What to do with old hard drives, when you cannot guarantee that they are wiped clean?
Well you can rip them to shreds and recycle them, or you can do that and have some fun.

I had collected over the years several hard drives that had sensitive data on them. I then took them apart and collected the platters when the drive no longer worked.

I can assume that many readers will know how to take apart a hard drive.
T8 Torx worked on most 3.5" hard drives I had from the last 15 years.

Tools Needed:
Needle Nose Pliers
Drill
Clamp
Circle Cutter

Parts needed:
Hard drive platters
Steel Wire
Acrylic Plastic
3" deck Screws
length of 1"x2"x20"

Step 1: Disassemble? No Disassemble!

A T8 Torx bit and a driver worked well for getting these platters out of the drives.
Make sure you save the spacers.

Step 2: Drill! Baby Drill!

It would work better on a drill press, but you make do with that you have!

Planning your chime is a good idea.

Using a few spacers as horizontal spreaders, and the platters as mainly vertical.

Each vertical platter has 1 hole .5 to 1cm from the outer rim.

"The Banger" has 1 hole around the edge and 2 holes in the middle.
I used the wire through the inner holes to make the "banger" heavier.

Step 3: Hang 'em by the Yardarm! YARRR!

Now that each disc has a hole in it near the outer edge, you can now start to string up your chime.

2-3 cm of extra wire through the hole.

Use the needle nose pliers to hold the wires. They are very sharp.

Repeat on the other side what ever you are using to hold it all together.

Step 4: Space Is Big.

The spacers are also used to spread out the chimes from rubbing against each other while keeping them hitting.

Step 5: Top Quark

I used a 1/4'' piece of blue acrylic.
I do not have pictures of the fabrication of this item.

Use drill with hole saw to cut circle.
Polish circle edge.

Drill holes.
String holes.

Step 6: The Anwser My Friend Is Blowing in the Wind

Installation:

I used the roof rafters to secure my chime.
They were just out of reach.

Since the way I held the chime up was a thin piece of wood, I pre-drilled all of the holes.

Using the 3" deck screws the wood bar was placed between the rafters.

Step 7: Fin

Approximate cost of the chime?
Well I'm not an economist, but I'd assume several thousand dollars.

Since they are end of life drives, and they have served their purposes? Nothing.
Acrylic - free scrap
Steel wire - $3.89 at any big box store.
Wood - free scrap

If you have any questions please let me know!

Thank you,
Mike