OMG!!! A NON-OT Thread!!! Review: Busman Polymer #1

elendil · Post by **elendil** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 11:00 pm

That pink whistle might be just the thing for me, don't you think, el?

That happens to be the one I keep in my glovebox. But I'm wise to your tricks, and there's no way I'm gonna let you drag this thread down into the OT mire.

BTW, thanks for getting my name right--lower case "e". Nothing makes me more irate and prone to start up OT threads than people getting my name wrong.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 8:51 am

Tony Dixon also uses Delrin for his conical flutes - at least I'm about 90% sure, but for some reason I can't get his webpage to come up right now to verify that. However, having owned both a Seery and a Dixon they seemed like they were both Delrin.

Eric

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 9:59 am

jim_mc wrote:
glauber wrote:Michael Cronnoly is the poster boy for PVC flutes turned in the lathe (M&E flutes).
Just to make things perfectly clear, M&E flutes are machined from solid polymer rod stock

It's PVC, nonetheless, turned in the lathe as i said. I think he buys the stuff from Germany. Polymer is a polite word for "plastic". PVC = poly vinyl chloride; poly... polymer.

elendil · Post by **elendil** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 2:38 pm

Where's Paul on this thread? I don't normally care about appearances--in fact, I've bought some butt ugly instrments in the past--but that back-lit delrin is IMO way cool.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 3:37 pm

NicoMoreno wrote:From another Thread:
quote="brewerpaul"]Not a commercial message, 'cause this one isn't for sale.

Serpent bugged me about making a white Delrin whistle, and went so far as to send me the material. So, I started tinkering and came up with this:

the thread is: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=17757[/quote]

Is that a photo or an X-Ray?

billw · Post by **billw** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 7:23 pm

NicoMoreno wrote:From another Thread:
quote="brewerpaul"]Not a commercial message, 'cause this one isn't for sale.

Bill (alteration mine) bugged me about making a white Delrin whistle, and went so far as to send me the material. So, I started tinkering and came up with this:

the thread is: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=17757[/quote]

Wow. I had no idea I had so much clout! Hey, Paul, I have a few nice chunks of pure white high-alumina ceramic now, just right for making whistles if you have plenty of diamond tools! Interested??

Bill Whedon
Serpent Music

billw · Post by **billw** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:22 pm

This is an update, and some comments from others. I took the Busman Polly (not its real name) with me to a session in Springfield, MO, set up by John McHaffie. John had the opportunity to play it, and commented on the fact that you do have to "stay on top of what it's doing". He also commented on the exceptionally nice voice it has. There was a fellow there whose name eludes me - he had a Howard Low D (nice sound!), and he agrees with the "great sound" remarks. Everyone else was strings and percussion, but they all liked the sound. For a while, I wasn't sure John was gonna give it back!

Paul, you gotta make these. Whistles like the proto I have should be going in about the $125 range, and will be a major bargain at that. You make all other polymer whistles pale by comparison. I'd say $165, but you're too durn easy, and probably wouldn't go for it. MAKE DELRIN! I don't care if you bore the durn tube yourself or buy it. That fipple you do is worth its weight in gold!

Cheers,
Bill Whedon
Serpent Music

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 9:03 pm

Jayhawk wrote:Tony Dixon also uses Delrin for his conical flutes - at least I'm about 90% sure, but for some reason I can't get his webpage to come up right now to verify that. However, having owned both a Seery and a Dixon they seemed like they were both Delrin.

Eric

From <a href=http://www.tonydixonmusic.co.uk/flutes.html>Dixon Music Website</a> Tony Dixon wrote: {Regarding the 3 piece flute} "... These are turned from solid polymer material ..."

I don't think they are delrin, Tony would say Delrin, where as polymer, usualy is short for PVC of some type. The point is its machined from rod stock into conical style flute (instead of straight tubing). I've been playing one of these for about a year. I always thought it was some type of PVC.

billw · Post by **billw** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 9:40 pm

POLYMER just means stuff made of big heavy molecules made from little light molecules all linked together. There are natural and man-made polymers, too.

Usually the "poly???" designation tells something about the molecules used to make a specific polymer, as in PVC - PolyVinyl Chloride, or Polypropylene, etc. Delrin is a polymer in the acetal family, which includes nylon - I guess you could call it "polyacetal" or something similar, but why make up more tongue-twister plastics?. Kynar, Teflon, PDVF are all also polymers, including CPVC which is PVC with chlorine added. It withstands higher heat than PVC, and is usable for hot-water plumbing, which plain PVC is not.

I think it would be useful if people would use the actual plastic's name, but hey, look who's talkin'! ("Sweet Polly")

Cheers,
Bill Whedon
Serpent Music

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 9:53 pm

Paul,
Beautiful whistle, its translucency puts to mind a bit of business I wrote a while back. Originally written to demonstrate that a white whistle could be appropriate for Ren Faire street work. I've reposted it below for the enjoyment of the new folks who might not have read it before.

Of course if this opens a Ren Faire performer's market and increases demand making such whistle viable business ... I'd be glad to accept a small marketing commission payable by means of a white whistle (no alterior motives here, nope none what-so-ever)

.
 
Dragon's Tooth Whistle<blockquote>"Missy, Yer' wonderin' what me pipes made of? Hmm...." (examines the whistle, scratchs head, siddles up closer the mark, er I mean the patron, like the patron's being let in on a mystery). "Might be dragon's tooth ... might not. Ya' sees ..... (Glance right and left) Da' wee leprechan dat give me dis, (hold up the whistle with the left hand) wouldn't tell me lest I giv'em a piece o' gold for 'is pot. (with right hand, rubs thumb back and forth across index and middle fingers). Course bein' da simple piper, dat I am, I hadn't a farthing to offer... (starts to turn away, but stops and turns back saying) "Hmm..... "Ya know, lassy, if YOU had a piece-o-gold or two to offer, I'd 'appily hold it 'till the wee fella comes 'round, an' ask 'im agin."(really big smile....) (On being offered money by the patron, silver or paper, holds both hands up, palms facing the patron in a warding gesture, shakes head no and says) "Sorry mum, gots to be gold, offerin' the wee fella dat silver or paper money for 'is pot, would just insult 'is inheritance. I've eenuff bad luck as 'tis, without havin' no leprechaun flayling
about cursin' every t'ing in sight. 
(Backs away, shakes head impathicly) Nope, nope, nope. (Points to self) Insulted one o-dem fella's once... when I be Chief of me clan, ne'er agin, nope ne'er agin, "You've eye to see me state anow A downward fall from dis station in life, (right hand points to ground between the feet) I could end up bein' a cow or sow or worse, da King of England... (Turns away promptly and begins whistling a new tune...)</blockquote>

billw · Post by **billw** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:09 pm

Very cool, Lee!

... uh... got one for purple aluminum?

Cheers,
Bill Whedon ("Billy Busker" at the Kansas City Renfest)
Serpent Music

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:44 pm

FWIW - Tony emailed me back - said his flutes are made of acetal (same family/thing as Delrin but just not name brand).

Eric

Chiff and Fipple Forums

OMG!!! A NON-OT Thread!!! Review: Busman Polymer #1

Serpent is dead. Good riddance.

UPDATE

Polymer