heavy duty windchimes

[markct]

heres a few pics of a little project i did the other evening, i uses some parts from an old iron gate for the hanging frame and then used an eyebolt from a telephone pole anchor in the center, and for the chimes i used the tanks from discarded CO2 fire extinguishers, they are a high pressure tank so they are pretty thick and have a nice tone once you saw the bottom off of them.

 

[markct]

another view

 

[markct]

one more

 

[KiotiJohn]

Looks like a fun project. I like using old stuff for something new. How about those pictures you promised of action tractor shots? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif John

 

[markct]

yea i forgot about that, thanks for the reminder, i would run out and take a few of the tractor right now but its raining

 

[Bird]

Now I've seen a lot of windchimes; my Dad had quite a number and my wife likes them, but I think it's safe to say I've never seen any like that. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Pretty neat.

 

[Mark4510]

Those are great! Did you weld the chain to the tops or go down through the tops with a plug on the inside?

I dont weld and wonder if I could make something like that.

thanks,
Mark

 

[Yankee]

You may have seen the Torrens bells in galleries. That's EXACTLY how he makes them, from old extinguisher and welding cylinders. He often tops his by welding on a trailer ball, topped yet again by a ring. A quick sandblast, then you can let them rust or patina as you like. Here's a link showing some:

http://www.art-decor-torrens.com/

 

[markct]

mark4510, i did weld them to the top of the tanks, but theres no reason you couldnt put an eye bolt and washers or something like that on the top if you didnt have a welder

yankee, i have never seen the windchimes you speak of, but my father may have seen them somewheres im not sure, he was the one who started saving fire extinguisher tanks and i asked him why and he said someday he was gona make windchimes outa them, well that was a few years ago and he didnt seem like he was gona do it very soon lol, so i was sorta bored and not in the mood to do much real work so i gathered up the tanks and put them in the bandsaw then searched around for something to turn into a nice hanger for the top, a little cutting apart and rewelding of some old parts from an iron gate and it worked out pretty good it takes very little wind to move the clanker in the center, i wanna make up something nicer for the wind catching part on the bottom, right now its just the lid from a 55 gallon drum

 

[markct]

i just went to the link you gave for the artist that makes them, i have never been in an art gallery in my life so thats most likely why i never saw them /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif but after seeing what he charges for them i gota imagine he doesnt sell too many, most are close to a thousand bucks on his website, heck i would sell mine in an instant if someone came by with that kinda cash!!!!!

 

[PineRidge]

Nice idea Mark. Although I have never seen any made from old fire extinguishers a year ago I attended a gun show where a vendor had some neat ones made from discarded oxygen and other gas cylinders. He said he was able to pick up old cylinders for next to nothing. The sound of the chimes was deep and pleasant sounding.

 

[bobodu]

I have cut off the top of welding tanks to make bells.I don't have any pictures of that job,but they ring beautifly out in the field when hit with a .22 ( don't try this at home...) I used the bottom portion to make this mail box after the neighborhood twerps busted up everyone on the road. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Junkman]

I believe that the trick to cutting them is to remove the valve and fill with water. That should neutralize any gas that is left in them. I had a friend that cut up an old 550 gallon oil tank by running his car exhaust into it and then torching off the end plates. Then cut the round part into 4' squares and disposed of them at the local scrap yard. Seems that oil tanks are considered hazardous waste until you cut them up. After that, they are just steel.....

 

[markct]

yea they do have a pleaseant low tone to them, of course last night i got home from the bar at about 2 am and was layin in bed for a bit when i heard a low gong sound a couple times and my first thought was someone was trying to steal out torches!! but then i realized that it was just my new windchimes /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Yankee]

"i gota imagine he doesnt sell too many, most are close to a thousand bucks on his website"

He sells zillions of them. They're carried in galleries and stores all over the country. I agree - they are pricey, though.

 

[markct]

hmm, i guess im in the wrong bussiness then

 

[Mark4510]

I wonder what sort of tone a bunch of 250 gallon propane tanks would make if one end was cut off.......... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Junkman]

I have a 1000 gallon propane tank that you can have for free if you are up to experimenting. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[BLUEBONNET2]

good evening,
saw one today made out of old welding (gas) tanks /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif the guy must have had a crane to get up in the tree /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bluebonnet2