Tips for a budding whistle maker?

TootleJester · Post by **TootleJester** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 11:04 am

I've done enough reading to know that whistle making is alot of trial and error unless you have a degree in Acusticology or sum such thing. Does any one have any tips on common errors and whatnot to avoid? Easy materials to start with? Tips, pointers, anecdotes, treatises on whystle theory, etc. would also be appreciated.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 11:14 am

Don't send sexual poetry to young girls or people who you percieve as young girls.

Don't threaten people or try to "buy" positive reviews from people by giving them multiple whistles.

Don't steal other people's designs.

That's about it.

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 11:31 am

Cranberry wrote:
Don't steal other people's designs.

This last bit should be take with a grain of salt...

There's a certain amount of incestuousness among whistle designs from lots of different makers. Heck, my feadan, generation, and acorn whistle heads are nearly identical in design..it's only in execution (length of ramp, size of "bump" on blade, etc) that they differ, and then it's slight.

Granted, if someone has a radically different head design (lon dubh, or syn tulip heads, silkstone has a nifty design too), you'll probably be looked at more harshly than if you try to copy a Generation.

But as far as I'm concerned, as a whistler, "steal" away. Heck, if I could eventually get a Copeland or O'Riordan style whistle for less than $100.00, I'd love it...(the inexpensiveness of the Syn comes to mind, though I haven't tried his metal whistles yet)

One of this country's founding principles is the concept of reverse-engineering something to introduce cheaper and/or better competition in the marketplace. In fact, that same concept was just upheld in a recent Lexmark printer case, where they tried to shut down a company producing cheaper compatible ink cartridges.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/10/30 ... ses_round/

Greg

syn whistles · Post by **syn whistles** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 3:20 pm

Cranberry wrote:Don't steal other people's designs.

Once you have adopted your choice of material to suit your machine/tool capabilities, there are only so many designs that will actually work. Pick one and work on it. It can be done without having a degree in physics, thats where the trial and error bit comes in.

Miwokhill · Post by **Miwokhill** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 5:09 pm

Jubilee whistles, the maker of the low D practice whistle, has a couple of books on whistle making, though I've only seen them on their website. -mike

jolsen · Post by **jolsen** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 5:28 pm

As for materials, I've done a few with copper pipe including a few solder joints but I've decided I prever working with mostly-PVC designs since it's easier to work with. That's important when you're in trial-and-error phase since you can go through the mistakes faster.

For me (and I suspect for most everyone) the head is the tough part, and the body is simply a matter of drilling and sizing six holes.

I have tinkered with at least a half dozen heads trying various materials and designs. Flat windways, curved windways, flat bottomed curved top windways, several different blade setups, and all the tinkering with the width and length of the window. Copper, PVC, aluminum, acrylic, etc. It's been a fun process to go through though.

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 8:22 pm

You can learn a lot from reverse engineering... and it isn't necessary to destroy any whistles in the process.
Take a set of dial calipers and start comparing different whistles, paying closest attention to things like the length/width ratio of the fipple window, and its relation to the bore diameter... studying things like that make lights switch on in your head after a while!
Start out working with cheap materials like plumbing supplies, because you will make many mistakes at first... no matter how well educated you are!

I don't know much about the technical aspects woodwind accoustics, but I do have a pretty good understanding of how a whistle works... combine that with the proper dimensional ratios and help from a computer to calculate tone hole positions, and lots and lots of practice, and you'll eventually reach full enlightenment.
OK, just kiddding about the 'full enlightenment' bit... I really don't think the learning process ever ends!

And as already mentioned, Daniel Bingamon's instructional books would very helpful.

CHIFF FIPPLE · Post by **CHIFF FIPPLE** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 2:21 am

Cranberry wrote:Don't send sexual poetry to young girls or people who you percieve as young girls.

Don't threaten people or try to "buy" positive reviews from people by giving them multiple whistles.

Don't steal other people's designs.

That's about it.

Sad but as always right to the point, Cran.
This world can be a tough place,and even tougher to get by in

BTW its a real bitch when you have spent months comming up with a new way to improve your whistles, then you add it to your product only to find a short while after that some pratt has added the concept to there whistles.
Worse thing is you know if you complain that they say O'h but I have been doing it for years.
Much better if you want to use another whistle makers designs,is to ask them if its ok.

happyturkeyman · Post by **happyturkeyman** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 2:57 am

Cranberry wrote:Don't send sexual poetry to young girls or people who you percieve as young girls.

Don't threaten people or try to "buy" positive reviews from people by giving them multiple whistles.

Don't steal other people's designs.

That's about it.

Also

Don't steal other people's sexual poetry or reviews thereof.

Do not try to buy good reviews of your sexual poetry by sending people multiple poems.

Use neither sexual poetry or reviews thereof to describe your new whistle.

Do not steal other people's young girls.