Gold whistle
- hoopy mike
- Posts: 1395
- Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 3:09 am
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Nottingham
- Contact:
Gold whistle
Over the last six months, I've had a student playing around with making flutes out of different materials to try and get a feel for how the material affects the tone. The student comes from a classical flute background and I think I've converted him to keyless, so whatever the outcome, it's been worth it.
Anyway, he's made flutes out of copper, brass, aluminium, chrome plated copper, PVC and so on. Our final test was to gold plate some tubes to see what the effect might be (I think surface finish may be as big a factor as material properties like stiffness and density). He's also gold plated some whistle barrels for me.
I'll digest his report and post more later and maybe even a picture of my bling.
Anyway, he's made flutes out of copper, brass, aluminium, chrome plated copper, PVC and so on. Our final test was to gold plate some tubes to see what the effect might be (I think surface finish may be as big a factor as material properties like stiffness and density). He's also gold plated some whistle barrels for me.
I'll digest his report and post more later and maybe even a picture of my bling.
- MTGuru
- Posts: 18663
- Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:45 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Location: San Diego, CA
Re: Gold whistle
Mike, by plating you mean the interior surface of the bore as well (or only)?hoopy mike wrote:Our final test was to gold plate some tubes to see what the effect might be (I think surface finish may be as big a factor as material properties like stiffness and density). He's also gold plated some whistle barrels for me.
Vivat diabolus in musica! MTGuru's (old) GG Clips / Blackbird Clips
Joel Barish: Is there any risk of brain damage?
Dr. Mierzwiak: Well, technically speaking, the procedure is brain damage.
Joel Barish: Is there any risk of brain damage?
Dr. Mierzwiak: Well, technically speaking, the procedure is brain damage.
- hoopy mike
- Posts: 1395
- Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 3:09 am
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Nottingham
- Contact:
Re: Gold whistle
bothMTGuru wrote:Mike, by plating you mean the interior surface of the bore as well (or only)?hoopy mike wrote:Our final test was to gold plate some tubes to see what the effect might be (I think surface finish may be as big a factor as material properties like stiffness and density). He's also gold plated some whistle barrels for me.
- weedie
- Posts: 578
- Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 2:23 am
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: New South Wales Australia
- Contact:
Re: Gold whistle
I dont know a GREAT deal about electroplating but I believe that it's difficult to plate the INSIDES of a tube ....
Some engines have a 'chrome plated' bore...so there must some way of doing it...I wonder though,about a small diameter bore,as found in our Whistles..
Good luck with your experiments..a solid gold Whistle next ? ....
Some engines have a 'chrome plated' bore...so there must some way of doing it...I wonder though,about a small diameter bore,as found in our Whistles..
Good luck with your experiments..a solid gold Whistle next ? ....
" Quiet is quite nice " ..... weedie .....
- mutepointe
- Posts: 8151
- Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 10:16 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: kanawha county, west virginia
- Contact:
Re: Gold whistle
I can appreciate that there would only be a need to gold plate the inside but everything isn't about need.
Rose tint my world. Keep me safe from my trouble and pain.
白飞梦
白飞梦
-
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:44 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 10
- Location: Bosnia
Re: Gold whistle
Lots of opinions already expressed inthe forum regarding the effects of the material on tone etc., but if you suspect surface finish is a major factor, wouldn't polishing be quicker and cheaper than gold plating as a means to investigate? After all, the (assumed!) small quantity of gold will add little to the overall density of the whistle shaft.hoopy mike wrote:Our final test was to gold plate some tubes to see what the effect might be (I think surface finish may be as big a factor as material properties like stiffness and density). He's also gold plated some whistle barrels for me.
You might take a shine to the idea of a gold whistle, but others will probably write it off as a gilt complex!
- hoopy mike
- Posts: 1395
- Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 3:09 am
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Nottingham
- Contact:
Re: Gold whistle
Yeah, I agree that there are easier ways to look at surface finish. The main thrust of the project was on changing the material rather than coating, but we have access to some clever technology that can give a very thin coating (nanoscale) so this was a bit of fun at the end.Celticexile wrote:if you suspect surface finish is a major factor, wouldn't polishing be quicker and cheaper than gold plating as a means to investigate?
- JackCampin
- Posts: 383
- Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:05 am
- antispam: No
- Contact:
Re: Gold whistle
There are higher challenges to aim at these days.
How about a diamond film coating?
How about a diamond film coating?
-
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:44 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 10
- Location: Bosnia
Re: Gold whistle
Wait .... sounds familiar.JackCampin wrote:
How about a diamond film coating?
Where have I seen Gem the Flute?
- jkrazy52
- Posts: 772
- Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 1:12 am
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Southern Ohio
Re: Gold whistle
Didn't Jessie have a gold whistle in her collection?
- benhall.1
- Moderator
- Posts: 14816
- Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:21 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: I'm a fiddler and, latterly, a fluter. I love the flute. I wish I'd always played it. I love the whistle as well. I'm blessed in having really lovely instruments for all of my musical interests.
- Location: Unimportant island off the great mainland of Europe
Re: Gold whistle
Celticexile wrote:Wait .... sounds familiar.JackCampin wrote:
How about a diamond film coating?
Where have I seen Gem the Flute?
Shhh! You'll wake him up. And THEN where will we be? Hmmm?
Re: Gold whistle
If James Bond gets wind of this "Gold Whistle" then it's all over...
m.d.
m.d.
- jemtheflute
- Posts: 6969
- Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 6:47 am
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Location: N.E. Wales, G.B.
- Contact:
Re: Gold whistle
Exactly where you were before. Assuming you were referring to me (Jemtheflute - nothing sparkly here, no G-whizz!) I don't do physical or existential translocation (except when I'm working....). (Not even if you deserve it, to somewhere suitably uncomfortable.....)benhall.1 wrote:Celticexile wrote:Wait .... sounds familiar.JackCampin wrote:
How about a diamond film coating?
Where have I seen Gem the Flute?
Shhh! You'll wake him up. And THEN where will we be? Hmmm?
Just as well I don't seem to come here much these days!
I respect people's privilege to hold their beliefs, whatever those may be (within reason), but respect the beliefs themselves? You gotta be kidding!
My YouTube channel
My FB photo albums
Low Bb flute: 2 reels (audio)
Flute & Music Resources - helpsheet downloads
My YouTube channel
My FB photo albums
Low Bb flute: 2 reels (audio)
Flute & Music Resources - helpsheet downloads
Re: Gold whistle
well it sounds like a good name...
you could try to be less of a disappointment
or was it one of those lent things from yer childhood?
you could try to be less of a disappointment
or was it one of those lent things from yer childhood?
Picture a bright blue ball just spinning, spinning free
It's dizzying, the possibilities. Ashes, Ashes all fall down.
It's dizzying, the possibilities. Ashes, Ashes all fall down.