.
If you are trying to decide between using a tube or a rod as the chime element, one important difference
is the sustain time of the musical note. Typically, a rod will have a much longer sustain time, and in some
environments, this maybe desirable but annoying in others.
Another difference between tubes and rods is their length for a given note. A rod is shorter than a tube to
strike the same note, for the same metal. For example, a 1" steel rod for middle C, (C4) is 26 1/4" while
32 7/8" is the length for 1" steel EMT. In addition to smooth surfaced metal rods, I have tested threaded
steel rod and steel rebar. The threaded rod sounded okay but the rebar was awesome. Because of the
hardness, rebar exhibited a wonderful sustain time which helped to hold on to the overtones. It was a
delightful sound. I did not test the accuracy of the DIY calculator but I suspect it will be close. I would
suggest selecting your notes based on steel rod, and while the notes probably will not be accurate, the
ratio among the notes should remain the same.
Two additional issues to consider are the weight and loudness difference. Rods typically have a relative
small diameter offering a smaller sound radiating surface producing a quieter chime, but on occasion the
longer sustain time can offset the reduced loudness and sound quite acceptable.
An important issue to consider is the weight difference. The longer sustain time using a rod may offset
the increased support weight requirement.
Resources
Always try your local building supply store. In addition to visiting the hardware
section in these stores investigate tubing used for closet hanging poles, shower
Metal Tubing curtain poles, chain link fence rails and post. Yard or garage sales can yield
surprising results, look for a discarded metal swing set, tubular shelving, etc.
With permission look for discarded materials on constructions sites. Try your
local metal recycler; they can yield very economical rod and tubing.
Online Speedy Metals accepts small quantity orders for tubes or rods.
(Aluminum, Brass, Cast Iron, Copper, Steel and Stainless)
Metal Rods
Titanium Joe (Titanium tubing) You can use either grade 2 being pure titanium,
which is softer and less popular, or grade 9 (3AL-2.5V), which is the more
popular high strength version. The grade 9 numbers represent the percentage of
Aluminum and Vanadium. The DIY Calculators work equally well for both grades.
Tank bells can be crafted from out-of-service compressed gas/air tanks, scuba
diving tanks or fire extinguishers. A most likely source can be your local testing
Metal Tanks facility for each type of tank. Ask your local fire department, welding shop and
scuba diving shop for their recommendation for a testing company. You may be
required to provide a letter to the testing company stating that you will cut the
tank in pieces and render it unable to hold compressed air or gas.
Try hobby stores for rings or hoops often used for dream catchers, mandellas
or macramé. Some are chrome plated steel and others may require paint.
Metal Hoops & Support rings can be cut from an out of service aluminum fire extinguisher
Rings using an abrasive metal cutting saw blade in a radial arm saw, a chop saw or
a table saw as described in step 3 above.
Small eyelets can often be located at your local hobby store in the sewing
department or a shoe repair store. You can also use the outer shell of a 1/8
Eyelets & Grommets inch or 3/16 inch aluminum pop rivet. Remove the nail-like center and use the
rivet. Heat shrink tubing can be found at Radio Shack®.
Thin braided wire or 1/32 to 1/16 inch stainless steel, or decorative chain that is
Metallic zinc plated, brass plated, or painted can be located in hardware and home
Support Line improvement stores. Try a hobby store for small aircraft control line cable.
Make sure the line is UV resistant. Choices include fishing line (both braided &
Non Metallic monofilament 30 to 50 pound (12-22 Kg)), braided nylon line, braided plumb
Support Line line, braided Dacron kite line, venetian blind chord, string trimmer weed eater
line (.065 inch), awning chord, and braided electrical conduit pull line.
Musical Note Selection: Do you need to select a musical note? Not necessarily unless you are looking
for a specific sound. All you really need to do is support the chime tube at the correct location to allow for
the best possible sound from that tube.
Say for example, you want a 5-chime set about 24 inches tall not including the sail. The best thing to do
is test a 24-inch tube for a pleasing sound. First, look at the pre-calculated tube length tables for your
specific metal and chime size, to learn where a 24-inch tube is positioned in the overall scale. As long as
the note is above C2 and well below C5 you should be good to go. Tie a slipknot in a string and position
it at exactly 22.4% from one end. Multiply the tube length by .224 to locate the support location. Hold the
chime with the string at the 22.4% point; strike the chime on the edge of the end with an object that is
medium-hard object like a wood mallet, a wood cooking spoon or the hard rubber heel of a shoe. If
you’re happy with the sound then remove 2-inches from each succeeding chime, 22”, 20”, 18” and 16”
and proceed to step 4 above.
I arbitrarily used a 2-inch removal measurement and suggest not more than 3-inches between any two
chimes. You can lengthen rather than shorten each successive chime for an overall increase in height,
as long as you remain in the suggested range from C2 to C5 for all notes.
On the other hand, if you want a more coordinated sound (which I highly recommend) a safe choice by
many wind chime suppliers has been the pentatonic scale (C D E G A). An enhancement to that scale
can be the C9 Chord (C E G Bb & D) which has a wider note separation for a good sound both close in
and at a distance from the chime.
With that in mind, we have DIY calculators for all musical notes or for specific scales such as the
Pentatonic or the C9 Chord. You select the metal and the tubing size (ID and OD) and the calculator will
provide the correct length and hang point for each note. The longer the chime the lower the notes will
sound. So if a specific tuning like Westminster traditionally begins in the C3 octave, like B3-E4-F#4-G#4,
feel free to begin an octave lower, like C2, which would look like this, B2-E3-F#3-G#3.
Note Selection Table

Name Notes Chimes
Westminster B3-E4-F#4-G#4 4
Pentatonic Scale C-D-E-G-A 5
b
C9 Chord C-E-G B - D 5
Whittington 4-E4-F#4-G4-A4-B4-C#5-D5 6
Canterbury D4-E4-F#4-G4-A4-B4 6
Trinity D4-G4-A4-B4-C5-D5 6
Winchester (or Wynchestre) C4-D4-E4-F4-G4-A4 6
St, Michael’s F4-G4-A4-Bb4-C5-D5-E5-F5 8
Happy Birthday C5-D-E-F-G-A-A#/Bb-B-C6 9
If you're not sure what notes to select and want to experiment, use the Wind Chime Emulation Designer
available on the website. Caution, the loudspeaker connected to your computer has the ability to play
the low notes from C2 to C4, but a chime will not reproduce those sounds.
Another Must Read Caution: Ending your project with a successful and pleasing sound is important
and setting the right expectations will allow that to happen. Selecting musical notes for a chime is NOT
like selecting notes on a piano or other string instrument, or reed instrument. When you strike C2 on a
piano that is indeed what you hear, but NOT true for a chime cut for C2.
Tuning implies exactness and exact tuning cannot happen when you do not hear the fundamental note
for the chime. When a piano key for C2 (65.4 Hz) is struck, you will indeed hear that note, 65.4 Hz. When
a C2 chime is struck you will NOT hear 65.2 Hz. In fact, you will not hear the first overtone at 180 Hz and
can barely hear the second overtone at 352 Hz. Most prominent will be the third overtone at 582 Hz
which, on a piano, sounds like D5, but isn't D5 because the mixing for all the overtones produces a
completely new sound. The new sound is melodious, it sounds wonderful, but what note is it? Tuning
charts on this site list dimensions for notes ranging from C1 to C9, that imply exactness, which you now
understand cannot happen with a chime when you cannot hear the fundamental note. Read more about
the missing fundamental and why this happens in the section "The Science of Chiming."
For example, an orchestra grade chime that is physically cut for C2 will actually sound about like C5. To
see a visual representation for what a chime is apt to sound like see this chart. On the other hand, will
the strike note for a chime sound pleasing and bell-like? Yes, absolutely, because of the large
complement of overtones even though the fundamental is missing. Selections from about C2 to C4
sound the most bell-like but will not adequately radiate the fundamental tone.
Unfortunately, this effect complicates note selection if you are trying to strike exact notes below about
C5. Above C5 the strike note will actually produce the fundamental and you can expect to hear the note
you selected, but less bell-like than the C2 to C4 range. In fact orchestra grade chimes typically begin in
the C5 octave.
If you're not sure what notes to select and want to experiment, use the software programs from the
website that emulate chimes. Caution, the loudspeaker connected to your computer has the ability to
play the low notes from C2 to C4 but a chime will not reproduce those sounds.
Chime Emulation:
Thanks to a site
visitor for providing
this excellent
emulation program
from 1996 by Syntrillium. They are
now defunct and we believe the
software is considered "freeware". The
zip file contains the main program, the
registration codes and a help file.
Unzip the download and run the
wind_chimes_1.01_syntrillium.exe file.
The program is quite intuitive; full
featured and should be easy to
operate. To begin I would suggest you
set-up the program as follows:
Number of Chimes "5", Transpose to
"0", Scale to "New Pentatonic", Base
Note "C-4", "Center Pendulum".
Remember, the loudspeaker
connected to your computer has the ability to play the low notes from C2 to C4 but a chime may not
radiate those sounds. The program was originally designed to run on DOS 6 using Windows 95, and also
runs with Windows NT, W2000, W XP and W7 thru W10.
A well designed freeware called Wind Chime

Designer V 2.0, 1997-2006, by Greg Phillips will
emulate a chime for notes between A2 (110 Hz)
thru B8 (7,902 Hz) in many different scales (82 in all). It
will help you determine what notes sound pleasant on a
chime and what scale to use.
Download the Zip file from the website: Wind Chime

Designer Software 370 Kb by Greg Phillips (software +
Instructions)
1. Using right mouse, save to a folder of your choice

Internet Explorer, select Save Target As
Google Chrome, select Save Link As
Firefox, select Save Link As
Safari, select Download Linked File
2. Click on wind_chime_designer.zip to unzip the folder.
(contains Chime32A.exe, TUNING.DAT, and Wind
Chime Designer Instructions)
3. Place all three files in a folder of your choice

4. Click on Wind_Chime_Designer_Instructions PDF
5. Click on Chime32A.exe to run the program.
Strike a Note or Strike a Chord? Over the years much effort, by many well-intentioned people, has
been placed on what is the best chord for a set of wind chimes? While a musical chord can be pleasing
to the ear, the effort to simultaneously strike all the notes in a chord using the traditional circular shaped
striker/clapper has been mostly a waste of time. The striker only contacts one, maybe two, chimes
simultaneously. The good news is that with some of our innovative striker designs we can now strike a
chord; more on this in the striker section. Also, if you dedicate a striker to each chime tube (internal or
external to the chime) that configuration can ring several chimes at nearly the same time and
approximate a chord.
When using the traditional round striker it is much better to select notes that have a fair amount of
separation allowing the ear to easily discern a variety of notes. Often a traditional choice has been the
pentatonic scale (C D E G & A.) This choice can sound pleasant close to the chime set but not so well at
a distance. The C9 chord (C E G Bb & D) can be used to widen the note separations for a five-chime set.
The problem at a distance is the ear has difficulty discerning the closely spaced notes of the pentatonic
scale.
Caution At Distance I often hear the comment, "I have a set of chimes on my deck and they sound
great. However, I was over to my neighbor’s the other day and the chimes did not sound so good. In
fact, they sounded out of tune. Why is this?” The answer lies in the conditions that make up the notes for
the chime. As mentioned in the science section, a chime note is a combination of the fundamental strike
frequency and the many overtones. Some of the overtones attenuate more rapidly than others at a
distance. The original combination of strike frequency and overtones are not the same at a distance.
Remember, not always does the fundamental frequency contribute to the note and not always are there
many overtones for a given note.
The actual note depends on exactly where in the musical scale the chime is operating. When you have a
chime that contains a larger number of overtones that are located in the higher frequencies, and mostly
missing the fundamental, you can get this distance effect. High frequency sounds attenuate more quickly
in the atmosphere than do the lower frequencies. At a distance you are not hearing the same sound you
hear close in. Some of the high frequency sounds can be greatly attenuated or missing. The chime can
sound completely different under these conditions. Typically this occurs when you select notes in the
lower part of the scale.
If your interest is making the chimes sound good at a distance of say 80-100 feet or more, consider
increasing the diameter of the tubing from the traditional sizes ranging from ½” thru 2” up to at least 3” or
more: 4” to 6” are better. A set of chimes designed for the C2 to the C3 octave have good acoustic
radiation properties close to the set but not so good far away because of this distance effect.
When it comes to size, if you’re on the fence between two sets of chimes, and one set has either a
thicker wall or a larger diameter, select the tube with more mass, i.e. thicker wall and/or larger diameter.
Building Big: Whether you want a set of large chimes, often used in the sound healing and therapy
arts, or you just want a large set because of the anticipated lower frequency sounds, similar to a large
diameter gong, building big may not accomplish all of your goals. Certainly, a set of long, large diameter
chimes, as shown on the cover, will sound awesome, but a few words of caution before you head off in
that direction.
Since you read the caution statement above about the missing fundamental and the issues with the small
sound radiation surface area for a chime tube, you can better understand how the insensitivity of the
human ear at low frequencies contributes to our inability to adequately hear the low notes, mostly below
about C4. I am contacted often from the website when someone wants to Build Big. After completion of
their large chime set they write to say, "My new chime set sounds wonderful, but not as low as I
expected." Beginning with the right expectations will help you move successfully along the design path.
Large diameter long chime sets are definitely worth the effort. Be mindful of annoying nearby neighbors
since this sound travels far.
Choice of Metal: Most often the chime designer considers cost, weight and aesthetics. Your budget may
not approve the cost of copper while aluminum may be more favorable than steel because of weight.
Chimes from EMT (electrical conduit) are galvanized and resist rust, but not at the support hole or the
ends. Rust could be an issue long term for EMT. For the purposes of chime design use the Steel
selection in the calculator if you're EMT.
What Metal Sounds Best? After the issues above are properly considered we can move to the
question of what metal sounds best for a tubular chime? The short answer is the thicker the wall and the
larger the diameter the better they sound, not necessarily the type of metal. However, what sounds best
is a personal choice and I have not found a good answer for everyone. Some like a deep rich sound and
other like the tinkle tinkle sound. Copper chimes have a different timbre than steel chimes. The best I can
advise is to visit a chime shop and test-drive a few chimes of different metals and different sizes.
When it comes to size if you’re on the fence between two sets of chimes and one set has either a thicker
wall or a larger diameter, select the tube with more mass, i.e. thicker wall and/or larger diameter.
You may hear someone say they like aluminum best or copper best. To better understand the difference
in metals let’s properly build two 5-tube sets of chimes using the C9 chord beginning with the C2 octave.
One set from aluminum, 2” OD with a 1/8” wall thickness, and the other set from steel, 2” OD with a 1/8”
wall thickness. While each set will have different calculated lengths, they will both strike the same
fundamental note, but sound completely differently. Why is that?
Contrary to intuition there are only two variables that control the sound of a chime, i.e. the density and
elasticity of the metal. Those two variables control the specific length dimensions to achieve a desired
note for a given tubing size and wall thickness. From the chart to the right you can see that aluminum
has the lowest density and the lowest modulus of elasticity (deforms easier than the others), while
copper has the highest density but is only midrange for elasticity.
But what does all of this have to do with what metal sounds best? The differences among metals cause a
difference in timbre for the same note.
On occasion you may hear someone say they like aluminum

chimes best. That likely occurs because the lower modulus Elasticity, psi Density, Lbm / in3
of elasticity for aluminum requires less strike energy for Aluminum 10,000,000 0.0980
resonant activation and, for a given input of strike energy, the Brass 17,000,000 0.3080
aluminum chime can be louder and have an increased Cast Iron 13,400,000 0.2600
sustain time. However, the difference among metals does Copper 16,000,000 0.3226
not make one metal good and another bad. There are no bad
Steel 30,000,000 0.2835
sounding chimes when the notes are properly selected, the
tubes are properly tuned and properly mounted. It's Titanium 14,900,000 0.1630
impossible to have a set of chimes for the same note range
made from aluminum sound the same as a set made from steel or any other metal, because of their
difference in density and elasticity.
If you want the smallest possible chime set for a given note range select brass tubing. Opposite to brass,
EMT will provide the largest physical set for a given note range. As an example, see the table below
organized L to R, smallest to largest for middle C (C4). Also see the section on “proportional dimensions”
for considerations of diameter, wall thickness and length.
Length for a one-inch diameter chimes at middle C (C4), smallest to largest.

