D5 copper whistle from a repair coupler--FINISHED

S.B.O'Gill · Post by **S.B.O'Gill** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 3:28 pm

I went out to Lowes today with my brother so he could buy some supplies to install a new mailbox. Of course, I had to go browse the plumbing isles! Hah hah hah! I found this little piece of pipe for only $2. It is called a 1/2" X 12" repair coupler--just about the right size for a high D whistle! This piece of tubing is supposed to be able to slip over standard 1/2" pipe, so the internal diameter (bore) slightly bigger than regular 1/2" pipe. No worries here. I'm just going to put in .625 in TWCalc and let it rip! I already have the thing choped to length and I'm dead on the money in tune with it. I'm waiting for my cordless drill to charge up so I can put some holes in it! Heh heh heh! I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 4:25 pm

Ya know SB, you are one sick puppy...and creative.

Nice touch leaving the UPC sticker on.

S.B.O'Gill · Post by **S.B.O'Gill** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 4:43 pm

Ya know SB, you are one sick puppy...and creative.

Yeah I can't help it. I size up everything I see now for its whistle making potential. I have some old seamless aluminum tubing off of a junk TV antenna that I have been eyeing. I tucked it back years ago with intentions of making homemade blow-guns! Hah hah hah!

Nice touch leaving the UPC sticker on.

Yeah, I’m going to steel wool the whole thing with a SOS pad before I’m finished. Man, SOS pads shine up copper like magic. Hopefully it’ll get that freaking sticker off!

lochin · Post by **lochin** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 4:51 pm

S.B.O'Gill wrote: Man, SOS pads shine up copper like magic. Hopefully it’ll get that freaking sticker off!

Nice work. You can use a hair dryer to soften the adhesive and peel of the sticker, if there's any residue left lighter petrol should remove it.

Daniel_Bingamon · Post by **Daniel_Bingamon** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 7:01 pm

Propane torch will burn off the sticker as well and it's more fun!

S.B.O'Gill · Post by **S.B.O'Gill** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:09 pm

Here she is all drilled out and in tune. I just need to give her a good deburring and a shine all over. I really boogered up the area beside the 4th hole when my drill slipped! ARG! I'm going to run out to Wal-Mart tonight and get me some extra fine sand paper (like maybe 400 or 600 grit) and try to get that out. Then I'll give her a good steel wooling all over. She sounds really pretty--like some commercial whistles I've heard. Oh yeah, I don't like the way her 3rd and 4th holes came out so close. I wish I would have noticed that ahead of time and I would have made the 4th hole a little larger and farther down the bore. It isn't a problem though--as they are not so close that it interferes with my fingers. Oh well, I think she has some character!

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Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:15 pm

Keep at it.

S.B.O'Gill · Post by **S.B.O'Gill** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:27 pm

Here she is all finished and looking like new money. I couldn't get all the scratch out though. I still like the way she turned out.

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:55 pm

I am jealous of you being able to do all of this. I want my garage....... NOW!!!

But we have just started the plans and still have to get all the permits. Maybe by Christmas???

jkrazy52 · Post by **jkrazy52** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 2:51 am

Really looks nice, SB!

Pretty soon we'll be seeing these O'Gills up for sale ..... but you have to arrange a tour first.

Judy

Screeeech!!! · Post by **Screeeech!!!** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 2:52 am

One pretty whistle, dude. Keep up the great work!

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 4:51 am

Great looking job!

talimirr743 · Post by **talimirr743** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 7:53 pm

I am so jealous

! ONo really though thats a nice job!

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 10:02 am

Wow! You really banged a nice square shape out of that round coupler!
What did you use as a fipple block? It's a bit hard to tell on my screen...
And what's the width of the windway? At first I thought it looked tiny relative
to the whistle's width, but I think that might be an illusion caused by the
curve of the window (which looks nice, BTW).

S.B.O'Gill · Post by **S.B.O'Gill** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 10:58 am

Thanks for your questions...

Wow! You really banged a nice square shape out of that round coupler!

I pounded the end square with a claw hammer on the floor of my deck. I just eyeballed it. I guess I did get it pretty square.

What did you use as a fipple block?

The flipple block is made from a piece of whittled out pine wood. To be exact, it was a piece that I split off a 2 X 4. I first started with a piece of hardwood dowl, but that was too hard to carve with my pocket knife.

And what's the width of the windway? At first I thought it looked tiny relative to the whistle's width, but I think that might be an illusion caused by the curve of the window (which looks nice, BTW).

The window measures about 1/4" X 5/16". I made it by drilling strait down into the squared off top of the whistle about 3/4" from the end. I used a 3/16th bit. Once I drilled through, I rocked the bit side-to-side to spread out the hole. It made an oval shaped hole. Then I filed the lip and made it flat so the whole window looked like it was in the shape of a 'D'. I also put about a 45 degree bevel on the lip. Last of all, I bent it down slightly (maybe 1/16th") by tapping on it with a hammer and a small piece of dowel (used like a hammer & chisel).

I wish I would have made step-by-step photographs.