Hi all! Long time member here that has been gone for several years but back lurking the last couple of months. I've been busy playing Hawaiian music I mostly play solo uke & sing now.
I have several whistles that I want to add thumbholes to and have a Dremel that should be able to handle it.
Before I jump into drilling I'd like to hear from people who've done it already. I did do a search but all that came up was arguments for/against having thumbholes. I like my whistles that have them and want to turn some of my whistles that don't have any usable (reasonably in tune) cross-fingered C
naturals into instruments I'll actually play.
Do you have any tips that may help the process go easier?
What size drill bit should I start out with?
What type of file should I use?
Would one of the Dremel attachments work better?
Thank you for any help!
Aldon Sanders
Using a Dremel for making thumbholes?
- LimuHead
- Posts: 514
- Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2003 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: I'm not new here. I have been registered here for many years. I am not a spammer, though being from Hawaii, I do enjoy eating spam. Now the site is requiring at least 100 characters in this box. It would have been nice to know that bit of information before I hit submit the first time!
- Location: San Jose, California
Using a Dremel for making thumbholes?
My CD! Click here to listen!
Whistle, uke, guitar, English concertina & more!: http://www.nowhereradio.com/onemanband
Whistle, uke, guitar, English concertina & more!: http://www.nowhereradio.com/onemanband
- OBrien
- Posts: 523
- Joined: Wed May 12, 2004 3:22 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Location: Campbell River, BC Canada
- Contact:
Re: Using a Dremel for making thumbholes?
Are they metal or wood?
If wood, you should use a drill press and a bit with brad points. A regular bit will not drill a curved wooden surface cleanly.
If metal, you should also use a drill press and mark the hole location with a punch. Then start with a small bit and gradually open up the hole, using increasingly larger bits.
I wouldn't recommend a Dremel.
Use a small jeweler's file with a curved surface to tidy up the holes.
If wood, you should use a drill press and a bit with brad points. A regular bit will not drill a curved wooden surface cleanly.
If metal, you should also use a drill press and mark the hole location with a punch. Then start with a small bit and gradually open up the hole, using increasingly larger bits.
I wouldn't recommend a Dremel.
Use a small jeweler's file with a curved surface to tidy up the holes.
Re: Using a Dremel for making thumbholes?
If you use a dremel or drill find some material that is the same as the whistle to practice on. For cleaning small holes I like to use small diamond files. Diamond files will cut in either direction. Great for removing wood fibers from the bottom of a wood hole that sometimes leaves fibers hanging inside. A C&F member (Judy K) use to make nice whistles from delrin using only a dremel tool.
''Whistles of Wood'', cpvc and brass. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69086
- LimuHead
- Posts: 514
- Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2003 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: I'm not new here. I have been registered here for many years. I am not a spammer, though being from Hawaii, I do enjoy eating spam. Now the site is requiring at least 100 characters in this box. It would have been nice to know that bit of information before I hit submit the first time!
- Location: San Jose, California
Re: Using a Dremel for making thumbholes?
Thank you for the tips & suggestions!
I expiremented with tape on some the C# holes of some of the worst in tune whistles and the difference in playability of the cross-fingered C naturals improved dramatically!
So I may hold off on drilling for now.
To Mr. Obrien: I'm enjoying playing the chromatic whistle!
Aldon
I expiremented with tape on some the C# holes of some of the worst in tune whistles and the difference in playability of the cross-fingered C naturals improved dramatically!
So I may hold off on drilling for now.
To Mr. Obrien: I'm enjoying playing the chromatic whistle!
Aldon
My CD! Click here to listen!
Whistle, uke, guitar, English concertina & more!: http://www.nowhereradio.com/onemanband
Whistle, uke, guitar, English concertina & more!: http://www.nowhereradio.com/onemanband