Brass .065 wall Copper M Cast Iron Titanium .065 wall Au.065 wall Au .035 wall EMT Steel
26 1/8" 27" 28 7/16" 29 1/8” 29 5/16" 30 7/16" 32 7/8"
Not All Tubing is Created Equal: Some tubing may produce a frequency
beating effect when struck. This is often due to variations in the cross
section of the tubing from variations and inconsistencies in the
manufacturing process. The elasticity and the density of the tubing will be
different depending on where the tube is struck. The tube can produce two
closely spaced fundamental frequencies and these two frequencies will
produce the beating effect. Some people enjoy this type of effect and
others may find it annoying. If you want to avoid this wah-wah effect, make
sure you acquire high quality tubing – or test a small piece before buying in
bulk. While some tubing may be considered poor quality for musical
requirements, it can be acceptable for structural needs. The problem with
tubing that exhibits this effect is that it makes precise tuning more difficult.
On the website you can hear this beating sound, for the tube shown to
below.
Beating between two
If you know the exact material density and modulus of elasticity, enter fundamental frequencies
those parameters into the DIY Calculator on the data page, when using the causing the wah-wah sound
effect
DIY calculator. I want to emphasize that good tuning will certainly help to
accurately produce the appropriate overtones for the selected note, particularly for the higher note
ranges.
Standard Tubing Dimensions: see standard dimension tables in Appendix E.

Aluminum and brass tubing tend to exactly follow their listed ID and OD dimensions.
However, copper tubing does not. Wall thickness for copper pipe varies with the pipe schedule.
The four common copper schedules are named K (thick-walled), L (medium-walled), M (thin-wall), and
D W V (drain/waste/vent - non-pressurized). The printing on the pipe is color coded for identification; K
is Green, L is Blue, M is Red, and D W V is Yellow. Both type M & type L can be found in the
plumbing section at home improvement stores like Home Depot®, Lowe’s ®, Menards® and others in the
USA. Commonly available sizes for aluminum, copper, brass, steel and cast iron are also in the DIY
wind chime calculator
Chime Dimensions: Select between pre-calculated dimensions or calculate your own dimensions using
the DIY Calculator for common metal tubes, pipes and rods.
Caution: these values allow you to get close to the desired note (typically within 1%) but if you
desire an exact frequency, it is best to cut slightly long and grind to the final length. This is not
normally required for wind chimes.
Do not use these calculations for an orchestra or a musical setting because an orchestra will
typically tune for A4= 442, 43 or 44 Hz and this chart uses A4=440 Hz. Also, orchestra grade
chimes typically do not go below the C5 octave. Manufacturing dimensional tolerances may cause
slight inaccuracies in the actual results, not to mention the effects of poor material handling along
with slight variations in material properties and impurities. If in doubt, cut slightly long and grind to
final values. You might be able measure frequency for verification using any of the free apps for an
iPhone, iPad, Android or a software programs like Audacity® See the section “Tuning the Chime”
Read the caution about chromatic tuners and the caution on note selection
Pre-calculated Length and Hang Point Dimensions for Tubes and Pipes [English & Metric] PDF
Calculate Your Own Dimensions - DIY
All notes calculator Base A4=440 Hz

Pentatonic scale calculator (C D E G A) Base A4=440 Hz
C9 chord calculator (C E G Bb D) Base A4=440 Hz
All notes calculator Base A4=432 Hz (Old original tuning)
For the purpose of chime design use the steel selection in the calculator
if you're using EMT (thin wall conduit).
DIY Calculator includes the following features:

• Calculates length and hang point for tubes or rods open at both ends. Tubes with end caps can
be adjusted using the ratio calculator.
• Look-up tables for standard size tubing
• Look-up table for material properties
• Standard Music Scale
• All dimensions are calculated based on OD, ID in inches and specific material types
• Answers are displayed in English or Metric values
• OD = outside dimension of tubing (inches), ID = inside dimension of tubing (inches)
• Material type = aluminum, brass, cast iron, copper, steel, stainless steel & EMT (thin wall
conduit)
• Note selection by frequency in Hz
• Embedded top support disk calculator
• Embedded points on a circle calculator
The embedded top support disk calculator asks you to decide on the chime
diameter (CD), the striker diameter (SD) and the clearance between the striker
and the chime tube (D). The calculator provides the correct location for placing
the chimes (R) and (CS), and the diameter of the support disk (PD).
Instructions for use are included with the calculator. Also included is a Points
on a Circle Calculator for use in the layout of a top support disk holes or a
radial star striker.
Angle-Cut Tubing: A 45° cut at the bottom or top of the tube can add a
nice aesthetic touch; however, the tuning for each chime tube will change
considerably from the 90° cut value. The shorter the chime the more the
tuning will change. For example, here are the changes for a 5-chime set
made from 2 inch OD aluminum with a wall of .115 inch. The set was
originally cut for the pentatonic scale (CDEGA) beginning at C6 using 90°
cut tubing. After a 45° cut at the bottom end of each tube, the tuning
increased from about 5% to 9% depending on length. Unfortunately, the
rate of change was not linear, but a value specific to each length of
tubing. Tuning increase was C6 =+5.5%, D =+6.6%, E =+7.5%, G =+7.6%
and A=+8.8%. This was not surprising because shorting a tube will
naturally increase the note frequency.
Additional testing was performed for a number of different diameters and

different lengths using aluminum, copper and steel tubing. The results
were very consistent. Short thin-walled tubing of any diameter changed
the most and long thick-walled tubing of any diameter changed the least.
Short tubing (around 20 inches) could increase the tuning by as much as
9 to 10%. Long tubing (35 to 40 inches or more) could change as little as
2%. It was impossible to predict the change other than the trend stated
above for short vs. long.
If you want to maintain exact tuning using a 45° cut, cut the tube longer than the value suggested by the
DIY calculator or the pre-calculated tables, and trim to final value using your favorite tuning method. If
exact tuning is not required or important, cut the tubing to the suggested length by the calculator to pre-
calculated chart, and trim the end at 45°.
Tuning the Chime: If you attempt to create exact notes for an orchestra setting, exact tuning is required
and the use of an electronic tuning device or a good tuning ear may be necessary. On the other hand, if
you desire a good sounding set of chimes but do not need orchestra accuracy, then carefully cut and
finish to the length suggested by the pre-calculated table or the DIY calculators listed above.
Frequency measurement; Measuring the exact

frequency and musical note of the chime is
challenging at best. Read the caution below!
There are a host of apps for Chromatic Tuners

available for an iPhone, iPad or Android. Site visitor
Mathew George uses “gStrings” on his Android,
pictured right.
I use the $.99 app “insTuner” on an iPad and freeware

Audacity® on a laptop shown below. A few scrap
pieces of wood to make two U-brackets, rubber bands
and you're in business. Mark the support nodes 22.4%
from each end for locating the rubber bands. If you have just a
few measurements to make a quick & easy support is a string
slipknot positioned at the 22.4% node, pictured right with the
iPad.
A word of caution! It can be challenging and often impossible

for a chromatic tuner to measure a chime note correctly. Non-
linearity of the human ear and a chime's non-harmonic
overtones are two reasons.
Chromatic tuners listen and display sound as it is being

produced on a linear basis for both amplitude and frequency,
but our brain process the same information using fuzzy logic.
Why is this problem?
Unfortunately, the human ear is no doubt the most non-linear

and narrowband sound listening device we know of. Similar to
other percussion instruments, chimes do not produce
fundamental frequencies and pure harmonic frequencies like
string instruments, wind tubes and reed instruments, for which
chromatic tuners are intended.
Instead, there are numerous non-harmonic overtones present

which (depending on their individual frequency and amplitude)
can be predominant to a tuner or analyzer, but make little or no difference to the human ear. A chromatic
tuner may display the predominant amplitude and frequency, but that may not be what the ear actually
perceives. Because of the brain's "fuzzy logic" characteristic, the many overtones associated with a
particular chime fundamental frequency, combine to produce a musical note the brain recognizes, but
may not be recognized by a chromatic tuner.
It is difficult to provide an exact recommendation when

to use the tuner to measure a chime's note, but in
general, I find most any note below C4 difficult to
measure, and on occasion, below C5. Long, low
frequencies tubes, mostly measure incorrectly because
of the "missing fundamental effect" and the
preponderance of high amplitude overtones. Thick-
walled tank chimes/bells can measure with surprising
accuracy because of a single pure tone above C4 that
is not cluttered with unimportant sidebands. However,
thin-walled tank chimes/bells seem not to do as well
and they may be impossible to measure accurately.
In addition, poor quality tubing exhibiting dual fundamentals will cause the chromatic tuner to constantly
switch between the two fundamentals, both of which are incorrect. If you are not displaying the note you
expected, try moving the chime further away from the tuner to help minimize unimportant frequencies.
If you get a good steady reading that it is not what you expected, the tuner is listening to a predominant
overtone, so just ignore that measurement. Using the values for length provided by the tables and DIY
calculators on this page will get you very close to the exact note. If the tuner cannot make a believable
measurement, use the calculated length for the chime.to the exact note. If the tuner cannot make a
believable measurement, use the calculated length for the tube.
A good software solution for FFT spectrum analysis measurement is a freeware program Audacity®
used on a Laptop pictured above. A few additional sources are listed in Appendix C. Most any computer
microphone will work. In fact, I have used the microphone on a headset used for Skype and it works
quite well.
To eliminate the annoying background noise when using a microphone, use an accelerometer. I have
good success supporting the chime horizontally at one node by a rubber band and at the other node by a
thin wire looped around the chime and attached to an accelerometer.
Chime Mechanical Support: The ideal chime support location to allow for a lengthy sustain time is
positioned at either of two locations; at the fundamental frequency node located 22.42% from either end,
or at the very end using a string or cable threaded through an end cap.
If sustain time is not a requirement (which makes a tubular chime bell sounding) such as for orchestra
chimes pictured to the right, then support can be through horizontal holes near the end of the tube. A
chime supported in this manner effectively reduces most of the sustain time and can be a desirable
response for an orchestra chime since the strike note is typically the most important musical contribution
with minimal sustain time. I do not recommend this method.
You may see commercial wind chimes supported in this manner, but they cannot support the tradition
bell-like sound that you may be expecting. Incorrect support ranks as the number one mistake made by
some commercial chimes sets for sale, both on the internet and in stores. They will produce a strike
note but lack the rich resonant bell-like sound that results from proper support.
First Support Location for a bell sounding chime

uses the traditional fundamental frequency node,
which is 22.42% from either end. See the Transverse
vibration mode diagram at the right.
An important objective for a bell-like chime is to

preserve the resonance of the chime as long as
possible. Accurate placement for the support holes
helps to assure the high quality (Q) or hang-time, or
sustain time for the chime. A hole size of 1/16” can be
drilled directly on the location mark but for larger
holes like 1/8”, try to place the top of the hole so it
aligns with the location mark.
If you're curious about other support locations, it is possible to support the chime at the first, second or
third overtone node but not recommended. All charts and calculations in this paper are for the support
line to be located at the fundamental frequency node which is 22.42% from either end and is the most
optimum location.
If you happen to have a background in both mechanical vibration and acoustic vibration, it is easy to
confuse overtones and harmonics. Overtones = Harmonics -1, or Harmonics = Overtones + 1. This
acoustic harmonic relationship has no connection to the radio frequency definition of harmonics. See the
diagram below.
1st Fundamental Frequency 1st Overtone, 2nd Harmonic 2nd Overtone, 3rd Harmonic
Second Support Location (end cap), is when the chime tube is supported
by a cable or cord through a hole in an end cap. It is important to understand
that the end cap lowers the fundamental frequency and some associated
overtones from values calculated by the DIY calculator or pre-calculated
charts. For 1/2" copper tubing type L, the fundamental is lowered by about 3%
to 6% from calculated values on this page. For 3/4" type L copper tubing the
fundamental is lowered by about 11% to 12%. The good news is that the end
cap noticeably increases the duration for the first overtone and the chime has
a much more bell-like sound. Look at these two spectral waterfall displays and
specifically compare the hang time of the 1st overtone for each. You will
notice a considerable increase in sustain time for the end cap supported tube.
Caution: be certain to solder the end caps in place. An unsoldered or loose

fitting end cap will completely deaden the resonance. An end cap must
contact the entire circumference at the end of the chime to function properly.
Waterfall display for a chime tube supported by Waterfall display for a chime tube supported
a hole in the end cap. Similar to some orchestra at the traditional fundamental frequency
chimes. node.
End Support for Rods: It is possible to support a rod at the end and fairly easy to
accomplish. You might be tempted to inset a screw eye at the end but I can assure you that
will completely kill the resonance. Resonance for a tube or rod can easily be stopped by
touching the end. The end cap is a special case that allows resonance to exist without
seriously reducing the sustain time. But adding a screw eye or any amount of mass to the
end can kill the sustain time for a rod. The easy solution that works very well is to drill a small
hole in the end of the rod and epoxy a 50 pound (22 Kg) woven fishing line into the hole. First
tie a knot at the end prior to inserting the line into the hole. This low mass and flexible
connection does not impact the resonance and provides an easy method for connection.
Chime Support Suggestions
Method 1 Method 1 Method 1 Method 2 Method 2

Traditional two-point Important to deburr Eyelets or grommets Knot on the outside Deburring the inside
mount and the most the outside holes help when deburring allows for one top support hole is
stable in high winds is difficult or support point. important.
for string supported impossible
chimes.

