Years ago I made a set of wind chimes that involved an intricate top and bamboo chimes.  Always liked the sound but the bamboo rods that made the chimes always dried out and split so the sound went from bwong to blat.  Got lazy in the end so the chimes sounded like hail on the roof tiles.

When we were in Hawaii I read an article in the local artsy magazine, about tuning a perfect set of copper chimes based on type M 3/4 inch copper pipe.  Now I found this interesting because most plumbing is type L copper pipe.  I had to go on line to realize that type M is thinner wall pipe.

The directions came with the exact lengths to cut each of the 5 notes (c sharp, d sharp etc) and a repeat 0f one at the next octave (whatever). 

So in my eternal quest for interesting things to do, when we returned home I went searching for type M copper pipes.  Not that easy since if you are plumbing a house with 3/4 inch copper pipe you probably would spend the money for the thicker type L , but I eventually found 6 feet of Type M 3/4 inch copper pipe.

Cut the lengths exactly to the formula and drilled the holes for the cross  brass rod at the exact dimension and soldered them.  Put rubber sleeves on each rod inside the pipe to isolate the hanging line from the sides to eliminate any loss in resonation.  Tested each chime with Pat to make sure they were perfectly tuned to the note adjusting to the length  c sharp, d sharp, etc.  Then suspended them from the cage that I built years ago and hung it in the back yard.

Perfect notes from the chimes, I expect that there are music afficionados gathering around our yard to hear the perfect dulcet notes, but after two days it is driving me nuts.  I guess I do not have a musical ear.  Sounds like cow bells.  Fortuately the chimes are pure copper so eventually I can sell them at  a pawn shop.