A
Fabulous Fun Fountain
By
Super Handyman Al Carrell
There's
nothing more tranquil than the sound of a babbling brook. That's why fountains
are so popular. You can easily make a fountain from an assortment of clay
pots and saucers. I recently made one on the TV show "Your New House."
Feel free to copy ours or get creative and design your own.
You'll need:
One three-inch-high pot
One four-inch-high pot
One five-inch-high pot
One six-inch-high pot
One four-inch-wide saucer
One 11-inch-wide saucer
One 14-inch-wide saucer
One 18-inch-wide saucer with a three- or four-inch lip as the base
A small-type submersible pump from an aquarium store
A foot or so of flexible tubing to fit on the pump
Clear aerosol spray sealer
Waterproof adhesive
ASSEMBLY: First, look at our drawing (below). In order for the tubing to
carry water from the base up to the four-inch pot, you must enlarge the
hole in the bottom of it and in the six-inch pot that houses the pump. I
used a drill bit on a slow speed to ream these holes. A hole the same size
must be drilled in the 14-inch saucer. I started with a smaller bit with
the saucer backed up with a solid wood scrap to avoid breakage. I then reamed
it out.
Notch the saucers
and the top pot as shown in the drawing using a file. Also notch the six-inch
pot at several places around the lip so water can easily reach the pump.
Next, seal
the surfaces. It is very important to seal the 18-inch base saucer, both
top and bottom. Use several coats, allowing drying time between. Sealing
the base is a must if the fountain goes inside the house.
Now follow
the drawing or go creative. Don't glue the pieces in place until you're
sure everything is just the way you want it. If you need to raise any of
the parts for a better effect, that's where those spare saucers come in.
Pour water
into the big saucer to within a quarter-inch of the top. Be sure this saucer
is level. Now turn on the pump. You may have to regulate the flow so it
is gentle and so all the water stays in the fountain and doesn't splatter
the ceiling. When you're satisfied that everything is where it should be,
trim off the plastic tube.
Now you can
glue things together if you wish. Add some decorative rocks, marbles, shells
or even a small statue.
Enjoy!
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