Fishing Benchy Wind Chimes

This project combines the classic 3D printing Benchy with fishing-float inspired wind chimes that are actually tuned to musical notes. The Benchy mount itself is a remix that I scaled up by 3X to support the full chime assembly and give it more presence as a display piece.

The chime tubes are shaped like traditional “cigar” fishing floats and tuned to an A minor pentatonic scale for a soft, relaxing sound. The striker is styled like a classic red-and-white bobber, and the wind sail is a happy fish that keeps things moving even in light wind.

Unlike many decorative wind chimes, these were designed with real tuning and resonance in mind from the start.

The result is a mellow tone—closer to bamboo or wood chimes than metal tubes—but surprisingly pleasant and better than expected for fully 3D printed plastic parts.

Features

• 3× scaled Benchy-based top mount (remixed)

• A minor pentatonic tuning

• Fishing float inspired chime tubes

• Two-piece bobber striker for color contrast

• Fish-shaped wind sail for improved motion

• Minimal hardware (small screw eyes)

• Outdoor-capable material choices

Tuning

The chimes are tuned to an A minor pentatonic scale:

A – C – D – E – G

Each STL is labeled by note:

Approximate tuning references:

• A4.STL – 440 Hz – ~200 mm

• C5.STL  – 523 Hz – ~168 mm

• D5.STL  – 587 Hz – ~150 mm

• E5 .STL – 659 Hz – ~134 mm

• G5.STL  – 784 Hz – ~112 mm

Minor variations are expected depending on material and print settings, but the pentatonic scale is forgiving and musical even when not perfectly tuned.

Chime Design

Most printed wind chimes fail acoustically because they are too thick or fully solid. These were designed specifically for resonance:

• Hollow tubes

• Thin, consistent walls

• Length-based tuning only

• Suspension positioned near the vibration node (~22%)

• Striker contact point placed ~20–25% down from the top

These choices help maximize sustain and tone quality for plastic parts.

Float Hanger System

Each float is suspended using a printed Float Hanger.

Assembly Notes

Suggested line:

• Braided nylon cord

• Fishing line

• Small synthetic cord

Order of assembly:

1. Print float chimes

2. Print Float Hangers and support

3. Print Benchy parts (remixed STLs are already scaled)

4. Print and glue bobber striker halves

5. Print fish sail (pick version, one has dorsal and pectoral fins, one without)

6. Assemble suspension lines (use screw eyes as required)

7. Center striker

8. Attach fish sail

Assembly Details for Chime Tubes and Float Hanger

• Tie line to the Float Hanger

• Insert hanger into float using tweezers or needle-nose pliers

• Run a short piece of matching filament through float holes

• Capture filament in hanger and secure with a drop of glue

• Hang from the top assembly

Note regarding Stack Hanger

• The hole in the Stack Hanger is intentionally off-center to allow fine tuning of the balance point.  Simply rotate it before gluing it inside the to set the perfect balance.   

Recommended Materials

Best options:

• PETG (used in this build)

• ASA

• ABS

PLA can work indoors, but is not recommended for long-term outdoor use due to heat sensitivity.

Print Settings

Chime Tubes:

• 0% infill

• 2–4 perimeters

• 0.2–0.3 mm layer height

• Print vertically (color changes optional via pauses)

Structural Parts (mounts, striker, hangers):

• ~30–35% infill

• 4 wall layers recommended

• Increased mass for striker improves performance

Reality Check:

These are plastic wind chimes, so they won’t sound like aluminum tubes. The goal was:

• Nautical visual theme

• Pleasant, soft sound

• Fully printable construction

The result is a warm tone that’s surprisingly musical for printed plastic, very similar to bamboo chimes.