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Robyn Griggs Lawrence on green homes, natural health, comfortable and uncluttered living spaces, wabi sabi simplicity philosophy, and more.
Weekend Project: Make a Rain Chain
4/1/2011 9:57:56 AM
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence
Tags: rain chain, DIY rain chain, how to make a rain chain, Susan Wasinger, Robyn Griggs Lawrence
Widely used in Japan, rain chains are a great way to combine form and function in your garden. Rain chains are a series of metal cups with holes in the bottom, chained together vertically. The chain moves rainwater from gutters to a drain or a storage container (whiskey barrels work really well for collection and storage). In a time when we’re all looking to conserve as much water as possible, installing a rain chain to capture water for irrigation is a no-brainer.
Rain chains retail for $50 to more than $100, but they’re super easy to make yourself. Susan Wasinger made this homemade rain chain—which she calls “jewelry for your house”—for next to nothing.
Tools & Materials
10 2-inch aluminum funels
8-foot-long galvanized chain (small enough to fit through funnel hole but large enough for bolt to go through links)
Drill
Paper
8 half-inch #6 nuts
24 half-inch #6 bolts
Directions
1. Trace your funnel and find the center points on paper, then use that to mark the proper places to drill on the funnel so the funnel hangs straight. Drill 2 holes in opposite sides of each funnel rim to take the cross-bar bolt.
2. 1 bolt and 3 nuts create the crossbar. Thread the bolt through the hole in the right edge of the funnel, then screw on a nut.
3. Thread the bolt through a link in the chain and add another nut about 8-10 inches down the chain. Continue with the remaining crossbars.
4. Thread the final bolt through the left hole in the funnel rim and tighten a nut on the end. Use the 2 center bolts to hold the chain in the center of the crossbar.
We used 10 2-inch aluminum funnels spaced about every 8 to 10 inches on an 8-foot length of galvanized chain. Drill 2 holes in opposite sides of the funnel rim to take the cross-bar bolt. Center the holes so the funnel hangs straight. Trace your funnel and find the center points on paper, then use that to mark the proper places to drill on the funnel.
Trace the funnel on paper and center the drill holes so the funnels hang straight.
For this rain chain, we used 2 half-inch #6 bolts and nuts and chain small enough to fit through the funnel hole but big enough for the bolt to go through its links. One bolt and 3 nuts create the crossbar. Thread the bolt through the hole in the right edge of the funnel, then screw on a nut. Thread the bolt through a link in the chain and add another nut. Finally, thread the bolt through the left hole in the funnel rim and tighten a nut on the end. Use the 2 center bolts to hold the chain in the center of the crossbar.
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