If you wish to hear the soothing sound of rain, you can achieve this by building a rain stick, a cylindrical instrument that produces a sound very similar to that of falling rain when turned. It is believed that it was invented in South America to propitiate the arrival of rain during periods of drought. It can be made with any type of pipe crossed by nails or wooden skewers and filled with rice, beans or pebbles, which fall back into the pipe create a slight metallic noise. Learn how to make a rain stick out of a bamboo, cardboard or PVC cylinder.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Bamboo stick
Step 1. Choose a piece of bamboo
You will get a better sound if you take a wide, long and dry piece of bamboo. The longer and wider it is, the richer the sound you get. You can cut it yourself or buy it in a nursery. Look for a smooth, straight piece, with no bends or holes.
Step 2. Hollow out the inside of the bamboo
If it's not already hollowed out and empty, use a metal rod to push out the pulp inside. Once this is done, attach a piece of sandpaper to the end of the rod and use it to smooth the inside of the bamboo piece so that it is even and unobstructed.
If you don't have a metal rod, you can use any object that is long and solid enough to dig
Step 3. Draw a series of dots on the outside of the branch with a pencil
They will be the reference for making holes in which to insert the wooden skewers, which are essential for making the rain stick. The spiral stitches around the stick are both beautiful to look at and useful because the skewers will offer many obstacles against which the material you place inside will collide, thus producing the desired beautiful sound.
Step 4. Make the holes
Use a drill bit that is the same size as the wooden skewers, so they can be inserted easily. Make the holes carefully, avoiding to pierce the stick from side to side.
If you don't have a drill, instead of skewers you can use long nails that you will hammer in, again without piercing the opposite side of the stick
Step 5. Insert the skewers
Put some glue on the tip of a skewer and pass it through the hole. Push it until it touches the other side, and cut off the excess with sturdy scissors or a small hacksaw, so that it does not protrude. Continue like this until you have inserted all the skewers and cut off the excess.
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Obviously, if you have used nails of the right size, you will not have to cut any excess.
Make a Rainstick Step 5
Step 6. Let the glue dry
Wait for about an hour before finishing the rain stick.
Step 7. Smooth the stick
Smooth out any protrusions left by the skewers with a file or sandpaper.
Step 8. Make the caps
To plug the ends of the stick, cut two round pieces of wood, with the same circumference as the ends of the stick. Glue one of them to the bottom of the stick first using wood glue or super adhesive, to make sure it doesn't sag. Keep the other cap aside. br>
If you don't have the material to make wooden caps, you can make them out of cardboard, plywood or other resistant material that you find available. Always make sure you can glue these caps tightly
Step 9. Fill the rain stick with pebbles or other objects
Different objects will make different sounds. Use pebbles of different sizes, pennies, rice, dried beans, small marbles or beads, or something else. Fill the stick about 1/8 - ¼ fill.
- Don't overfill it, or you won't be able to hear a distinct sound.
- If you fill it too little, you won't get the sound of rain.
Step 10. Also glue the cap on the other end using wood glue or super adhesive
Let it dry completely before using it.
Method 2 of 2: PVC or cardboard rain stick
Step 1. Choose a long, thin cylinder
If using PVC, smooth the entire pipe using a block of thin sandpaper.
Step 2. Draw on the pipe where the holes will go
Start about two inches from one end and spiral to the other.
Step 3. Make the holes with a drill bit that matches the size of the skewers
If you drill from side to side you will have a double helix hole arrangement.
If you don't have a drill, you can use long nails that you will hammer in towards the marked points, again without piercing the opposite side of the stick
Step 4. Insert the skewers
Put some super-adhesive glue on the tip of a skewer and push it through the hole. Push it all the way to the other side, and cut off the excess so it doesn't stick out. Continue like this until you have inserted all the skewers and cut off the excess.
- If you have used nails of the right size you will not have to cut any excess.
- Glue suitable for PVC pipes is available on the market
Step 5. Let the glue dry
Wait for about an hour before finishing the rain stick.
Step 6. Smooth the tube
Smooth out any protrusions left by the skewers with a file or sandpaper.
Step 7. Insert a cap
Cover one end of the tube with a plastic, PVC, or cardboard stopper so that the material you used to fill it does not spill out.
Step 8. Fill the tube with the material of your choice (pebbles, rice, dried beans, beads)
Plug the tube with one hand and turn it over to check the sound. Add or remove material to vary the sound.
Step 9. Finish building the rain stick
Once you have the desired sound, glue the other cap and let the glue dry well.
Step 10. Decorate the stick
Brush some vinyl glue on the stick, and stick some thin, decorative paper on it, treading to make it adhere. Once the entire stick is covered, apply more coats of vinyl glue, and let it dry well.
