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How to Make a Japanese Sand Rake

Japanese sand gardens are plots of land that contain decorative assortments of rocks, sands and decorations. They are primarily created for their aesthetic appeal, and their believed stress-relieving properties. Raking the garden's sand is typically done using a continuous winding motion. Traditionally, part of the stress relief offered by these gardens comes from the methodical and repetitive movements associated with raking these gardens. Japanese sand rakes can be easily made using a few pieces of dowel, a drill and some glue.

Things You'll Need

  • 60-inch piece of medium dowel
  • 24-inch piece of thin dowel
  • 16-inch piece of large dowel
  • Drill
  • 1-inch drill bit
  • ¼- or ½-inch drill bit
  • Saw
  • Strong Glue
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Instructions

  1. Making a Japanese Garden Rake

    • 1

      For the handle of your rake, use the 60-inch piece of medium dowel (approximately 1 inch in diameter). Cut the dowel down to a length most comfortable for the person who will be doing the raking. If 60 inches is too long, use a saw to cut it down by 6 inches to 1 foot.

    • 2

      For the base, use the large piece of dowel (between 1 ½ and 2 inches in diameter) and, if necessary, cut it down to a shorter length using the saw. Sixteen inches should be just about right, but you may need it a bit shorter to meet certain characteristics of your garden, like narrow spaces. Drill a hole in the center of the base using a drill bit 1 inch in diameter. The hole should be 1 inch deep. This is where the handle attaches to the base. Using a ¼- or ½-inch drill bit (whichever matches the diameter of your thin piece of dowel), drill eight holes along the length of the base, 90 degrees from the handle hole. These small holes should be 1/2-inch deep.

    • 3

      Tines are the sharp, narrow pieces that actually do the raking. To construct these, cut the thin dowel into eight pieces, 3 inches long. The dowel should be between ¼- and ½-inch in diameter.

    • 4

      Using strong glue, coat the inside of each of the holes you drilled. Also coat the end of the handle and the ends of each of the tines. Carefully place the handle inside the 1-inch hole in the center of the base. Lie the handle flat on the ground so it can dry. Place each tine inside one of the 1-inch holes. Allow the glue to dry overnight.

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