How Do You Make A Professional-Quality Rain Stick?
The Chilean Indians used rain sticks to affect the weather. This rain stick may or may not have that effect – that depends on how good you are with it and if the rain gods are listening. Draw a spiral from one end to the other on a 3- to 6-foot length of PVC pipe 2 inches larger in diameter. Drill holes along the spiral every 1/4 inch. The drill bit should be just a little smaller than the diameter of a bamboo skewer; you want to be able to hammer the skewer in tightly, but not so tight it splinters or breaks. Cut bamboo barbecue skewers a little shorter in length than the diameter of the tube. Hammer the skewer pegs into the holes. Use sandpaper to smooth any ends of the pegs that stick out. Decorate the rain stick with paints, papers or tissue paper. Apply a coat of water-based polyurethane when the paints and glues are dry. Add more coats to make it shinier. Sand lightly between coats with very fine sandpaper. Cap one end of the tube. Put some unpopped popcorn, beads, dry beans, peb
