Rainstick made from wood window blinds

A rainstick is a long, hollow tube which is filled with small pebbles or beans and has small pins or thorns arranged hectically on its inside surface. When the stick is upended, the pebbles fall to the other end of the tube, making a sound reminiscent of a rainstorm as they bounce off the pins. Rain sticks have become very popular in the last 200 years, and are often sold to tourists.
The rainstick is believed to have been invented in Peru, and was played in the belief that it could bring about rainstorms.

- Wikipedia -

My version or the rainstick is a bit less exotic. I decided to make it out of an old wood window blind I had in my garage for years. The idea comes from this excellent video from Steve Ramsey. I reproduced his version of the rainstick. My 2 cents are for the recycling of these old wood window blinds.

My kid, Thomas, showing the final result.

Step 1 Deconstruct the blind

You need 6 boards out of the blind to build a full length rainstick.  If you want to make a smaller instrument, you can cut these in half and use only 3 boards.

Except for the boards, there is not much to save in an old blind. I saved the boards, the control ropes and sent everything else to the garbage.

Comments

[marian1936]

Clever design idea. I would like the look of the wood. Good idea using the black tape, too. I did a simpler one, using a cardboard tube (from gift wrap). Drilled skewer-sized holes ~1" apart in the spiral seam of the tube, inserted a barbecue skewer into each hole, cut off the remainder with a small wire cutter and added a dot of glue. The skewer was inserted until it touched the opposite side. I put a dot of glue onto the leading end of the skewer so it would adhere to the inside of the tube. Glued a cardboard end piece at one end. Let it dry overnight. Added rice and closed the other end. Then deccoupaged brown paper bag pieces onto the tube to cover those holes and give the appearance of bark or old leather. Rubber stamped onto some of the pieces (horses, western style motifs, coyotes, etc.). I wrapped some jute or raffia around one end and tied it. One could glue real bark pieces onto the tube instead of paper. The grandkids enjoyed it for years.

[pchretien]

Hi, Thanks for the great comments. I invite you to look at the Steve Ramsey video that inspired this project. He is actually the best woodworking vlogger on the web!

[marian1936]

Can you lead me to his site, please?

[pchretien]

Of course ... here it is:

http://www.woodworkingformeremortals.com/2010/07/rainstick.html

P.

[jreidy1]

My inspiration too.
http://www.woodworkingformeremortals.com/2010/07/rainstick.html

I used chicken wire that I folded over itself several times and stapled to my dowel. I used white rice for my noise makers.

What was really cool is I had some antique (well 60 year old) Costa Rican mahogany that I used.

Wood Working for Mere Mortals is a great page and really inspirational.

Peace,

j

[pchretien]

Can you post some pictures? Yes, Steve is doing a tremendous job with it's channel/blog. Posting one project a week is a lot of work.

[dazarooney]

This article has helped me greatly with my expanded metal

[NutandBolt]

Great Recycling solution, second life for old blind, beautiful instructable and great video ;-)

[pchretien]

Thanks a lot! I have about 12 boards left ... any idea what I could with it?

[ZackBlack]

at 6 boards each 12 "extra" boards = 2 more rain sticks!

[pchretien]

Ah ah ... yep, good math but with a full time job and two kids I'll spend my time on designing something new! :) Thanks for the comment!

[glorybe]

Summing the bevels to 180 degrees is not a good description. I am aware that it works if the person considers six boards with two bevels on each board but it is better to suggest that 12 bevels would equal 360 degrees. Using 360 degrees and counting bevels suits the mind better.

[pchretien]

Since all bevels are of equal angle, I think both definitions can be used.

[crapflinger]

the "screen" is "expanded metal lath"

[pchretien]

Thanks ... I'll fix that!

[ChrysN]

Looks and sounds great!