Making a Frugal Rain Chain

By

micksgirl

Things You'll Need:
1/4-inch soft copper tubing, 3 1/2 times longer than the finished chain
2-inch PVC pipe
Diagonal cutters
Solder
Pliers
Flux
Blow torch
Rotary tool

Wrap the copper tubing around the PVC pipe, coiling the copper. Hold the end of the copper tightly against the pipe for the first couple of turns to prevent kinking. When you are done, slide the tube out from the middle of the pipe.

Step 2 Cut the tubing into lengths with the pliers. Use a rotary tool, such as a Dremel, to cut the copper tubing into links. Link the links together to make the chain.

Step 3 Brush the joint on each link with soldering flux. Heat it with the torch and add some solder.

Step 4 Remove the down spout from the gutter and attach the rain chain. Wrap the top copper ring around the down spout of the gutter and wait for the rain.

Step 5 Insert a spare piece of copper tubing through the down spout and the top ring to hold the rain chain onto the gutter.

Rain chains are usually made of copper and copper is expensive right now. You can purchase plastic rain chains, so I assume there would be a way to make them, but they do not have the same beautiful sound that the copper ones do, they aren't very strong or durable, and when you look at them up close, you can tell they are made of plastic.

Here is a link with instructions on how to make rain chains from Spam cans, but I doubt they would be very attractive.
http://www.toptentopten.com/topten/things+to+do+with+empty+spam+cans

You might be able to make a chain-type rain chain from metal shower curtain loops.