I recently found a site that shows you how to make whistles out of PVC pipe. Looks like a pretty good guide and a simple way of making whistles. Has anyone tried making a whistle following this guide? (If you do a google search for “low tech whistle” you should find what I’m talking about.)
Yes - I didn’t think it was quite as easy as they make it sound, but the result was an OK whistle. Not great, but functional - and it was a real kick to make something that actually worked!
Advice - cut it a little long and you can trim the bell note into tune - If you’re too short ya can’t stretch it. I have one that is somewhere between an C# and a D - my tuner can’t decide!
Go with the narrow end of wind way parameters or it’s just too airy.
Watch your fingers!
have fun
Around how much would you say you spent on the supplies needed to build the whistle?
I assume you mean this one, right?
http://science.univr.it/goccia/whistle/index.html
I know I’ve seen it come up on the boards before,
but I can’t seem to find the relevant threads…
I’m currently reviewing one of these…Guido evidently has gotten good at making these. I like the one I have. He tells me that he thinks he’ll be selling them at 18 Euro for non-tunables and 20 Euro for tunables. I haven’t tried my hand at making them based upon his method, though. I’m not sure I have the patience to spin a pair of scissors around to make the holes 
I have the version with the “acetone expanded” tuning slide, and got it before he updated his website with the information about how to make it. Seriously, I thought he bought this tube already pre-formed this way.
This is why God gave us the Dremel I might have to try this.
After looking at that page I am going to have to try this. I have been wanting a Low G and this might be an inexpensive way to get me one for a bit hehe
I think 10 ft of PVC was about $5 - thats the “small bore” stuff - enough for 7-8 whistles. I bought a 4 ft piece of oak dowel for another $5 or so. Thats enough for about 50 whistles! So your into maybe .50 - .65 cents per whistle. Something like that.
Go for it!!!
This is probably a really stupid question but how do you include a link in your post like that?
You just highlight the address that is in the Location bar of your
web browser, then Copy and Paste it into your post. The board
recognizes it as a link if it starts with http://
Thank you for the help fearfaoin. I wanted to include a link to the guide but I wasn’t sure how to do it.
My husband and I made a Low G today! It took us about 4 hours- we aren’t very handy. We used a dremel, drill bits, and a mitre box to do the hard stuff. It sounds OK- a little sharp, but it’s consistent all the way up. It takes A LOT of wind, though. 
All in all, it’s a nice little whistle, and I’m glad we made it.
Fun! A nice bonding experience, I’d say.
Well, it sounds like fun to build your own whistle. I would have done it this weekend except I had to get my wisdom teeth pulled. Now I don’t feel like doing anything. 
i made a pvc flute. it’s in perfect pitch. i think making a fipple would be tricky as all get out.
What size pvc do you use for these? I’ve calculated 3/8" schd 40, but I’ve seen other pvc sights that say use 1/2".
Oh dear. I’m not surprised. Don’t be sad. You’ll be feeling better soon. You can do it next week-end. Those stores will still have the pipe or whatever it is you need.
Thanks for the encouragement Cynth. I would very much like to be better so I could play my whistles and try buildng one.