How to Make a Fountain Out of a Wooden Barrel

Making a Copper Sculpture

1). Cut three to five 5-foot long sections of flexible copper tubing. Make a mark 12 inches from one end of each section of tubing.
2). Hold the 12-inch mark on one copper tube against the handle section of a baseball bat. Bend the remaining length of tubing around the bat to form a loose spiral. Repeat this step with the remaining lengths of copper tubing. You can shape the copper into any type of abstract shape, flowers, birds and other designs if you first make a jig to fit the shape using finishing nails and a wooden board.
3). Attach the 12-inch base of each copper spiral to the inside of the wooden barrel using duct tape. Tape the spirals beneath the rim of the wooden barrel planter so that the copper spirals protrude from the top as decoration. Use the duct tape liberally so that the spirals stay upright. Space the spirals in even increments around the barrel or group them together on one side.

1). Cut a section of thick plastic pond liner large enough to line the inside of the barrel. Staple the liner to the barrel around the inside top rim using a staple gun. The plastic liner should fit over the copper tubing and will make the barrel watertight.
2). Connect the fountainhead to the submersible fountain pump spout. Extend the fountainhead so that it reaches the top rim of the barrel. Place the pump inside the barrel so that it sits in the center. Make a platform inside the barrel with bricks if you need to elevate the pump so that the fountainhead is long enough to reach the barrel top.
3). Bring the pump's power cord over the side of the barrel. Tape it to the back side of the barrel with duct tape. If you are running the cord to an outlet across a lawn, dig a shallow trench and bury the power cord to protect it. A 2- to 3-inch deep trench will be sufficient. Cover the cord with the excavated dirt.
4). Fill the barrel with water. Turn on the pump. Adjust the nozzle on the fountainhead to make sure that the water spray stays inside the barrel.