Converts from a two Internal view Side view The knot can be
point mount to a 1/2 Wrap. tucked inside and out
single point mount of view
and may be more
Both ends feed from
pleasing to the eye
the outside to the
with less visible line.
inside

The half wrap is a Slide the knot out of 1/8" metal rod flush A small rubber Can be used to
convenient view for the chain cut and deburred. grommet on the support the concealed
connection for a chain connection Held with super glue outside of the chime striker
mount or flair the ends with for each side
a ball-peen hammer. prevents buzzing

Horizontal cable 1/32" or 1/16" steel Small plastic beads Even without the End cap support for
mount provides a new cable threads thru assure even spacing beads the tubes have copper tubing. Must be
look each hole among tubes a tendency to space soldered to function
evenly properly

Rigid mount using Dual rigid mount 4-point rigid mount 4-point rigid mount Horizontal support
1/8" bolt or larger. using 1/8" bolts or allows maximum resist abuse in a park using a noninvasive
Securing nut not larger. Securing nuts support vertically or or playground setting soft chord or line
shown not shown horizontally
Forming the inverted V wire pin:

This example uses a number 12 copper wire but you can use aluminum, brass or whatever works best.
Sharpen and fit a pusher Insert wire thru both holes Form decorative loop on Position the pusher board
board to the ID of the chime leaving sufficient wire to one side only. Adjust the perpendicular to the wire
form decorative loops loops to not touch the
chime below the hole
Using moderate pressure to A slip knot works well to Form the second An inverted V is not
form the inverted V secure the line decorative loop. Adjust the absolutely necessary. A
loops to not touch the solid 1/8" pin glued in place
chime below the hole works well.
An alternate inverted V support can be the wire arm from a binder clip shown on the
right. Remove the wire arms from the clip, stretch them out a little, and position in place
using needle nose pliers, wiggle the arm until the tips pop out of the holes. Be sure to
attach your hanger line first. The arms tend to be self-centering. The binder clips are
available in different sizes so you can match the clip to the diameter of the pipe. The wire
diameter increases with the size of the clip so make sure to check before you drill the
pipes.
Playground Chimes Support: Pictured right is a set of playground

chimes for a full octave (CDEFGABC) from anodized aluminum as
depicted on the website External Works. This fun and easy DIY
project has a couple of important requirements. First, mounting
follows the same requirement as above, i.e. locate the support holes
22.4% from both ends. Rubber grommets help to minimize the
reduction of sustain time caused by a firm mounting, but are not
absolutely necessary for this application. Rubber
has a tendency to deteriorate over time and the use
of nylon or plastic sleeve would be a good
alternate. Firm and strong mounting is definitely a
requirement for the playground environment, but
we need to prevent squeezing the tube at the
mounting location. Careful adjustment, when
tightening bolts, can prevent this squeeze. Keep
the mounting somewhat firm to prevent the undesirable BUZZ caused by loose mounting. Flexible
grommets allow a firm mounting that will prevent the buzz.
Support Line: Longevity for a chime set is important and careful attention to the support lines and thru
holes should be considered. Rapid wind changes and UV light can quickly deteriorate support lines, not
to mention the many freeze/thaw cycles.
Nonmetallic Support Line: Make sure the line is UV resistant. Choices include fishing line (either 80
pound (36 Kg) braided or 30-50 pound (12-22 Kg) monofilament), braided nylon line, braided plumb
line, braided Dacron kite line, venetian blind chord, string trimmer/weed eater line (.065 inch), awning
chord, and braided electrical conduit pull line.
Metallic Support Line: thin wire, decorative chain (zinc plated, brass plated, or painted), 1/32 or /16
inch stainless steel cable (rust resistant), small aircraft control line cable.
Deburring: Depending on where the support line exits the chime, from the inside or outside, one or the
other sharp edges of the thru hole require deburring. An easy method to deburr the outside edges of
the thru hole is to use a larger drill bit to slightly chamfer the outer edges. If the inside edge of the thru
hole is of concern, first remove the burr using a long round file or sandpaper on a stick.
By hand, insert the smooth shaft end of the drill bit or other hardened steel rod into the hole and rotate
in a circular motion, careful not to break the drill bit. This motion will tend to further chamfer the outside
edge and help to burnish the inner edge of the hole.
Grommets/Eyelets: are mostly for protecting the outside edge of the thru hole. Rubber, plastic or
metal (grommets or eyelets) are encouraged, but small sizes can be a challenge to locate. Small
eyelets can often be located at your local hobby store in the sewing department or a shoe repair store.
You can also use the outer shell of a 1/8 inch or 3/16 inch aluminum pop rivet. Remove the nail-like
center and use the rivet.
Additional Protection: Use a small section of heat shrink tubing over a nonmetallic support line,
where it exits the thru hole from the inside, and it is often difficult to deburr or chamfer.
Shown is a jig to position the chime

for attaching the support line or
chain. After you have selected the
alignment configuration, top, center
or bottom, a simple jig can assist the
installation of the support line. To the
right are three possible jigs, a
square-grove jig and a v-grove jig,
both with red adjustable stops for
alignment. A third jig made from a
section of cardboard or wood strip
works well. Scribe a mark for the
bottom, center, or top alignment on
the jig. Begin with the longest chime
and select an appropriate length for
the attachment line from the chime to
the support point on the support disk
or ring and locate a nail, a pencil mark, or the adjustable post at that location on the jig. Place the
longest chime on the template and secure with tape, a clamp or maybe lay a book on it. Stretch the line
up to the reference post and tie a loop or a knot or mark with a felt tip pen. Repeat with the remainder
of the chime set using the scribed reference mark. For center aligned chimes attach a small section of
masking tape to the center of the chime and scribe the chime center location on the tape.
A knot in the support line or wire can be mostly hidden by use of a countersink hole, when using thru
holes to anchor line to a solid support disk. Pictured below are a few examples.
Support Line Suggestions
Deburr inside hole using stick Chamfer outside hole using an 1/8" & 3/16" aluminum eyelets Outside hole with
& sandpaper oversized drill bit and a pop rivet aluminum eyelet
Eyelets do not protect the line 1/8" & 3/16" eyelets using the Heat shrink tubing can protect Shrinkable tubing in place
from the inside edge shell from a pop rivet. Use the line from the sharp inside and operational
only for thru line. edge of the hole
Good place to use heat Eyelets required for the Number 12 copper wire Double support line for
shrink tubing outside edge only bends easily to form an an unusually heavy
inverted V chime
Half wrap hides the knot Solid pin eliminates wear and For copper or brass tubing, fit Solder or epoxy the pin in
inside the chime tear on the connection. a 1/8" brass pin into a 1/8" place
Epoxy in place. hole and file smooth
File smooth and finish the For steel tubing, fit a 1/8" Solder or epoxy the pin in File smooth and finish with a
tube with either an aged steel or brass pin into a 1/8" place decorative paint
copper look described below hole and file smooth
or a clear finish
Project Sources: include Home Depot or Lowes for heat shrink tubing, eyelets from
the hobby store in the sewing department or a shoe repair store. Grommets can be
from a hardware store, the model airplane store or the hobby store.
Chime-Set Support, Ring, Hoop or Disk

Support disk & striker patterns are available in the document to the right. The
patterns are for tubing sizes from ½” to 2” in ¼” increments, and for chime sets for 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 chimes. Generic layout patterns are also included. See Appendix H for
a variety of chime support design styles.
Support Location Calculator and Points on a Circle Calculator 220 Kb
You may wish to calculate your own dimensions for the top support disk using
the support disk calculator. You decide the chime diameter (CD), the striker
diameter (SD) and the clearance between the striker and the chime tube (D).
The calculator provides the correct location for placing the chimes on radius
(R) and the spacing between the chimes (CS), and the diameter of the
support disk (PD). Instructions for use are included with the calculator.
If you want to avoid using the above calculator, an easy work-around is to

select an appropriate generic pattern from the Support disk & striker patterns
document, and scribe the accurate location for support holes using that pattern.
Also included is a location calculator for points on a circle.

Uses include automatic calculations for locating chimes
on a radius, and points used to draw a multisided polygon
such as a star striker or support disk arranged as a star, a
pentagon, a hexagon or an octagon etc. An easy lookup
table is provided for locating 3 to 8 points.
Rather than using a protractor to layout the angles for the

shape of your polygon, select the number of points and the radius (R) for those
points, and the calculator provides you with the distance between points. Adjust a compass to the
distance (L) and walk the compass around the circle to locate the points.
Chime Location Sequence:

A circular striker will typically strike one chime at a time but can simultaneously strike two chimes.
When this happens you can enhance the overall sound by placing widely separated notes next to each
other For example, below are location suggestions with chime number 1 as the shortest and moving
upwards in length as the location numbers increase.
Circular configuration
Inline configuration
1-3-5-2-4 1-4-2-5-3-6 1 - 5 - 2 - 6 -3 - 7 - 4 1 - 5 - 2 - 6 -3 - 7 - 4 - 8
Disk and Ring Support Suggestions
A circular ring or hoop Support rings can be cut Use an abrasive metal Chain, decorative cord, or
provides an open air and from an out of service cutting saw blade in a braided fishing line can be
transparent appearance. aluminum fire extinguisher. radial arm saw, a chop used with this top support
Strip paint and brush with saw or a table saw. Height hoop.
a wire wheel. of 3/8” to 3/4 “works well.
Use the generic patterns Chrome plated steel rings Look in hobby stores for Support disk cut from .075"
document to mark the 3- and hoops available in a rings or hoops often used aluminum with a 3/6" x 3" eye
point mount location holes variety of sizes from hobby for dream catchers, bolt used with the keeper-
and a generic pattern stores and online mandellas or macramé striker arrangement
matching your number of
chimes.
A single screw eye is an Chain or UV resistant cord If the star pattern is used A solid circular disk offers a
easy connection but more can be configured for a 3- for the striker it can be wide choice for mounting
difficult to balance level point or 4-point mount duplicated for the top including screw eyes or thru
support holes
You can also use the Bottom view Pets, sports logo or a A decorative hand painted
chime set as a birdhouse. favorite hobby can adorn funnel or pan lid adds
the top of the chime disk. uniqueness to the set
Striker/Clapper Orchestra chimes, of course, need a human to strike the chime and a
rawhide-covered rubber mallet works well. A rawhide-covered baseball or softball can
work well for wind chimes but only in a very high wind environment where there is ample
strike energy from the sail. An orchestra chime is struck with a lot of gusto but a wind
chime often has little strike energy. Typically there is little strike energy from normal
winds so preserving and applying that energy is the challenge. Design considerations
below include single or multiple strikers, the shape, the weight, the material, the
suspension, the motion, and the strike location.
Strike Zone: An important consideration for a bell-like chime is the strike zone. The
optimum location is at the very end of the tubular chime because this location will assure
that all possible overtones are energized to the maximum. This should not be surprising
since orchestra chimes are struck at the end. An easy solution to assuring the strike
occurs at the very end of the chime is to use bottom alignment and a tapered striker as
shown in striker suggestions.
Often you will see the center selected as the strike location for a tubular bell wind chime,
perhaps for aesthetic reasons. When the exact center of the chime is struck the odd
numbered overtones can fail to energize, and the resulting sound can be very clunky
even though the even numbered overtones were well energized. While I recommend
striking the end of the chime, there are good aesthetic reasons to align the chimes for a
center alignment or a top alignment. The ideal strike zone is about 1 inch from the end,
or about an inch below the center line as pictured below. All three locations work okay when you keep
the striker away from dead center, which is a dead zone for the first overtone. Don't worry much about
killing the first overtone with center placement. The first overtone dead zone is very narrow and easily
overcome with a slightly off-center strike.
Strike zone for top, bottom or center alignment
Strike Zone Strike Zone Strike Zone

