Easy Key Chime

easy key chime

Quick and Easy Key Chime

This key chime is simple to make, even for those people who don't own a lot of tools. I made this chime with craft store balsa, which I cut with my swiss army knife. It doesn't end up as polished-looking as the "Fancier Key Chime", so don't expect a refined product. But it sounds great, and can be made easily.

Materials Needed:

balsa wood, 1"x1/4", 1 yard long
acrylic paint, any color, and paint brush
wood glue, like Elmer's glue
fishing line, as strong as possible without being too thick
metal keys, 10-25
a light saw or file, or an old serrated knife; scissors; sandpaper, medium and fine grit
Wire and two screw eyelets for handle (optional)

In anticipation of this project - save your old keys; collect them from other people. Try to collect keys of all types, big and small, old and new, silver and brass, regular and skeleton. You can also prevail upon the good nature of your local hardware store owner; they usually have keys on which they have made a mistake in a box under the counter at the key center. Quite often a kind salesperson will just give you a handful of keys, saving you years of collecting.

1. Count your keys. (The number of keys you have will determine the length of your balsa wood pieces.) Multiply the number of keys you have by .25 (the keys will be spaced 1/4 inch apart); then add 1 (there is a half inch of wood on each side); the number you get will be the length of your balsa wood pieces. Cut three pieces of balsa wood at this length. Use a saw or serrated knife to cut the wood. Sand the ends smooth.

2. With a pencil, mark along the thin edge of one of the balsa wood pieces, starting 1/2 inch from the end, and marking every 1/4 inch. Make as many marks as you have keys. Your last mark should be 1/2 inch from the end of the piece.

3. With the saw or knife, cut slits downwards from the edge of the balsa wood on the marks. Make the cuts about 1/4 inch deep.

4. The piece with the slits in it will be the middle layer of wood. Paint the edges of this piece of wood, and leave to dry. Do not paint the sides, or the glue will not stick to the other pieces of balsa as well. Leave to dry. On the two remaining balsa pieces, paint all surfaces except the sides that will be glued to the middle piece. Leave to dry.

5. While the paint is drying, cut lengths from the fishing line to hold the keys. Each piece of fishing line should be 5 inches long. Put a length of fishing line on a key, and tie the two ends together in a strong knot. Do this for all keys; try to keep the length of the loop equal from key to key so they will hang down at the same level.

6. When the paint has dried, arrange the keys in size order. Put the balsa piece with the slits through the loop of each key, starting from the smallest. Hang the keys with the knot of the fishing line loop pulled inside one of the slits in the balsa wood.

7. Take the other two balsa pieces, and put glue on the unpainted sides. Sandwich the piece with the keys between the two pieces with the glue, making sure the fishing line does not slip out on either end. Carefully lay the three pieces on their side and leave to dry. A clamp helps to keep the pieces of wood from slipping; or you can place books on top to hold it in place.

8. When the glue has dried, you may repaint the top or sides if you wish. It is difficult to paint the bottom without getting glue on the pieces of fishing line, which is why this surface was painted earlier.

9. The chime can be used this way, but it is hard to hold it still so that the keys will stop jingling. So a handle is useful. Take the two eyelets and screw them into the top, in the middle piece about 1/4 inch from the end. Thread the wire through the eyelets and twist the ends until secure, creating a loop handle. (See pictures.)

10. Once again, the chime can be used this way, but a stationary mount is also useful. I used a banana holder from my kitchen, available at most department stores.

Click here to hear the easy key chime