Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Canned-Ham Wind Chime Pest Scare

Keeping pests out of your garden need not be costly or unsightly. You can turn the lids from canned hams into a twirling, flashing wind chime that will startle birds, cats and deer without causing any harm. The pleasant tinkling as the wind blows through your wind chime provides a soothing backdrop as you rest from your gardening labors, relaxing next to your thriving herb and flower garden with a glass of ice-cold sweet tea and a plate of homemade oatmeal-raisin cookies.

Wash 6 to 10 lids from your canned hams in hot soapy water and scrub them with a brush to remove any grease or debris. Pat them all dry with paper towels and lay them on a tarp in the sun to ensure that they dry completely.
Don eye and ear protection and a NIOSH-approved respirator. Use a burring bit on a hand-held, high-speed, rotary tool to remove any sharp edges or burrs.

Tie a 24-inch length of steel-core fishing line to the ring on each canned-ham lid, if they were pull-tab-style lids. Use an awl and a hammer to punch a hole in the narrow end of each lid if they do not have pull-tabs attached. Deburr the hole using the burring bit on your high-speed, hand-held rotary tool and tie steel-core fishing line through those lids as well.
Saw the broom end off an old, wooden-handled broom. Sand the entire broom handle using coarse through extra-fine sandpaper.
Tie the loose end of each fishing line to the broom handle, with the strings spaced evenly apart from end to end. Have two helpers hold the broom handle at each end, high enough for the can lids to dangle from their strings. Find the center point between the two ends of the broom handle and screw an eye bolt with a 1-inch-diameter ring into the handle.
Pound the shepherd's crook plant hanger into the ground at least 18 inches. Hang the wind chime from the crook.
Equipment Needed:
6 to 10 lids from canned hams
Kitchen scrub brush
Paper towels
Plastic tarp
Wrap-around eye protection
Ear protection
NIOSH-approved respirator
Vibration-reducing gloves
Burring bit
High-speed, hand-held rotary tool
12 to 20 feet of steel-core fishing line
Awl
Hammer
Old wooden broom
Coarse through extra-fine sandpaper
Eye bolt with 1-inch diameter ring
6-foot tall shepherd's crook plant hanger


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