Top Aligned Chimes Bottom Aligned Chimes Center Aligned Chimes
Find the center line for the longest Find the center line for the shortest Find the center line for all chimes
chime and position the striker at chime and position the striker at and position the striker at least an
least an inch or more below that least an inch or more below that inch or more below the center line.
center line. Anywhere in the green center line. Anywhere in the green Anywhere in the green section
section above. section above. above.
Striker Shape is most often circular because the

chimes are located in circle. An alternate shape
is the circular traveling radial striker which can be
effective for striking a musical chord. The radial
striker most often takes the shape of an open
star or a closed star, like the keeper-striker
pictured here. The striker has a tendency to
rotate CW & CCW as it bounces to and from
each chime. A circular striker will typically contact
one or maybe two chimes simultaneously.
However, the star shaped striker can
synchronously contact most all of the chimes. The loudness of the chimes struck with a star striker is
somewhat reduced compared to the circular striker because the strike energy has been distributed
among the various chimes. See a YouTube video HERE
Striker Weight: A heavy striker for large chimes and a lighter weight striker for smaller chimes is a good
recommendation most of the time. Depending on your typical wind conditions there may be occasions
when you need a lightweight striker for large chimes. Near the seashore winds can be rather strong and
you may need to soften the strike with a lightweight striker or switch to a rawhide-covered baseball or
softball. Considerable strike energy can be achieved by using an oak disk machined to a knife-edge and
loaded with a 1 oz. weight. See striker suggestions below.
Striker Material: The choice of material depends somewhat on the note selection. If there is good
movement from the wind sail, then a circular disk striker (soft sided but heavy) can be used for the
larger diameter chimes (say above 2 inches), particularly for lower frequency chimes. Some choices
are a hockey puck, redwood, red cedar, treated lumber or a 1/4" nylon cutting board. If the wind is quite
strong and gusty, you may need to soften the striker even further by using a rawhide-covered
baseball/softball. The rawhide helps to produce a very mellow strike in a strong wind. Smaller diameter
higher frequency chimes benefit from a harder wood like white oak, teak or Osage-orange aka hedge-
apple. Be sure to coat the striker with a UV resistant coating.
On the other hand, a well performing star-striker should be from a relatively hard material, yet light
weight, allowing for a quick response to circular movements. The loudness of chimes struck with a star
striker is reduced, compared to the circular striker, because the strike energy has been distributed
among the various chimes, and a harder material is required for a strong strike. 1/8 inch soft aluminum,
sheet plastic or a 1/4 inch nylon cutting board works well to accomplish both goals.
Keep it Clean: A dirty strike can

energize a host of unwanted spurious sideband frequencies as demonstrated by the steel striker in the
blue spectrum display to the right.
A most melodious bell sound is achieved with a softer strike that energizes overtones without spurious
sidebands, as shown in the purple spectrum display to the far right.
Both strikers produced equal loudness for the fundamental while the steel striker did a better job of
energizing overtones (louder) but at the expense of unwanted dirty
sidebands. The wood striker (hard maple) produced a most melodious
bell sound while the metal strike was harsh and annoying.
Conceal and Carry Chime hides a lead striker on the inside the chime
for large diameters chimes, mostly above two inches as pictured left and
right. This technique is seldom used unless the chime set is large or
becomes annoying, caused by the traditional disk striker in high winds.
Because there is insufficient distance for the striker to gain momentum
and strike with gusto, the inside striker could be a good solution to quieting chimes in
high winds. If you're looking for a muted sound from a large set, maybe 4 inches and
above, this technique is useful. The striker is a lead weight, normally used as a
sinker for fishing, and can be any of the following: a cannon ball sinker, a bell sinker,
a bank sinker or an egg sinker. Wrap the sinker with about two layers of black
electrical tape to prevent the harsh sound from a metal strike yet still provide a strong
but muted strike. Support for the striker string or line from can be from the same
point you use to support the chime tube.
Striker Suspension A small 1/16-inch brass tube about 5 inches long thru the
center of the striker allows for the suspension line to be threaded and used as an
axle for the disk. This helps to keep the disk horizontal during rapid and sudden
movements from high winds. A stiff wire like coat hanger wire can be used as an axle
as shown below in striker suggestions.
Striker Motion: I happen to live in a wooded area with little wind and have struggled to achieve good
strike energy with low winds. With that in mind, I set out to improve the low wind performance of the
striker.
The objective was to maximize striker movement with little input energy from the sail. The easy solution
was to resonant the support line that supports both the striker and the sail using the second mode
bending principle. This resonance will help to amplify and sustain the motion of the striker with little
input energy from the sail. Even though the sail moves in the wind, it will act as an anchor for the
resonant movement of the striker.
You can easily recognize this movement by using both hands to hold a string vertically and have a
second person pluck the center of the string. The natural resonance of the string will cause the center
to vibrate. If you position the striker at the exact center between the top and the sail you can achieve
this resonance.
It is difficult to provide an exact ratio between the weight of the striker and the weight of the sail.
Depending on the actual weight for both, the ratios can be quite different. In general, when you attempt
to resonant the striker line, I suggest the striker not exceed the weight of the sail and ideally the striker
should be about 1/2 the weight of the sail. I realize that if you use a CD as the sail a lighter weight
striker can be difficult to achieve. A heavy striker is difficult to resonant.
On the other hand, for medium to high winds and for a non-resonant mounting, the wind catcher/sail
should have a weight less than 25% of the striker.
When resonance is working well you will notice as the sail comes to rest, the striker will continue to
bounce off the chimes for a few more strikes, an indication the striker is dissipating the stored energy
from resonance. See this Resonant striker video WMV, for a demo. Notice the large movement of the
striker compared with little movement from the sail
Striker Clapper Suggestions
Straight edge wood disk Knife edge wood disk Knife edge disk striker with Close up for tapered edge
striker with axle maximizes strike energy weight and axle wood striker with weight &
axle
Bullet nose wood striker Enameled coat hanger Tapered edge wood striker Typical tapered edge striker
with hollow axle or wire wire works well for an axle with axle allows striking the with axle for bottom aligned
axle maximizes strike end of the chime edge for chimes
energy maximum strike energy
A sculptured tapered edge A radial striker rotates on

A sculptured tapered edge striker assures contact with contact with the chime
striker adds a decorative the very end edge of the bouncing back and forth
touch for striking the edge chime effectively striking a chord
of the chime end. or most of the chord
Typical arrangement for a
tapered edge striker with
an axle for bottom
alignment
The open star radial striker Multipliable configurations The enclosed star radial The enclosed star radial
loudness is reduced exist to achieve a radial striker works great for striker can be made from
compared to the traditional strike. This one might be maintaining alignment in 1/8” sheet plastic,
round striker appropriate for someone high wind conditions and aluminum or other light
working in the nuclear produces a more subtle weight but relative hard
business. strike material
3-Chime Keeper-Striker 5-Chime Keeper-Striker
Baseball / Softball good for Conceal & Carry A 2 oz. lead weight A billiard ball or croquet
a mellow strike in a high The chime carries a wrapped with two layers of ball are choices for a
wind environment concealed lead striker black electrical tape strong strike on small
inside a 2 inch diameter or provide a strong but muted chimes. Test first for
larger chime, and provides strike harshness. Can be too
a unique style with a more strong for some
subtle strike
Wind Sail / Wind Catcher The pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist
expects it to change, the realist adjusts the sails. By William Arthur Ward
The objective of the wind sail/catcher is to cause the striker to randomly contact all
the chime tubes. Traditional wind sails generally work well and can be configured
with a variety of materials, sizes and shapes as shown in the document on the right.
Patterns 1.3 Meg, PDF
My dissatisfaction with the traditional wind sail is that single-direction winds have a
tendency to cause the sail to swing like a pendulum. That arrangement will swing
the sail both to and from the direction of the wind, not allowing the striker to contact adjacent chimes.
That affect sounds much like a dingdong, dingdong as the striker hits only two chimes.
As you may know, wind close to the ground can behave differently than winds aloft, and often does not
blow horizontally as intuition would suggest. Instead, it is a multidirectional force with an ample amount
of wind shear.
To better understand wind turbulence mixed with single-direction winds watch this 20 sec WMV, Bi-
directional wind vane video showing a bi-directional wind vane mounted on my deck. You probably
noticed the swirling motion mixed with single-direction winds and the random uphill and downhill
movement aka pitch & yaw. Perhaps we can exploit this force to make a better wind sail. Let's take
advantage of this turbulence to create a striker movement that is somewhat rotational in nature and
does a better job of striking all the chimes.
Solving the Dingdong: The first of several solutions to better capture wind turbulence
can be quite simple. Mount the sail at 45° to the horizontal so as to catch the pitch and
yaw forces, as pictured on the right. Thread the support line through two small holes next
to the center of an old CD disk and tie the knot slightly off-center to create the 45° slope.
You may need to glue the line in place for the long term.
A second solution is to hang the sail perfectly horizontal. Counter intuitive, I agree, but
depending on your particular type of wind it can work surprising well, particularly if the
chime set is hung from a high deck or beyond the first story of the building and the wind is
particularly turbulent.
A third solution is to make sure the top support disk can easily rotate in a circular direction. Hang the top
support disk not from a fixed ring or hook but from a single support line as pictured to the right. The very
nature of the wind will catch enough of the chimes to rotate the entire set allowing the pendulum motion
of the sail to strike more of the chimes.
A fourth solution can be the radial traveling star striker

described above. The very nature of the star striker is to quickly
rotate CW & CCW from any input motion of the sail, even from
straight-line winds, and this motion will easily avoid the
dingdong sound.
Need More Dingdong: Need More Dingdong? At this point you are most likely saying “WHAT” more
dingdong? We just got done solving the dingdong and now you want more! Yes, there is a condition
when excessive pendulum movement of the sail is useful and not sufficiently supplied by the tradition
wind sail. With the development of the keeper-striker or the radial-striker, both of which are very
effective in striking a musical chord, there is a need for a robust movement
of the striker. The radial striker produces a more muted sound because the
strike energy is simultaneously distributed among all the chimes by moving
in a circular motion. Thus the need for a more robust strike.
Jerk, Jolt, Surge & Lurch: We often describe the motion of an object in
terms of displacement, velocity, or acceleration. However, an additional
motion description seldom used is the rate of change of acceleration. The
unit of measurement is often termed jerk but is also known as jolt, surge, or
lurch. Jerk supplies the sudden and rapid motion from the wind sail to the
rotary keeper-striker.
Introducing Orthogonal Sailing: We have developed a special wind sail to

solve the need for more jerk. As mention above, a normal wind sail will
mostly swing to and from the direction of the wind; however, the orthogonal
sail has the unique ability to fly aggressively at right angles to the wind
direction. If the wind is from the North the sail will fly East and West.
The sail has the unique ability to fly aggressively at right angles to the wind
direction. If the wind is from the North, the sail will fly East and West, thus
the name Orthogonal Wind Sail. The aggressive motion of the sail will
eventually exceed its ability to fly, fall into a chaotic state, and stall.
Immediately the process repeats and continues to supply considerable
energy to the radial striker. The design is simple and easy to build, see
below
CAUTION !
The orthogonal sail can be dangerous. Do not hang the chime set
where the sail can contact children, adults, or animals. The sail makes
no noise and can swing a full 180 degrees in a half circle motion. This
quiet operation and wide swing can cause people to be unaware of the
danger. The sail is flat thin metal and can easily cut the skin or
damage an eye as it swings. BE CAREFUL !
No Sailing Today: Long and large diameter chimes present a considerable surface area to the wind
and can move sufficiently to cause a good strike without the need for a wind sail. In addition, the large
diameter striker, often associated with a large chime set, can capture adequate wind for a good strike.
Depending on the distance between the striker and the chime tube, not all chime sets require a sail.
Pictured right are closely spaced chimes that easily contact the striker with low to moderate winds.
Because of the short distance between the striker and the chime tube, the strike is not robust but
adequate.
The best solution for you will depend on your type of wind. You may need to try a few different sails for
success.
Windless Chimes On occasion there may be times when you want a set of chimes in a windless
environment, or even outdoors in a low wind environment, like a heavily wood area. Using an
electromagnet to repel a high intensity magnet at the end of the striker rod can provide you with
endless possibilities. Typically named a chaos engine, this arrangement can produce a random
movement for the striker. Powered by either 120 VAC or a 12 VDC solar charged battery, the
electromagnet is controlled by a circuit board with an adjustable strike rate. You can design your
individual set of windless chimes using components purchased from Sonntag Creations, formerly
Newton's Flying Magnets. Below is a short video demonstrating some of the possibilities.
www.youtu.be/LMAQhuHhdMQ
Tank Bells & Chimes Out of service compressed gas/air

cylinders, scuba diving tanks or fire extinguishers are often cut
and used as a chime or bell. Based on physical measurements
can we pre-determine a musical note for these tanks? To the
best of my research I have not found a mathematical method for
calculating a musical note for these tanks. Both the neck-end
and the base-end seriously alter the vibration performance of the
cylinder rendering existing formulas useless.
However, once the tank has been cut to your desired length it is easy work to determine the
fundamental frequency using an analysis program like Audacity®, . Other choices work well also.
The frequency spectrum does not always follow the traditional overtone pattern for a chime tube and
can include a host of additional overtones normally associated with the bell-like sound. See the
spectrum diagram to the left.
Energizing all the overtones and avoiding the harsh sound when using a metal striker can be a
challenge. A golf ball or baseball can work well but requires a robust strike to properly energize the
overtones. I have not had good success using a wood striker unless it's a really robust strike not
typically possible with a normal wind sail.
Length Matters or Maybe Not!

A most perplexing situation can
exist for some tank lengths. We
tested five sets of tank chimes,
sets A, B, C, D, & E pictured to
the right. All chimes for sets D
and E sounded distinctly
different and each had a
different height, and a different
fundamental frequency and
overtone structure; however, not
true for sets A, B, and C.
In comparison, each chime in
set A sounded exactly the same
and had nearly identical
fundamental frequencies and
nearly identical overtones, but
represented three different
lengths. The same was true for
sets B and C. There was a
slight difference in timbre
among the bells, but a
considerable difference in
length for each set.
Set B has both a neck-end and a base-end chime from a compressed-gas cylinder. While both chimes
strike almost exactly the same fundamental frequency (295 Hz vs. 290 Hz), they are of different lengths
and have a slightly different timbre but sound mostly the same. Tank B was more melodious than tank A,
but not a lot. The difference in
overtone structure is pictured to
the right.
I investigated circular mode

resonance which is a function of
just material type, OD and wall
thickness and not length, as a
possible explanation for this
effect. Unfortunately the circular
mode resonance was
considerably lower than the
observed resonance and offered
no correlation to the actual
measurements. The calculated
vs. observed resonances were as
follows:
Set A = 35.4 Hz vs. 133 Hz; Set
B= 29.7 Hz vs. 290 Hz; Set C=
71.7 Hz vs. 354 Hz. The formula
was provided by Chuck from
Chuck's Chimes and is: F =
(T/(2*D^2))*SQRT(E/Density)
where F = frequency, E = modulus of elasticity, D = mean diameter and T = wall thickness.
I remain a bit perplexed on exactly why length appears to have little effect on the fundamental
frequency and the overtones structure, above some critical length point. Clearly this was not a rigorous
scientific test, but enough to cause concern and points to a need for further investigation.
Do not use any formula, table or chart on the website to predict a tanks musical performance.
Cutting Tanks: If you're new to

cutting steel or aluminum tanks
and looking for an easy method,
I use an abrasive metal cutting
saw blade in a radial arm saw,
and for small diameter tanks it
will work equally well with a cut-
off saw, aka chop-saw. The
blade pictured right is under
$5.00 at Home Depot. I was
pleasantly surprised how easily
the blade cut the hardened steel cylinder. The blade also
works well for steel or aluminum tubing and rods. Of
course, metal cutting band saws and other resources in a
welding shop work well
Safety Caution: All of these tanks are highly regulated by the US Department of Transportation
(DOT), or the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), or by Transport Canada (TC) and others.
Make certain the tank is safe for handling, is completely empty (fill with water and empty to assure all
gases are exhausted), and is safe for cutting. Wear all
recommended safety equipment including eye protection,
hearing protection and respiratory protection. The tanks are
heavy and can be dangerous when handling, use caution.
Decorating the Chime
Lightweight coatings The chime tube can be anodized or

decorated with a light weight coating such as a thin coat of
Hammered Paint Finish
spray lacquer, spray polyurethane, spray paint, powder
coat, crackle/hammered/textured finish (pictured right)
without a noticeable reduction in the sustain time.
However, avoid thick heavy coats of latex as they
seriously reduce the sustain time and can kill the
resonance. I suspect a few hand painted flowers from a
heavy paint would work okay
Patina finish on steel: Site visitor and artist, Roger

