Learn how to make these pretty tin can wind chimes using recycled cans from coffee, and vegetables. It's an easy fun upcycle project you can enjoy creating.
Upcycling with tin cans is a fun craft and a great way to recycle trash. Today I'm making this beautiful wind chime with three tin cans nested inside each other.
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What You'll Need
- 3 Aluminum cans in different sizes that will fit or nest together.
- Pretty paper napkins
- Mod podge or white glue
- White craft or chalk or spray paint
- Twine for outdoor use
- A large nail and a hammer (or an electric drill)
- Scissors
- Nail file or sandpaper
How to Make Tin Can Wind Chimes
Paint your cans with white paint. I used chalk paint mainly because it dries quickly. Spray paint would be pretty quick too. The white paint will make a nice backing for the napkins.
Punch a hole in the middle large enough to feed the twine through. Alternatively, you can use a drill for this part.
Separate the napkins removing the plain backing paper.
Cut the napkin to cover the can leaving a little bit of extra paper on top and bottom.
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Apply mod podge or thinned white glue to the can and carefully place your napkin on top smoothing as you go.
Then coat the top of the napkin with more glue.
Next, use a nail file or a piece of sandpaper to file off the extra napkin paper on the top and bottom.
Use a couple of coats of polyurethane spray to protect the cans.
Thread the twine through the largest can first leaving enough twine to hang the wind chime and then tie a knot inside under the hole to hold it in place.
For the next can try using a piece of masking tape to mark where you want the knot so that the large can just overlaps. Then push the second can out of the way to tie the knot at that spot.
You can overlap the cans as much or as little as you like.
Hang them on your porch or patio for all to enjoy.
Note: These cans do make a noise but it's not the twinkling noise of a typical wind chime. However, you could add some bells or shells or anything you like at the bottom for extra musical sound.
I think they look pretty just as they are.
More Tin Can Projects
Tin Can Wind Chimes
Equipment
- Hammer
- large nail
- Scissors
- Nail file or sandpaper
Materials
- Tin cans in 3 descending sizes
- Napkins
- Mod Podge
- White Craft Paint or Chalk Paint
- Polyurethane spray sealer
- Garden Twine
Instructions
- Clean the cans and remove the labels.
- Paint the bottom and sides with white paint
- Use a hammer and nail to make a hole in the center of the bottom of each can, large enough to thread your twine.
- Separate your napkins into 1 ply.
- Carefully glue the napkins onto the cans with mod podge or watered down white glue. Leave a little overhang on the top and bottom.
- Coat the top of the napkins with more mod podge or glue.
- Use a nail file or sandpaper to file off the extra napkin on the edges.
- Spray each can with a couple of coats of polyurethane to protect them
- Thread a long piece of twine through the largest can from the bottom.
- Leave enough twine to hang the windchime from and then tie a knot underneath to hold the can in place.
- Thread the next largest can under the first can.
- See where you want it to hang and place a small piece of tape there. Then pull the thread back out to tie a knot where the tape is.
- Thread the last can and this time you'll just have to work with the twine to make a third knot to hold it at the spot you like.
- Trim off the excess twine under the 3rd can.
- Tie a loop at the top and hang it where you like.
Debbie Kolego
I love the tin can chimes and am doing this for a church project.
Can you tell me what size cans you used. I appreciate your response.
Patti Estep
Debbie, the largest was a big (30 oz) coffee can, the second was a large (28 oz) can of vegetables, and the third was a soup can or a smaller vegetable can. You can use whatever you have or find and make sure they decrease in size.
Candy
How did you remove the glue from the can
Patti Estep
Candy, I often just use dish detergent and hot water but if that doesn't work try nail polish remover or acetone.
Karen Salvador
I love these!! Will be s saving some cans for this project. Great job!!!
Patti Estep
Glad you like the project Karen.
Frances Moody
Are they a video that explains how to put the string on the cans.
Patti Estep
Frances, I'm sorry I did not create a video for this post but hopefully, you should not have too much trouble.