pallas
26th July 2006, 10:14 PM
Wow! great site. I am wondering if anyone here can help me.
I am an art teacher/art historian. My specialty is painting. I have been asked to teach a few classes this summer at a botanical gardens. I have access to anything on the grounds. They have a beautiful Japanese garden with tons of bamboo! I thought about making a wind chime. I have been on several sites, but have only been able to find really elaborate chimes. I need to make something for a two hour class - a simple project. Is there anyone here who can help or have any ideas?
I will continue to search this forum as well. Thanks in advance.
Mark Meckes
26th July 2006, 10:53 PM
Hi pallas,
Glad you found the site! There's a whole lot of things you can do with bamboo. Check the galleries out for some ideas too (links above).
A forum has been started on Making Bamboo Chimes, Mobiles, Kinetic Sculptures (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=159)
I've been sidetracked on other issues, though I'd like to get back to this subject. I agree it's a great topic to explore working with bamboo because they can be as abstract as you feel inclined, though there are also designs requiring precise placement to get the dingers to dong. ;)
Mark
pallas
27th July 2006, 10:06 AM
thanks. wondering if you new of any site that show you a step by step method?
Mark Meckes
27th July 2006, 01:33 PM
EEK! You being a painter, that's like going to an artists site and asking for a site with instructions on how to paint by numbers!
Do a google on making windchimes.
As mentioned, a forum has been started here (which your post has been moved to), expressly to discuss making bamboo windchimes, but you need to keep in mind that this is a free, volunteer run site. ... Combine this with the fact that we live in a very competitive society, and that many artists are in the top rung of people who are least inclined to freely show and tell everything they have learned for everyone to copy.
So, firstly, as only a small number of people are willing to share freely, patience is a virtue, as this site is a slow work in progress.
Secondly, making windchimes and mobiles etc provides for a complete freedom of expression if you have an open mind about it.
I am reminded of a workshop some time ago for 5-8 year-olds, in which we provided an assortment of bamboo pieces, and the kids had no problems stringing the pieces together, coming up with exciting designs as well as discovering various challenges along the way. It was a great learning experience and a discovery process, as they had never done anything with bamboo before.
For kids of this age, numerous sizes and shapes of bamboo pieces were cut, drilled and prepared beforehand, and assistance was provided along the way.
If you have never worked with bamboo before, I would suggest these are the first steps you need to take - get some bamboo and try cutting up some pieces, drilling and preparing them. Then see where your imagination leads you.
I will post info on a book that explains making tuned chimes, though making them like this is much more restrictive on the imagination.
Mark