Deweese, has successfully applied a metal dye to
produce some amazing patina finishes for his tank bell
chimes, pictured right. Read here about the procedure
Roger employed.
Patina, the Aged Copper Look: A website visitor sent a procedure to artificially age copper to provide
the patina appearance. The procedure works well and pictured on the right are the satisfactory results. I
have included the procedure here for your reference. Be patient with this procedure, it can take several
days to complete but the results are terrific.
You will need two commonly available chemicals to complete this process. The first is a rust remover
that contains phosphoric acid. A couple of sources are Naval Jelly® or Rust Killer™. Secondly, a toilet
bowl cleaner that contains either hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. Some choices are Zep® Inc. Toilet Bowl
Cleaner, The Works® Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Misty® Bolex 23 Percent Hydrochloric Acid Bowl Cleaner
and LIME-A-WAY® Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Read the content labels carefully and look for any brand of
rust remover that contains phosphoric acid and a toilet bowl cleaner that has either hydrochloric or
sulfuric acid in your local store.
Patina Procedure
1. Begin by cutting your chime tubes to length and make any length adjustments
necessary for tuning. De-burr and remove any sharp edges from both ends
and the support hole.
2. Decide how you are going to support the chime, using either end caps or a
support line at the 22.42% location. Attach a temporary line to support the
chime vertically. This temporary line will get messy and can be discarded at
the end of this procedure.
3. Clean the chime using a soapy solution of dishwashing detergent like Dawn™
or equivalent. I also used a fine grade steel wool to lightly scrub the surface.
Dry completely.
4. Hang the chime vertically.
5. Soak a small soft paintbrush or dry rag with the rust remover solution and
completely coat the chime. Allow to drip-dry. This could take from a few hours
to three days depending on your local humidity. This step slightly etches the
surface of the copper in preparation for the next chemical step.
6. When the chime is completely dry remove the dried rust remover from the
chime using a dry cloth. Do not use water.
7. Soak a small soft paintbrush or dry rag with the toilet bowl solution and
completely coat the chime. This could take from a few hours to a few days
depending on your local humidity. A second coat will help to improve the
patina look. This step causes the bluish green patina to develop in the etched surface and will
darken the smooth surfaces.
8. Allow a few days to dry and the chime should ready for handling to install the final support lines.
9. The finished chime may not look like the picture above when newly completed. It can take a few
weeks to completely darken and turn green in spots. Re-application of the toilet bowl cleaner may
be necessary
10. I have had this patina set of chimes for several years and the patina look gets better every year
and holds up well in all kinds of weather.
These are dangerous chemicals. Wear safety glasses, old clothes, rubber gloves and follow all
manufactures safety recommendations. If the chemical gets on your skin wash immediately with
a liberal amount of water. Use in a well-ventilated area.
Sequence pictures for completing the patina process above.
Cleaned and ready for the First coat of rust remover Rust remover dried in two Dried rust remover wiped
process. The tube on the applied days with a rag
left has been sanded with
150 grit sand paper while
the right hand tube has
been cleaned with steel
wool
First coat of toilet bowel Second coat of toilet After a few weeks in the Left hand picture after
cleaner containing bowel cleaner dried. At weather about two months. Right
hydrochloric acid has been this stage it doesn't look hand picture after another
applied. Dried in about two like much has happened coat of toilet bowel
days but be patient, it gets cleaner
better with time and
weather
Sparkling Copper: An easy way to obtain the sparkling copper look is to sand
the surface of the copper chime using an orbital sander with about 150 grit sand
paper. This will completely expose fresh copper and leave behind orbital
scratches on the surface. Coat the sanded chime with a clear spray lacquer or a
spray polyurethane to preserve the new copper look. See picture on the right.
The Science of Chiming

What is a tubular bell chime? Chimes date to prehistoric times for a number of
cultures, back nearly 5,000 years. Tubular bells chimes were developed in the
1880's when using regular bells in an orchestra setting became impractical.
Tubular bells closely imitate church bells and the practice of using a resonant
tube as a bell soon flourished and became the traditional orchestra bell.
Traditional church bells or tubular bells can be characterized by their strike note.
That bell-like strike note can be expanded to include the overtone structure, sustain time and loudness.
That sounds simple enough, but imbedded in that explanation are two definitions. The first definition is
when a chime, properly designed and constructed, can imitate a bell, and the second definition is that a
chime may not imitate a bell. Our objective is to assist you to achieve the most bell-like sound as
possible.
Compared to a string or brass musical instrument, designing tubular bell chimes present a unique
challenge not experienced elsewhere. Although unique, building a great set of tubular bells can be easily
understood and implemented. Ending your project with a successful and pleasing sound is important and
setting the right expectations will allow that to happen. The information below may help you to better set
realistic expectations.
Loudness Limits: One of the largest differences between a chime and other musical instruments is
loudness. Loudness depends on the physical size of the chime i.e. the radiating surface area. Compared
to a string instrument where a sounding board is used to amplify the vibration of the string, or compared
to a brass instrument that is fitted with a flared tube to amplify the loudness, a chime has no amplifying
assistance, other than the inherent surface area of the chime tube. Overall, this loudness limitation for a
typically sized chime-set will provide serious limitations for the available range of effective note selection.
On the other hand, if you move up from a typical chime-set, into

the really large mega chimes, then good loudness is easily
achieved. For example, shown right is a large chime-set from
Sandra Bilotto.
Somewhat of an exception is when the resonant frequency of the

tube matches the air column resonance for the tube as described
by Chuck from Chuck's Chimes. Assistance from the energized
air column adds a small amount of loudness.
On the other hand, if you go beyond the size for a typical chime-
set into the really large mega chime, then loudness is easily
achieved. As an example, see the two chimes-sets at the right
from the website tama-do.com/product/arche.html
An exception is when the resonant frequency of the tube

matches the air column resonance for the tube, as described by
Chuck from Chuck's Chimes. Assistance from the energized air
column adds a small amount of loudness.
The second limitation for loudness from a tubular chime depends on the
location of the selected note on the musical scale, compared to the natural
sensitivity of the human ear. Shown right is the loudness sensitivity range vs.
frequency for the human ear.
You can see more sensitivity in the range from about 300 Hz to 8 KHz than at
other frequencies, and helps to explain why we cannot always hear all the
overtones, even if they are present. This loudness limitation will have a direct
effect on what notes work best for a chime.
Proportional Dimensions: Increasing the chime

diameter increases the radiating surface area and
contributes to a louder chime but at a cost. The
increased diameter greatly increases the length
requirement for a specific note, which is not
necessarily bad; it just makes the chime set longer
as the chime diameter is increased. See the graph
to the right for musical note C4.
On the other hand, increasing the wall thickness

has the opposite effect as an increase in
diameter. As the wall thickness increases there is
a small decrease in the length requirement for
any specific note. In addition there will be an
increase in sustain time from the increased mass.
See the graph below.
Increasing the outside diameter while keeping

the length and wall thickness constant will cause
a substantial rise in resonant frequency. See the
graph below for Diameter VS. Frequency.
Strike Note vs. Sustaining Note: for a chime, is not an integer harmonic as in string instruments but
instead, non-harmonic as in other percussion instruments. When the chime is supported at the
fundamental frequency node, see diagram at the right, the higher partials are dampened but the
fundamental strike frequency remains. Overtones exist and in a perfect metal where the density and the
elasticity are constant, have theoretical multiples of the fundamental multiplied by X 2.76, X 5.40, X 8.93,
X 13.34, X 18.64 and X 31.87.
However, in the real world of metal tubing that does not have a consistent density or elasticity, the
multiples will drift from the theoretical values either up or down by as much as +2% to -8%.
If we could hear the complete compliment of all

overtones for each note of a chime tube, it would
be a most wonderful bell-like sound.
Unfortunately, not all of the fundamental tones
and/or all of the overtones can be adequately
radiated as an auditable sound by the chime
tube, for all possible lengths of a chime. This
condition also limits the available range of notes
that have a bell-like sound.
Unfortunately, not all of the fundamental tones

and/or all of the overtones can be adequately
radiated as an auditable sound by the chime tube
for all possible lengths of a chime. This condition
also limits the available range of notes that have
a bell-like sound.
For example, a chime cut for C2 (65.4 Hz), the

fundamental frequency is audibly absent, aka the
missing fundamental, along with little audible
contribution from the first overtone (180.5 Hz).
The remaining overtones combine to produce a
perceived musical note. The perceived note does
not coincide with any specific overtone and is difficult to measure without a frequency spectrum analyzer
or perhaps a good musical ear. The good news is that the brain processes the information present in the
overtones to calculate the fundamental frequency, using fuzzy logic.
You can see from the display at the right that a chime
cut for 272.5 Hz (near C4#), has two characteristics.
The first characteristic is the sound when the chime is
first struck, the Strike Note. It comprises both the
fundamental and the first four overtones, and has that
traditional chime sound for a short period of time.
The 1st overtone contributes for about two seconds and

rapidly deteriorates. The remaining sound is solely the
fundamental strike frequency. Note the long sustain
time for the fundamental.
The 2nd, 3rd and 4th overtones are present and

contribute to the strike note but attenuate quickly. They
have little contribution to the lingering perceived sound,
aka sustain time or hang-time
Waterfall spectral display for a chime
In contrast to the above example, the sound for a chime supported at the fundamental frequency node
cut at fundamental C6 (1046.5 Hz) and above is mostly
the fundamental and the overtones are audibly absent or mostly absent.
In addition to the many overtones that may be present for a chime we have the difficulty of knowing
which overtones are prominent for each note, because of the ear's sensitivity as represented by the
equal loudness curve. As you might suspect, the loudness of a particular overtone changes as we move
up the scale. For a typical ear sensitivity range of 300 Hz to 3 KHz, see the data audible fundamental
and overtones for wind chime notes as a simple example for the range of audible fundamental
frequencies and overtones. Obviously this is not the entire audible range of the ear but is presented as a
simple example of the limited ability of the ear to hear all the frequencies generated by the overtone
structure. In particular, the range of C2 to C3 contain a large number of audible overtones while the
range of C5 to C7 contains very few. The note range from C2 thru C4 produce the most melodious
sounds, most bell-like, and is easy to build. Precise tuning is not required unless the set is for an
orchestra setting.
The Missing Fundamental is when the brain uses “fuzzy logic” to processes the information present in
the overtones to calculate the missing fundamental frequency.
To gain a better understanding of the perceived note I examined a set of orchestra grade chimes
manufactured by a UK manufacture. The set was 1.5" chrome plated brass with a wall thickness of .0625
inches and ranged from C5 (523.30 Hz) to G6 (1568.00 Hz). The length of C5 was 62 5/8 inches. The
fundamental frequency for this length is around 65 Hz, about C2# yet the perceived note is C5 at 523 Hz.
The fundamental strike frequency of 65 Hz and the first overtone at 179.4 Hz (65 x 2.76 = 179.4 Hz) are
audibly absent, aka the missing fundamental. In fact, even the second overtone at 351 Hz will not be
strong in loudness. The remaining overtones (mechanical vibration modes) combined to produce what
the ear hears acoustically, which is C5 at 523 Hz, yet there is not a specific fundamental or overtone at
that exact frequency.
I spoke with the people at a major USA chime manufacture for symphony grade instruments and
confirmed that indeed the process of tuning an orchestra grade chime is a complex process and
understandably a closely held trade secret. The process involves the accounting for all frequencies from
the fundamental (whether present or missing) through the many overtones, by the use of math
calculations, acoustic measurements, and the careful grinding of the chime to achieve the correct length
for the desired note.
An orchestra chime is not supported by the classical wind chime method using a string through the chime
at the first frequency node 22.4%, but instead, is fitted with an end cap that contains a small top hole
through which a steel cable supports the chime. From testing I find that the end cap not only enhances
the bell-like sound, by increasing the duration of the first overtone, but it also lowers the fundamental
frequency by about 4% to 12 % from calculated values, depending on tube material and diameter.
More on this in chime tube mechanical support. Many have spent time investigating the missing
fundamental and the perceived note from a chime. Some good sources are: Hyper Physics, Wind Chime
Physics, and Wikipedia.
A Bell-like Chime: Using the above characteristics for a chime, I found a limited set of notes that will
produce a bell-like sound from a tubular chime. Using the musical scale as a reference, they fall into
three categories as follows:
The 1st chime category:

