Kids’ Toys from the Hardware Store: PVC Rainstick

A PVC rainstick is the next in my series of Kids’ Toys from the Hardware Store. It’s a nice complement to a set of PVC musical pipes, and simpler to build. Again, credit goes to my partner the engineer for creating this; I’m just the journalist here.

Materials:

• About 2′ of 1 1/4″ PVC pipe (Shorten for a small child or lengthen for a taller one.)
• A dozen screws—this is the tricky part:
  #6 1″ round (pan) head wood screws with threads all the way up to the head (Round, not flat, head is necessary to avoid sharp edges. Full threading is needed because it is the top threads that will grip the pipe.) These can be hard to find. You may need to ask the staff at your hardware store.
• Two 1 1/4″ PVC endcaps
• Dried black beans

Tools needed:

• Drill
• Screwdriver
• Saw (if pipe isn’t already cut)
• Rubber mallet (optional; regular hammer will also do)

Instructions:

• Take the pipe and drill small holes (about 1/32″) in a row every 4 1/2″ or so.
• Turn the pipe a quarter turn and drill holes about halfway between the first set of holes. This way, you will be able to place a second row of screws at 90 degrees to the first row. (For the rainstick to have the best sound, no bean should travel the length of the pipe without hitting one (or preferably more) of the screws. Two rows, one perpendicular to the other, should maximize the probability that the bean will hit something on the way down.)
• Drill four 1/8″ holes in one of the endcaps. (See photo.) This makes for a much better sound.
• Tap one of the endcaps on. You may need a rubber mallet—or gently use a regular hammer, with a towel over the endcap.
• Toss in a handful or two of the dried black beans, and put on the second endcap.
• Experiment and add or subtract beans as desired.

Make a few in different sizes—one for each member of your family. Decorate them with stickers or (if you have older kids) permanent markers. Suitable for home use, school-play sound effects, or Pride parades. Have fun!