ENTREPRENEUR Flatware is rounded up for wind chimes

A budding business was built from discarded forks and spoons.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
AKRON -- Eleven-year-old Brandon Casto was just trying to make his mom happy.
When Nancy Casto said she would like to have a wind chime to place outside of their Barberton home, the pragmatic youngster started thinking of inexpensive ways to make one. The result soon turned into a budding business.
"I was just out in the garage putzin' around. I picked up a spoon and started beatin' on it," said the fifth-grader. Inspiration struck with the clank of a hammer hitting stainless steel, and Brandon realized the flatware could make a pretty good wind chime. The prototype proved so popular, he's sold about 25 of them since.
Early on, Brandon realized he would need help for the enterprise. His grandfather, Joe Cooper, was soon put in charge of purchasing raw materials. His grandmother, Eleanor Casto, took up purchasing and sales.
"Grandpa buys spoons for me at the Salvation Army and the Hartville Flea Market," said Brandon. His grandmother also looks for flatware and then sells the wind chimes to her friends and co-workers, he said.
Brandon's father, Brad, is in charge of safety at the garage business, but Brandon said his dad trusts him to operate the machinery and doesn't interfere much in production. "He just stands back and watches," Brandon said. The labor force includes his sister, 9-year-old Bethany, a Grill third-grader. Brandon gives her credit for having good work ethic.
Tied together
Mom Nancy rounds out the staff by adding the finishing touches to the wind chimes. She ties the loop at the top so they can be hung. "My mom's really good at loop knots. I'm not really much good at those," he admitted.
Brandon provided instructions so you can make your own wind chimes using his design, with the appropriate tools and adult supervision.
Supplies you will need:
U4 metal spoons and 1 fork.
UNylon fishing line.
URubber mallet or hammer.
USoldering gun.
UDrill press and 1/8- to 1/4-inch drill bit.
You can use any metal flatware. The weight and content of the metal will have an effect on the sound. The heavier the metal, the deeper the tone, but lighter metals are easier to flatten, Brandon advised.
Begin by pounding the utensils flat with a rubber mallet or hammer. A rubber mallet leaves a smoother appearance.
Bend two tines of the fork one direction and the others the opposite direction into 90-degree angles. Bend 1/4 inch of the tips of the tines up.
Drill holes through the top of the handles of each piece of flatware.
Cut the fishing line into four pieces varying the length from 4 to 8 inches. Cut one additional piece 12 inches long.
Thread each piece of fishing line through the hole in each spoon and tie a knot to secure. Very carefully, melt the ends with a soldering gun without touching the knot. This will hold the fishing line and prevent the knots from slipping. Tie the other end to one prong of the fork. Secure by melting the ends.
Thread the 12-inch piece of fishing line through the hole at the top of the fork and knot. Tie a loop on the other end of the line. Secure both with a soldering gun to hold.