(Most bell-like) has a note
range from about C2 to the
C4 octave. The
fundamental strike
frequency is present but
audibly absent (the
missing fundamental) and
there are a host of well-
pronounced overtones.
Often the first overtone
can also be inaudible. The
perceived sound is not the
fundamental strike frequency and not the overtones, but an imaginary note created by the combination of
the overtones. To the ear this is a very melodious sound and clearly a bell-like sounding chime. The
larger physical size of this chime for this note range causes the loudness to be quite adequate, and
easily supports radiation for the many overtones. Note in the spectrum displays below, as we move up
the musical scale the overtone contribution becomes less and less.
The 2nd chime category: (Almost bell-like) has a note range

from about C4 through most of the C6 octave. The fundamental
strike frequency is mostly audible and some overtones contribute
to the perceived sound. The perceived note is not the
fundamental strike frequency and not the overtones, but a
combination of both that produce a perceived musical note. The
sound can be acceptable but may not be the sound you are
looking for. This has an almost bell-like sound and can sound
fairly good, but not particularly melodious. The loudness is
acceptable but not great.
The 3rd chime category: (Non bell-like) has a note range from
about C6 through the C8 octave. Not unlike other percussion
instruments this category is characterized by an audible
fundamental strike frequency (a noticeable pure tone) with
overtones mostly absent. Overtones have minimal contribution to
the perceived musical note. This note range may not be
particularly pleasing to the ear but should not be ignored as a
pure tone, and is definitely a non-bell sounding chime. In
addition, the loudness is typically low caused by the short length
of the chime causing a low radiating surface for the higher notes.
The rapid attenuation of high frequencies in the environment
causes this note range to quickly diminish at a distance.
Conclusions: Clearly there is more to a chime than I had anticipated and I am sure I have not learned all
that there is to know about the physics of a chime. This was originally a Christmas present for my
daughters and not a focused research project. I am convinced that it is not necessary to hand tune a set
of bell-like chimes designed for musical notes from fundamental C2 through C4 because the formula
achieved the desired frequency well within 1 Hz. Tuning to achieve an accuracy closer than 1 Hz was a
waste of time. However, for a fundamental note from C5 and up, good tuning is required. Good physical
measurements are important to achieve the calculated accuracy.
My favorite design has changed over the years and is currently an end cap supported chime with the
striker contacting the tube at the very bottom of the chime using either a tapered striker or a star striker,
and having the wind rotate the chime set using a single line support for the support disk. Unfortunately, I
know of no formula for calculating the length of a chime tube with an end cap. I begin with a length from
standard calculations on this page and then tune by trimming off the length. End caps lower the
frequency by as much as 8% to 15%, which requires removal of material to increase the tuning back to
the correct vale. Yes, it's a lot of work if you want exact tuning for a tapered end!
On occasion I have added an end cap to the calculated value for an open end tube in order to gain a
more bell-like sound, but not adjusted the length to regain accurate tuning. For the most part, it has been
difficult to acoustically tell the difference between the un-tuned chime set with an end caps and a set of
tuned chimes without end caps. Perhaps I have been lucky or maybe the natural shift caused by the end
cap is consistent for all five tubes, and they remain mostly in tune.
Your particular type of wind (single-direction or turbulent) and wind speed will determine the best choice
for both the wind sail and for the chime striker. Rotating the chime-set works well to solve the dingdong
sound caused from low velocity single directions winds.
Another phenomenon we observed, but did not have time to investigate, was the simultaneous
production of sound from the natural bending mode of the chime coinciding with the resonance of the air
column for the tube. The good news is that another engineer, Chuck at Chuck's Chimes, has done an
excellent job detailing this affect, I suggest you give this a look-see. He has excellent information and
calculations to accomplish this special effect. www.sites.google.com/site/chuckchimes/home
Originally published 10/01/2012
Frequently Asked Questions: FAQs
I am working on a Mark Tree (bar chimes, used by

percussionists and drummers, pictured right). I checked
on the commercial ones and all of them are using the
same hang point on all the bars. I think it may be
because it is cheaper and quicker making them this way,
and looks good hanging, but does it sound as equally
good as the 22.4% hanging point method? I'd like to
hear your opinion about this topic!
A bar or chime can be supported at any point along its length and will ring when struck, but not well.
Good sustain time and rich contribution from the overtones, that produce the bell-like sound, can only
occur when supported at the 22.4% location. All bars in the set pictured here will sound distinctly different
from each other, but will not yield the bell-like sound.
As a footnote, my neighbor (a very practical engineer) built a xylophone and did some experimenting with
support points for the bars. His choice was 22% from each end because that location provided the best
sustain time and the best sound. I completely agree with his findings (22.4%).
Is there a length where a tube of a given size will not resonant as intended? Specifically, I cut a
tube of 1.5 inch thinwall steel conduit to 1002mm, and it sounds higher in pitch than an adjacent 730 mm
tube, which should sound higher. I just can't wrap my head around this.
The chime tube appears not to resonant at the design frequency but it does resonate. You discovered
part of the missing fundamental phenomena. The 1002mm length has a fundamental resonance of about
193Hz and that frequency is difficult to hear because of the low sensitivity of the ear at the lower
frequencies (mostly below 300 Hz). Therefore, you will hear the second overtone better which is 193 Hz
x 2.76 = 523Hz. The fundamental for the 730mm chime is about 384Hz which is getting more into the
sensitive range of the ear and you are much more likely to hear it's fundamental as compared to the
fundamental for the 1002mm chime.
Some chimes are anodized or appear to have a clear coat type finish for weather resistance or
aesthetics I assume. Does a coating (powder coat, anodize or paint) affect the tone quality, tuning, or
note sustain of the pipe?
In general, the answer is no. However, if you were to apply a thick latex paint type coating, the extra
mass would have a noticeable affect, perhaps to the point of killing resonance. However, a thin powder
coat or anodizing will have no effect on the design frequency or sustain time.
Can I use anodized aluminum and is it expensive?

I recently came across your website as I researched the idea of building a set of wind chimes for my wife
for our anniversary. I spent several hours reading your website and have found more than enough step
by step info on how to do what I want to do. You absolutely answered every question I had and several I
did not know to ask, except maybe one. Does it make a difference in sound or cost to get powder coated
or anodized aluminum?
No, there is no difference in the sound created using either power coated or anodized metal. The only
slight exception is if there is a heavy clear coat over the power coat. A light coat is okay. A heavy coat
slightly reduces the sustain time, but not much.
Cost wise I don’t have much experience here. I have seen very reasonably priced anodized aluminum on
the internet, nearly the cost of un-anodized. If you’re buying tubing already power coated, as opposed to
having it done in a custom shop, I would not expect it to be expensive.
I have measured some different chimes and the hang point is usually close but far from exact.
Should you drill the hang point hole at the center of the calculated measurement or is the hang point
where the string actually contacts the tube (upper edge of the hole)?
The location for small holes, 1/8 inch or less, can be exactly on the mark. However, holes larger than 1/8
inch (particularly ¼ inch and larger) should be positioned, as you suggest, so the upper edge of the hole
is where the support line touches the chime.
Does the hole size that you drill for the hang point matter?
Yes, if the hole is large, relative to the he diameter of the tube, it can affect the design frequency, but a
small hole has no effect. I personally use 1/8 inch for many of the chimes .If you need a hole larger than
1/8 inch, position it so upper edge of the hole in on the hang point mark.
Chimes not Chiming!

I recently bought two, not cheap, wind chimes – and they do not chime in the absence of hurricane gale
winds! Is there anything we can do to get them to catch any breeze that happens by? Would the CD
section in your article be all he needs? I have spent a long time on the internet looking for some quick fix
but can’t find anything. The power company recently cut down all of the shrubs we have been carefully
tending for years and now we have dreadful road noise. The chimes were an optimistic detraction to that
new situation
Yes, there are several options. You describe a common condition where the sail is either too small or
heavy to supply a good jerk to the striker. Without seeing the set of chimes directly, I might suggest you
replace the wind sail with something larger and lighter weight. As a test, I use an old CD for a temporary
sail, just to make the point that it needs to be light weight and fairly large in size. Often an old CD is not
large enough. You can use anything that pleases your eye that meets the size and light weight
requirements from your testing.
Where do I get mounting pins, what size is recommended and how are they held in position?
I typically use 1/8 inch brass tubing that can be found at my local hobby store (where a person can buy
model airplane parts, model trains, model cars and the like ) and occasionally at home improvement
stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, etc.
If you insert a1/8 inch rod or tube into a 1/8 inch hole, it can be loose. Use a ball-peen hammer to
slightly flatten each end of the pin, for a force fit, or use a spot of glue. With copper chimes, the pin can
be soldered. Then, file off the excess, leaving little to no evidence of the pin.
How does the string stay in the middle of pin so not to slide off to one side?
A spot of super glue, hot glue or epoxy will do the trick. A knot works well too. Click here to see a
mechanical method
Is it possible to support a chime in a way that it is fixed, for example with a nail, without losing its
tune? Also is it possible to fix it in a way that I won't need to drill a hole in
it? I would like to build a music box that uses a chime tube.
Yes, the chime can be structured

for a fixed support using a
number of methods. Any
methods should locate the
support at 22.4% from both ends.
The noninvasive method uses the

traditional one wrap string
method for supporting an
orchestra grade chime or bar, as
shown right, courtesy of
Woodstock Chimes. Located above or below the chime, either method
works equally well.
An invasive and more rugged mount can be from a stud on one or both sides of the mounting location as
shown below. A locking nut on the outside of the chime will secure the stud in place and allow
attachment to the supporting structure, as often found in playground chimes. I would avoid inserting a
bolt through the chime tube, because tightening nuts on both sides will stress the tube causing an altered
tune and less sustain time.
How do I attach the support line to the support pin when the pin is down in the tube?
I plan to make a chime set using 2 inch steel electrical conduit. The largest chime would have a hang
point of 9 5/8 inches from the top. How do I get the line around the pin when it is 9 5/8 inches from the
top?
Hold the tube horizontal with the support pin also horizontal. Tilt the tube to be mostly vertical, but not
quite. Feed the line down the tube on the bottom side, passing one side of the pin and out the other end.
You may need to attach a small weight to the end of the line, like a pinch-on
fishing line sinker, to provide sufficient weight so the line will feed all the way
through. You can also blow on the tube or use compressed air to force the line
out the other end.
Next, rotate the tube 180 degrees and starting from the other end, feed the line
back down the tube, passing the opposite side of the pin. Pull both ends of the
line up to the pin from the top end, and tie a slip knot. Pull the knot taught around
the pin as shown to the right. You may need to adjust the line to be in the center
of the pin using a coat hanger wire or other handy utensil.
It may be difficult to see inside a dark tube. Place a white paper on the floor and
hold the tube above the paper as you peer into the tube. This generally allows enough light in to see the
location for the line centered on the pin.
I want to use a tapered striker for (6) 2" chimes, and the
calculated striker size is 3.25", would that be the top or the
bottom diameter?
Bottom diameter or center diameter and they would look like

those pictured right.
Best striker shape and weight for large tubes?

My son gave me 3 stainless tubes. They have a diameter of 6 inches
and between 5-6 feet long. In a way, my chimes will be similar to the
ones on your site from Craig Hewison, except he has 5 chimes
where I have 3. This means the spacing for my chimes will be
greater. My plan is to line up the bottoms of the chimes.
My thought is to use a circular wooden disk of either the tapered

edge or knife edge or straight edge design. I would say my home area has light to moderate winds, for
the most part. Do you have comments on these 3 designs?
My preference is a bullet nose edge for large tubes. Heavy chimes need a robust strike and a rounded
edge striker last longer, and can be simple to fabricate. Regarding the weight, I would start with a 1.5
inch thick section of treated lumber, not any thicker, maybe ¾ inch could work. There is a close
relationship between a striker’s weight and the ability of the sail to adequately jerk the striker. Because of
that relationship, I cannot suggest an exact weight.
Because of three tubes, I would not suggest the orthogonal sail. Once that sail get to swinging, it can
depart a lot of energy and I am concerned that would cause the striker to escape to the outside of the
set, not at all bad, but it can be a nuisance. I often need to experiment with two or three strikers and
sails to achieve the desired sound. The good news is the sail can be larger than normal because a large
sail doesn’t look so big next to large chimes.
I want deep bass chimes that are resonate!

I saw somewhere on the site a casual comment about a chime not hitting C2. Did I misunderstand? I
want to buy some 2 inch EMT and tune them in a Hirajoshi scale at C2 E F# G and B. But, that's $75
worth of EMT I'll be hacking up. Do you think it will work? I just want a really deep bass set of chimes and
I am hoping 2 inch EMT of 66 to 9 inches (using your EMT table) will get me something deep and
resonant. Any advice?
Another excellent question and you read correctly. The chime will produce the C2 note at 65.4 Hz, no
problem, but will you hear it? To hear 65.4 Hz we need to move a lot of air, thus the need for woofers
used in sound systems. If you place your ear about 3 inches from the long tube, WOW, you hear the 65.4
Hz, it’s actually there. But, back up two feet and you won’t hear it.
What you actually hear is a chime note that is missing the fundamental (65.4 Hz) and the first overtone
(180 Hz).
So, what to do? You can still make the long tubes cut for the C2 octave. The larger size will enhance the
overtones (second overtone, 353 Hz and up) and you will hear lower notes than without long tubes, but it
will not be the actual C2 note.
Appendix A - The math
I am not aware of calculations for a tube closed at one end, i.e. a chime with an end cap.
The bending natural frequency for a tube open at both ends is predicted by Euler's equation where:
w = (B x L) 2 x √ (E x I/(rho x l4))
w - frequency radian per second - for frequency in cycles per second (Hz), f = w/(2 x π)
E - modulus of elasticity
I - area moment of inertia = π x d3 x t/8 for a thin wall round tube
d - mean diameter
t - wall thickness
rho = mass per unit length = Area x mass per unit volume = π x d x t x density
L - length of tube
w= (B x L)2 x (d/l2) x √ (1/8) x √ (E/density)
(B x L)2 - Constants based on the boundary conditions for a wind chime (Free-Free Beam)
(B x L)2 = 22.373 for the first natural frequency.
(B x L)2 = 61.7 for the second natural frequency.
(B x L)2 = 121 for the third natural frequency.
(B x L)2 = 199.859 for the fourth natural frequency.
To get the units correct you must multiply the values inside the square root by gravity (g).
g = 386.4 in/sec2 for these units.
For a given material then the frequency of a thin wall tube reduces to f = constant x d / l2
The formula reduces to:
Area Moment of Inertia = π x (OD^4 - ID^4)/64

Area = π x (OD^2 - ID^2)/4
K = √((Elasticity x Moment x Gravity)/(Area x Density))
Chime Length (inches) = √(22.42 x K/(2 x π x f))
If you're curious about the circular mode (not considered here) see this
http://paws.kettering.edu/~drussell/Demos/radiation/radiation.html
If you want additional math on the subject here is a paper by Tom Irvine
Appendix B - Music scale with overtones

A=440 Hz displaying the fundamental frequency and the first four overtones for a tube open at both ends
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
A=440 Overtone Overtone Overtone Overtone Overtone Overtone Overtone Overtone
Note Freq Hz X 2.76 X 5.40 X 8.93 X 13.34 Note Freq Hz X 2.76 X 5.40 X 8.93 X 13.34
C0 16.40 45.18 88.56 146.45 218.78 G 392.00 1,079.96 2,116.80 3,500.56 5,229.28
C#/Db 17.30 17.30 93.42 154.49 230.78 G#/Ab 415.30 1,144.15 2,242.62 3,708.63 5,540.10
D 18.40 50.69 99.36 164.31 245.46 A 440.01 1,212.23 2,376.05 3,929.29 5,869.73
D#/Eb 19.40 53.45 104.76 173.24 258.80 A#/Bb 466.20 1,284.38 2,517.48 4,163.17 6,219.11
E 20.60 56.75 111.24 183.96 274.80 B 493.91 1,360.72 2,667.11 4,410.62 6,588.76
F 21.80 60.06 117.72 194.67 290.81 C5 523.30 1,441.69 2,825.82 4,673.07 6,980.82
F#/Gb 23.10 63.64 124.74 206.28 308.15 C#/Db 554.40 1,527.37 2,993.76 4,950.79 7,395.70
G 24.50 67.50 132.30 218.79 326.83 D 587.30 1,618.01 3,171.42 5,244.59 7,834.58
G#/Ab 26.00 71.63 140.40 232.18 346.84 D#/Eb 622.30 1,714.44 3,360.42 5,557.14 8,301.48
A 27.50 75.76 148.50 245.58 366.85 E 659.30 1,816.37 3,560.22 5,887.55 8,795.06
A#/Bb 29.10 80.17 157.14 259.86 388.19 F 698.50 1,924.37 3,771.90 6,237.61 9,317.99
B 30.90 85.13 166.86 275.94 412.21 F#/Gb 740.00 2,038.70 3,996.00 6,608.20 9,871.60
C1 32.70 90.09 176.58 292.01 436.22 G 784.00 2,159.92 4,233.60 7,001.12 10,458.56
C#/Db 34.60 95.32 186.84 308.98 461.56 G#/Ab 830.60 2,288.30 4,485.24 7,417.26 11,080.20
D 36.70 101.11 198.18 327.73 489.58 A 880.00 2,424.40 4,752.00 7,858.40 11,739.20
D#/Eb 38.90 107.17 210.06 347.38 518.93 A#/Bb 932.30 2,568.49 5,034.42 8,325.44 12,436.88
E 41.21 113.53 222.53 368.01 549.74 B 987.80 2,721.39 5,334.12 8,821.05 13,177.25
F 43.70 120.39 235.98 390.24 582.96 C6 1,046.50 2,883.11 5,651.10 9,345.25 13,960.31
F#/Gb 46.30 127.56 250.02 413.46 617.64 C#/Db 1,108.70 3,054.47 5,986.98 9,900.69 14,790.06
G 49.00 135.00 264.60 437.57 653.66 D 1,174.61 3,236.05 6,342.89 10,489.27 15,669.30
G#/Ab 51.90 142.98 280.26 463.47 692.35 D#/Eb 1,244.50 3,428.60 6,720.30 11,113.39 16,601.63
A 55.01 151.55 297.05 491.24 733.83 E 1,318.50 3,632.47 7,119.90 11,774.21 17,588.79
A#/Bb 58.30 160.62 314.82 520.62 777.72 F 1,397.00 3,848.74 7,543.80 12,475.21 18,635.98
B 61.70 169.98 333.18 550.98 823.08 F#/Gb 1,480.00 4,077.40 7,992.00 13,216.40 19,743.20
C2 65.40 180.18 353.16 584.02 872.44 G 1,568.00 4,319.84 8,467.20 14,002.24 20,917.12
C#/Db 69.30 190.92 374.22 618.85 924.46 G#/Ab 1,661.20 4,576.61 8,970.48 14,834.52 22,160.41
D 73.41 202.24 396.41 655.55 979.29 A 1,760.00 4,848.80 9,504.00 15,716.80 23,478.40
D#/Eb 77.80 214.34 420.12 694.75 1,037.85 A#/Bb 1,864.60 5,136.97 10,068.84 16,650.88 24,873.76
E 82.40 227.01 444.96 735.83 1,099.22 B 1,975.50 5,442.50 10,667.70 17,641.22 26,353.17
F 87.30 240.51 471.42 779.59 1,164.58 C7 2,093.00 5,766.22 11,302.20 18,690.49 27,920.62
F#/Gb 92.50 254.84 499.50 826.03 1,233.95 C#/Db 2,217.40 6,108.94 11,973.96 19,801.38 29,580.12
G 98.01 270.02 529.25 875.23 1,307.45 D 2,349.20 6,472.05 12,685.68 20,978.36 31,338.33
G#/Ab 103.80 285.97 560.52 926.93 1,384.69 D#/Eb 2,489.01 6,857.22 13,440.65 22,226.86 33,203.39
A 110.00 303.05 594.00 982.30 1,467.40 E 2,637.00 7,264.94 14,239.80 23,548.41 35,177.58
A#/Bb 116.50 320.96 629.10 1,040.35 1,554.11 F 2,794.00 7,697.47 15,087.60 24,950.42 37,271.96
B 123.50 340.24 666.90 1,102.86 1,647.49 F#/Gb 2,960.00 8,154.80 15,984.00 26,432.80 39,486.40
C3 130.81 360.38 706.37 1,168.13 1,745.01 G 3,136.00 8,639.68 16,934.40 28,004.48 41,834.24
C#/Db 138.60 381.84 748.44 1,237.70 1,848.92 G#/Ab 3,322.41 9,153.24 17,941.01 29,669.12 44,320.95
D 146.80 404.43 792.72 1,310.92 1,958.31 A 3,520.00 9,697.60 19,008.00 31,433.60 46,956.80
D#/Eb 155.60 428.68 840.24 1,389.51 2,075.70 A#/Bb 3,729.20 10,273.95 20,137.68 33,301.76 49,747.53
E 164.80 454.02 889.92 1,471.66 2,198.43 B 3,951.00 10,885.01 21,335.40 35,282.43 52,706.34
F 174.61 481.05 942.89 1,559.27 2,329.30 C8 4,186.00 11,532.43 22,604.40 37,380.98 55,841.24
F#/Gb 185.00 509.68 999.00 1,652.05 2,467.90 C#/Db 4,434.81 12,217.90 23,947.97 39,602.85 59,160.37
G 196.00 539.98 1,058.40 1,750.28 2,614.64 D 4,698.40 12,944.09 25,371.36 41,956.71 62,676.66
G#/Ab 207.70 572.21 1,121.58 1,854.76 2,770.72 D#/Eb 4,978.00 13,714.39 26,881.20 44,453.54 66,406.52
A 220.00 606.10 1,188.00 1,964.60 2,934.80 E 5,274.00 14,529.87 28,479.60 47,096.82 70,355.16
A#/Bb 233.10 642.19 1,258.74 2,081.58 3,109.55 F 5,588.00 15,394.94 30,175.20 49,900.84 74,543.92
B 246.90 680.21 1,333.26 2,204.82 3,293.65 F#/Gb 5,920.00 16,309.60 31,968.00 52,865.60 78,972.80
C4 261.60 720.71 1,412.64 2,336.09 3,489.74 G 6,272.00 17,279.36 33,868.80 56,008.96 83,668.48
C#/Db 277.20 763.69 1,496.88 2,475.40 3,697.85 G#/Ab 6,644.80 18,306.42 35,881.92 59,338.06 88,641.63
D 293.70 809.14 1,585.98 2,622.74 3,917.96 A 7,040.00 19,395.20 38,016.00 62,867.20 93,913.60
D#/Eb 311.10 857.08 1,679.94 2,778.12 4,150.07 A#/Bb 7,458.40 20,547.89 40,275.36 66,603.51 99,495.06
E 329.61 908.08 1,779.89 2,943.42 4,397.00 B 7,902.01 21,770.04 42,670.85 70,564.95 105,412.81
F 349.30 962.32 1,886.22 3,119.25 4,659.66 C9 8,367.01 23,051.11 45,181.85 74,717.40 111,615.91
F#/Gb 370.00 1,019.35 1,998.00 3,304.10 4,935.80
Appendix C - Software resources Read the Caution Here
Audacity® Laptop freeware, open source, cross-platform software for recording and
editing sounds. Good for fundamental and overtone frequency measurements.
DL4YHF's Amateur Radio Software: Audio Spectrum Analyzer (Spectrum Lab)

Laptop freeware good for fundamental and overtone frequency measurements.
Tune Lab Pro version 4 Laptop freeware good for fundamental and overtone frequency
measurements. At a cost, available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, Windows laptops,
Windows Mobile Pocket PCs, Smartphones, and the Android.
Appendix D - Tubing and rod sources
Always try your local building supply store. In addition to visiting the hardware section in these stores
investigate tubing used for closet hanging poles, shower curtain poles, chain link fence rails and post.
Yard or garage sales can yield surprising results, look for a discarded metal swing set, tubular shelving,
etc. With permission look for discarded materials on constructions sites.
Try your local metal recycler; they can yield very economical rod and tubing.
Tanks bells can be crafted from out-of-service compressed gas/air tanks, scuba diving tanks or fire
extinguishers. A most likely source can be your local testing facility for each type of tank. Ask your local
fire department, welding shop and scuba diving shop for their recommendation for a testing company.
You may be required to provide a letter to the testing company stating that you will cut the tank in
pieces and render it unable to hold compressed air or gas.
Online source for metal tubing and rods:
Always try your local building supply store. In addition to visiting the hardware section in these stores investigate
tubing used for closet hanging poles, shower curtain poles, chain link fence rails and post. Yard or garage sales
can yield surprising results, look for a discarded metal swing set, tubular shelving, etc. With permission look for
discarded materials on constructions sites. Try your local metal recycler; they can yield very economical rod and
tubing.
Online Speedy Metals accepts small quantity orders for tubes or rods.
(Aluminum, Brass, Cast Iron, Copper, Steel and Stainless)
Titanium Joe (Tubing) You can use either grade 2 being pure titanium, which is softer and less popular, or grade 9
(3AL-2.5V), which is the more popular high strength. The grade 9 numbers represent the percentage of Aluminum
and Vanadium. The DIY Calculators work equally well for both grades.
Tank bells can be crafted from out-of-service compressed gas/air tanks, scuba diving tanks or fire extinguishers.
A most likely source can be your local testing facility for each type of tank. Ask your local fire department, welding
shop and scuba diving shop for their recommendation for a testing company. You may be required to provide a
letter to the testing company stating that you will cut the tank in pieces and render it unable to hold compressed
air or gas.
Appendix E - Standard Tubing Dimensions
What's the difference between a pipe and a tube? The way it’s measured and the applications it’s
being used for. Pipes are passageways. Tubes are structural.
Aluminum and brass tubing tend to exactly follow their stated ID and OD dimensions while copper
tubing does not. Wall thickness for copper pipe varies with the pipe schedule.
The four common schedules are named K (thick-walled), L (medium-walled), M (thin-wall), and DWV
(drain/waste/vent - non-pressurized)
The printing on the pipe is color coded for identification;
K is Green, L is Blue, M is Red, and DWV is Yellow.
Both type M & type L can be found in home plumbing at Home Depot & Low
Aluminum Tubing
Tubing
22 20 18 17 16 14 12
Gauge
Wall
0.028 0.035 0.049 0.058 0.065 0.083 0.109
Thickness
* These sizes are extruded; all other sizes are drawn tubes.
ID Wall ID Wall ID Wall
OD OD OD
inches inches inches inches inches inches
inches inches inches
0.500 0.444 0.028 1.000 0.930 0.035 1.625 1.555 0.035
0.430 0.035 0.902 0.049 1.509 0.058
0.402 0.049 0.884 0.058 1.750 1.634 0.058
0.384 0.058 0.870 0.065 1.584 0.083
0.370 0.065 0.834 0.083 1.875 1.759 0.508
0.625 0.569 0.028 1.125 1.055 0.035 2.000 1.902 0.049
0.555 0.035 1.009 0.058 1.870 0.065
0.527 0.049 1.250 1.180 0.035 1.834 0.083
0.509 0.058 1.152 0.049 1.750 *0.125
0.495 0.065 1.134 0.058 1.500 *0.250
0.750 0.680 0.035 1.120 0.065 2.250 2.152 0.049
0.652 0.049 1.084 0.083 2.120 0.065
0.634 0.058 1.375 1.305 0.035 2.084 0.083
0.620 0.065 1.259 0.058 2.500 2.370 0.065
0.584 0.083 1.500 1.430 0.035 2.334 0.083
0.875 0.805 0.035 1.402 0.049 2.250 *0.125
0.777 0.049 1.384 0.058 2.000 *0.250
0.759 0.058 1.370 0.065 3.000 2.870 0.065
0.745 0.065 1.334 0.083 2.750 *0.125
1.250 *0.125 2.500 *0.250
1.000 *0.250
Brass tubing
Available sizes for Tube Brass Available sizes for BRASS TUBE
1/2" OD {A} x 0.436" ID {B} x .032" Wall 0.5" OD x 0.03" WALL x 0.44" ID
1" OD {A} x 0.870" ID {B} x .065" Wall 0.75" OD x 0.04" WALL x 0.67" ID
1-1/4" OD {A} x 1.120" ID {B} x .065" Wall 0.75" OD x 0.065" WALL x 0.62" ID C330 TUBE
1-1/2" OD {A} x 1.370" ID {B} x .065" Wall 0.75" OD x 0.12" WALL x 0.51" ID
1-3/4" OD {A} x 1.620" ID {B} x .065" Wall 1" OD x 0.03" WALL x 0.94" ID
2" OD {A} x 1.870" ID {B} x .065" Wall 1" OD x 0.065" WALL x 0.87" ID
1.25" OD x 0.065" WALL x 1.12" ID
1.5" OD x 0.04" WALL x 1.42" ID
1.5" OD x 0.065" WALL x 1.37" ID
1.75" OD x 0.065" WALL x 1.62" ID
1.75" OD x 0.12" WALL x 1.51" ID
2" OD x 0.049" WALL x 1.902" ID
2" OD x 0.065" WALL x 1.87" ID
2" OD x 0.109" WALL x 1.782" ID
2" OD x 0.12" WALL x 1.76" ID
2.5" OD x 0.065" WALL x 2.37" ID
3" OD x 0.049" WALL x 2.902" ID
3" OD x 0.065" WALL x 2.87" ID
4" OD x 0.065" WALL x 3.87" ID C330 TUBE
Copper tubing
Wall thickness for copper pipe varies with the pipe schedule.
The four common schedules are named K (thick-walled), L (medium-walled), M (thin-wall), and
DWV (drain/waste/vent - non-pressurized)
The printing on the pipe is color coded for identification;
K is Green, L is Blue, M is Red, and DWV is Yellow.
Both type M & type L can be found in home plumbing at Home Depot & Lowe’s.
Nominal I.D. Wall Thickness

Actual
Pipe O.D. K L M DWV K L M DWV
Size
½” 0.625 0.527 0.545 0.569 - 0.049 0.040 0.028 -
5/8” 0.750 0.652 0.666 - - 0.049 0.042 - -
¾’ 0.875 0.745 0.785 0.811 - 0.065 0.045 0.032 -
1" 1.125 0.995 1.025 1.055 - 0.065 0.050 0.035 -
1 ¼” 1.375 1.245 1.265 1.291 1.295 0.065 0.055 0.042 0.04
1 ½” 1.625 1.481 1.505 1.527 1.541 0.072 0.060 0.049 0.042
2" 2.125 1.959 1.985 2.009 2.041 0.083 0.070 0.058 0.042
2 ½” 2.625 2.435 2.465 2.495 - 0.095 0.080 0.065 -
3" 3.125 2.907 2.945 2.981 3.03 0.109 0.090 0.072 0.045
3 ½’ 3.625 3.385 3.425 3.259 0.120 0.100 0.083
4 4.125 3.857 3.897 3.707 0.134 0.114 0.095
5 5.125 4.805 4.875 4.657 0.160 0.125 0.109
6 6.125 5.741 5.845 5.601 0.192 0.140 0.122
Electrical metallic tubing (EMT) aka thin-wall steel conduit

Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT)
aka thin-wall steel conduit
Actual
EMT (ID) Wall
(OD) Gauge
(inches) (inches) Thickness
(inches)
3/8” .577 .493 .042 19
½” .706 .622 .042 19
¾” .922 .824 .049 18
1 1.163 1.049 .057 17
1 ¼” 1.510 1.380 .065 16
1 ½” 1.740 1.610 .065 16
2 2.197 2.067 .065 16
2 ½” 2.875 2.731 .072 15
3 3.500 3.356 .072 15
3 ½” 4.000 3.834 .083 14
4 4.500 4.334 .083 14
Iron pipe
Pipe is specified by a nominal dimension which bears little or no resemblance to the actual
dimensions of the pipe.
Wrought iron pipe (Schedule 40)

is used for water supply in older houses and is available in either black or galvanized.
Joints are made by threading pipe into cast iron fittings.
Nominal Wall
Pipe Size O.D. I.D.
inches Thickness
1 1.315 1.049 0.133
1.250 1.660 1.380 0.140
1.500 1.900 1.610 0.145
2 2.375 2.067 0.154
2.500 2.875 2.468 0.204
Cast iron pipe is typically used for sewer lines and municipal water.
Available in eight classes, A through H, rated by pressure in increments of 100 feet of head.
Nominal Class A Class B
Pipe Size 100 Foot Head 200 Foot Head
inches 43 psi 86 psi
O.D. I.D. Wall O.D. I.D. Wall
Thickness Thickness
3 3.800 3.020 0.390 3.960 3.120 0.420
4 4.800 3.960 0.420 5.000 4.100 0.450
6 6.900 6.020 0.440 7.100 6.140 0.480
8 9.050 8.130 0.460 9.050 8.030 0.510
10 11.100 10.100 0.500 11.100 9.960 0.570
Appendix F - Internet Resources/Links
Chuck's Chimes another engineer, Chuck, has an excellent website for chime calculations and
information for building a special set of chimes where the chime tube is resonant for both the air column
resonance and the metal wall resonance. www.sites.google.com/site/chuckchimes/home
The Sound of Bells This site has pages for bell sounds and tuning in addition to free software that lets
you listen to the effects of overtones and allows you to tune your bell or chime using a sound card and
microphone. www.hibberts.co.uk/index.htm
The Acoustics of Bells, See chapter 5: The Acoustics of Bells is a nice introduction to bell physics.
www.msu.edu/~carillon/batmbook/index.htm
Pitch Perception Psychoacoustics of pitch perception. www.mmk.ei.tum.de/persons/ter/top/pitch.html
The strike note of bells www.mmk.ei.tum.de/persons/ter/top/strikenote.html
Appendix G Credits
Thank you to the many website visitors for your ideas, creativity and suggestions included in this
document.
Appendix H: Design styles
In-line arrangement with a Horizontally mounted chimes with

conceal & carry striker. No requirement for the
individual strikers. support disk to be horizontal.
Rod chimes use a solid metal

ball as the striker. Closely
space large diameter chimes
can work well without a wind
sail
Appendix J: Table for an audible fundamental or lack of and its overtones for chime.
The blue shaded area of the chart represents a frequency range from 300 Hz to 3,000 Hz. This
demonstrates a range for audible fundamental frequencies and their overtones beginning at about C2
and moving upward to about C4. Note that the fundamental is mostly inaudible below about C4. The
more overtones present the more melodious the strike note. The range of 300 Hz to 3000 Hz was
selected as an example for a possible listening range and does not represent the complete audible
range.
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

Octave Musical Frequency
Overtone Overtone Overtone Overtone Overtone X Overtone
Note Hz
X 2.76 X 5.40 X 8.93 X 13.34 18.64 X 31.87
1 C 90 177 292 436 610 1,042
C# 95 187 309 462 645 1,103
D 36.70 101 198 328 490 684 1,170
Eb 38.90 107 210 347 519 725 1,240
E 41.21 114 223 368 550 768 1,313
F 43.70 120 236 390 583 815 1,393
F# 46.30 128 250 413 618 863 1,476
G 49.00 135 265 438 654 913 1,562
Ab 51.90 143 280 463 692 967 1,654
A 55.01 152 297 491 734 1,025 1,753
Bb 58.30 161 315 521 778 1,087 1,858
B 61.70 170 333 551 823 1,150 1,966
2 C 65.40 180 353 584 872 1,219 2,084
C# 69.30 191 374 619 924 1,292 2,209
D 73.41 202 396 656 979 1,368 2,340
Eb 77.80 214 420 695 1,038 1,450 2,479
E 82.40 227 445 736 1,099 1,536 2,626
F 87.30 241 471 780 1,165 1,627 2,782
F# 92.50 255 500 826 1,234 1,724 2,948
G 98.01 270 529 875 1,307 1,827 3,124
Ab 103.80 286 561 927 1,385 1,935 3,308
A 110.00 303 594 982 1,467 2,050 3,506
Bb 116.50 321 629 1,040 1,554 2,172 3,713
B 123.50 340 667 1,103 1,647 2,302 3,936
3 C 130.81 360 706 1,168 1,745 2,438 4,169
C# 138.60 382 748 1,238 1,849 2,584 4,417
D 146.80 404 793 1,311 1,958 2,736 4,679
Eb 155.60 429 840 1,390 2,076 2,900 4,959
E 164.80 454 890 1,472 2,198 3,072 5,252
F 174.61 481 943 1,559 2,329 3,255 5,565
F# 185.00 510 999 1,652 2,468 3,448 5,896
G 196.00 540 1,058 1,750 2,615 3,653 6,247
Ab 207.70 572 1,122 1,855 2,771 3,872 6,619
A 220.00 606 1,188 1,965 2,935 4,101 7,011
Bb 233.10 642 1,259 2,082 3,110 4,345 7,429
B 246.90 680 1,333 2,205 3,294 4,602 7,869
4 C 261.60 721 1,413 2,336 3,490 4,876 8,337
C# 277.20 764 1,497 2,475 3,698 5,167 8,834
D 293.70 809 1,586 2,623 3,918 5,475 9,360
Eb 311.10 857 1,680 2,778 4,150 5,799 9,915
E 329.61 908 1,780 2,943 4,397 6,144 10,505
F 349.30 962 1,886 3,119 4,660 6,511 11,132
F# 370.00 1,019 1,998 3,304 4,936 6,897 11,792
G 392.00 1,080 2,117 3,501 5,229 7,307 12,493
Ab 415.30 1,144 2,243 3,709 5,540 7,741 13,236
A 440.01 1,212 2,376 3,929 5,870 8,202 14,023

Bb 466.20 1,284 2,517 4,163 6,219 8,690 14,858
B 493.91 1,361 2,667 4,411 6,589 9,206 15,741
5 C 523.30 1,442 2,826 4,673 6,981 9,754 16,678
C# 554.40 1,527 2,994 4,951 7,396 10,334 17,669
D 587.30 1,618 3,171 5,245 7,835 10,947 18,717
Eb 622.30 1,714 3,360 5,557 8,301 11,600 19,833
E 659.30 1,816 3,560 5,888 8,795 12,289 21,012
F 698.50 1,924 3,772 6,238 9,318 13,020 22,261
F# 740.00 2,039 3,996 6,608 9,872 13,794 23,584
G 784.00 2,160 4,234 7,001 10,459 14,614 24,986
Ab 830.60 2,288 4,485 7,417 11,080 15,482 26,471
A 880.00 2,424 4,752 7,858 11,739 16,403 28,046
Bb 932.30 2,568 5,034 8,325 12,437 17,378 29,712
B 987.80 2,721 5,334 8,821 13,177 18,413 31,481
6 C 1,046.50 2,883 5,651 9,345 13,960 19,507 33,352
C# 1,108.70 3,054 5,987 9,901 14,790 20,666 35,334
D 1,174.61 3,236 6,343 10,489 15,669 21,895 37,435
Eb 1,244.50 3,429 6,720 11,113 16,602 23,197 39,662
E 1,318.50 3,632 7,120 11,774 17,589 24,577 42,021
F 1,397.00 3,849 7,544 12,475 18,636 26,040 44,522
F# 1,480.00 4,077 7,992 13,216 19,743 27,587 47,168
G 1,568.00 4,320 8,467 14,002 20,917 29,228 49,972
Ab 1,661.20 4,577 8,970 14,835 22,160 30,965 52,942
A 1,760.00 4,849 9,504 15,717 23,478 32,806 56,091
Bb 1,864.60 5,137 10,069 16,651 24,874 34,756 59,425
B 1,975.50 5,443 10,668 17,641 26,353 36,823 62,959
7 C 2,093.00 5,766 11,302 18,690 27,921 39,014 66,704
C# 2,217.40 6,109 11,974 19,801 29,580 41,332 70,669
D 2,349.20 6,472 12,686 20,978 31,338 43,789 74,869
Eb 2,489.01 6,857 13,441 22,227 33,203 46,395 79,325
E 2,637.00 7,265 14,240 23,548 35,178 49,154 84,041
F 2,794.00 7,697 15,088 24,950 37,272 52,080 89,045
F# 2,960.00 8,155 15,984 26,433 39,486 55,174 94,335
G 3,136.00 8,640 16,934 28,004 41,834 58,455 99,944
Ab 3,322.41 9,153 17,941 29,669 44,321 61,930 105,885
A 3,520.00 9,698 19,008 31,434 46,957 65,613 112,182
Bb 3,729.20 10,274 20,138 33,302 49,748 69,512 118,850
B 3,951.00 10,885 21,335 35,282 52,706 73,647 125,918
8 C 4,186.00 11,532 22,604 37,381 55,841 78,027 133,408
C# 4,434.81 12,218 23,948 39,603 59,160 82,665 141,337
D 4,698.40 12,944 25,371 41,957 62,677 87,578 149,738
Eb 4,978.00 13,714 26,881 44,454 66,407 92,790 158,649
E 5,274.00 14,530 28,480 47,097 70,355 98,307 168,082
F 5,588.00 15,395 30,175 49,901 74,544 104,160 178,090
F# 5,920.00 16,310 31,968 52,866 78,973 110,349 188,670
G 6,272.00 17,279 33,869 56,009 83,668 116,910 199,889
Ab 6,644.80 18,306 35,882 59,338 88,642 123,859 211,770
A 7,040.00 19,395 38,016 62,867 93,914 131,226 224,365
Bb 7,458.40 20,548 40,275 66,604 99,495 139,025 237,699
B 7,902.01 21,770 42,671 70,565 105,413 147,293 251,837

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Tubular Bell Chimes

By: Leland L. Hite (Lee)

Striker Clapper Suggestions ........................................................................................................... 34

Aluminum & Brass by Chuck

By Kenny Schneider that plays

Chimecloud by Lutz Reiter, Marco Copper by Dan from Virginia

1 inch Copper by: Musician,

Cast iron by David

Tides by Margaret Noble

Featuring two inch aluminum, Jon selected

Bill Moyer used eight,

Merle Walther, 1 ½” painted

One inch aluminum

Aluminum by Duc Billy 6-inch diameter x 13-feet

A variety of best practices, patterns and calculators are provided to accommodate

The Build Plan

If you're new to cutting metal and looking for an easy method, I

Outside Before Deburr Outside After

Inside Before Inside After

Tubes, Pipes or Rods

Note Selection Table

A well designed freeware called Wind Chime

Download the Zip file from the website: Wind Chime

1. Using right mouse, save to a folder of your choice

3. Place all three files in a folder of your choice

On occasion you may hear someone say they like aluminum

Length for a one-inch diameter chimes at middle C (C4), smallest to largest.

Standard Tubing Dimensions: see standard dimension tables in Appendix E.

Calculate Your Own Dimensions - DIY

All notes calculator Base A4=440 Hz

DIY Calculator includes the following features:

Additional testing was performed for a number of different diameters and

Frequency measurement; Measuring the exact

There are a host of apps for Chromatic Tuners

I use the $.99 app “insTuner” on an iPad and freeware

A word of caution! It can be challenging and often impossible

Chromatic tuners listen and display sound as it is being

Unfortunately, the human ear is no doubt the most non-linear

Instead, there are numerous non-harmonic overtones present

It is difficult to provide an exact recommendation when

First Support Location for a bell sounding chime

An important objective for a bell-like chime is to

Caution: be certain to solder the end caps in place. An unsoldered or loose

Chime Support Suggestions

Method 1 Method 1 Method 1 Method 2 Method 2

Method 3 Method 3 Method 3 Method 4 Method 3

Method 4 Method 4 Method 5 Method 5 Method 5

Method 6 Method 6 Method 6 Method 6 Method 7

Method 8 Method 8 Method 8 Method 8 Method 9

Forming the inverted V wire pin:

Playground Chimes Support: Pictured right is a set of playground

Shown is a jig to position the chime

Support Line Suggestions

Chime-Set Support, Ring, Hoop or Disk

Support Location Calculator and Points on a Circle Calculator 220 Kb

If you want to avoid using the above calculator, an easy work-around is to

Also included is a location calculator for points on a circle.

Rather than using a protractor to layout the angles for the

Chime Location Sequence: