Working with Delrin
- scheky
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Working with Delrin
I know that most people who work with Delrin (Acetal) do so with Rods that they bore out like wood.
Now, not having a lathe, and preferring Delrin to PvC, I was wondering if the Delrin Tubing (http://k-mac-plastics.net/acetal-delrin ... -tubes.htm) would be a decent basis for a whistle.
I know a CPvC high D would be likely a 0.60in ID, Likely the 0.50in or the 0.625 could be adjusted to work accordingly.
From the whistle makers out there, what's your opinion?
Now, not having a lathe, and preferring Delrin to PvC, I was wondering if the Delrin Tubing (http://k-mac-plastics.net/acetal-delrin ... -tubes.htm) would be a decent basis for a whistle.
I know a CPvC high D would be likely a 0.60in ID, Likely the 0.50in or the 0.625 could be adjusted to work accordingly.
From the whistle makers out there, what's your opinion?
- raindog1970
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A 1/2" CPVC high D would have an I.D. of 0.469", which is an excellent bore size for that key.
1/2" schedule 40 PVC has an I.D. of 0.622", which is best suited for a Bb or low A whistle.
The acetal tubing you're looking at has a wall thickness of 0.125", which is really too thick.
If you're interested in an alternative to plastic, aluminum tubing is available in a nice variety of diameters and wall thickness... most whistle makers choose the 0.065" wall thickness variety.
Brass tubing is available in the widest variety of diameters and wall thickness, so you might want to consider it too.
1/2" schedule 40 PVC has an I.D. of 0.622", which is best suited for a Bb or low A whistle.
The acetal tubing you're looking at has a wall thickness of 0.125", which is really too thick.
If you're interested in an alternative to plastic, aluminum tubing is available in a nice variety of diameters and wall thickness... most whistle makers choose the 0.065" wall thickness variety.
Brass tubing is available in the widest variety of diameters and wall thickness, so you might want to consider it too.
Regards,
Gary Humphrey
♪♣♫Humphrey Whistles♫♣♪
[Raindogs] The ones you see wanderin' around after a rain. Ones that can't find their way back home. See the rain washes off the scent off all the mail boxes and the lamposts, fire hydrants. – Tom Waits
Gary Humphrey
♪♣♫Humphrey Whistles♫♣♪
[Raindogs] The ones you see wanderin' around after a rain. Ones that can't find their way back home. See the rain washes off the scent off all the mail boxes and the lamposts, fire hydrants. – Tom Waits
- brewerpaul
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I tried some of this, but with that I.D. the tubing would not fit onto my lathe arbor (0.5") so that I could turn the thick walls down to size. It would have required gundrilling, which is what I normally have to do anyway, so I've just stuck with rods. My gundrill makes a bore just the right size.raindog1970 wrote:A 1/2" CPVC high D would have an I.D. of 0.469", which is an excellent bore size for that key.
1/2" schedule 40 PVC has an I.D. of 0.622", which is best suited for a Bb or low A whistle.
The acetal tubing you're looking at has a wall thickness of 0.125", which is really too thick.
.
If you can mount the pre bored stuff on an arbor)make one yourself?), then it would be a good way to start--
- raindog1970
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I'll bet they allow a few thousandths of an inch of extra material so that the bore can be machined finished without making it larger than 0.5".brewerpaul wrote:I tried some of this, but with that I.D. the tubing would not fit onto my lathe arbor (0.5") so that I could turn the thick walls down to size.
I've never tried any prefab acetal tubing, but acetal rod is always a few thousandths of an inch larger in diameter than specified to allow for machining a smooth finish without having to turn it down smaller than its specified O.D.
You can put a glossy smooth finish on acetal, but it's always a bit rough from the factory.
Regards,
Gary Humphrey
♪♣♫Humphrey Whistles♫♣♪
[Raindogs] The ones you see wanderin' around after a rain. Ones that can't find their way back home. See the rain washes off the scent off all the mail boxes and the lamposts, fire hydrants. – Tom Waits
Gary Humphrey
♪♣♫Humphrey Whistles♫♣♪
[Raindogs] The ones you see wanderin' around after a rain. Ones that can't find their way back home. See the rain washes off the scent off all the mail boxes and the lamposts, fire hydrants. – Tom Waits
- waltsweet
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Delrin
Scheky,
For sure, Delrin can give you a nice finish that you can't get with PVC.
My bore on the Pro HiD is .500". We also use this size for the little fifes; in contrast, the piccolo version has a bore of .453", with a significant difference in playing characteristics. That's about 10% difference in bores, so what I'm saying is that a change of 10% makes a BIG difference in how it plays.
If you're not set up to cut your own bores from Delrin rod, the standard tubing may give you a disappointing whistle.
Walt
For sure, Delrin can give you a nice finish that you can't get with PVC.
My bore on the Pro HiD is .500". We also use this size for the little fifes; in contrast, the piccolo version has a bore of .453", with a significant difference in playing characteristics. That's about 10% difference in bores, so what I'm saying is that a change of 10% makes a BIG difference in how it plays.
If you're not set up to cut your own bores from Delrin rod, the standard tubing may give you a disappointing whistle.
Walt
- brewerpaul
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Re: Delrin
I may be slow , but I JUST figgered out that you can get a better finish sanding Delrin by sanding it wet. I just used 400 and 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper with lots of water and got a MUCH better surface than I'd previously gotten using the stuff dry.waltsweet wrote:Scheky,
For sure, Delrin can give you a nice finish that you can't get with PVC.
Re: Delrin
But I like the matte finish on my black Delrin Busman. I don't think I'd want it any shinier.brewerpaul wrote:I may be slow , but I JUST figgered out that you can get a better finish sanding Delrin by sanding it wet. I just used 400 and 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper with lots of water and got a MUCH better surface than I'd previously gotten using the stuff dry.waltsweet wrote:Scheky,
For sure, Delrin can give you a nice finish that you can't get with PVC.
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- John F.
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O.K., Professionals--I'm confused...
I've been using off the shelf PVC 'plumber's pipe' to make flutes (schedule 40, the off-white stuff, 3/4"), and so far I've made one 'G' and one 'D' , and, as far as I'm able to play them, they sound o.k. (I'm a guitar player, remember--been playing woodwinds, oh, a whole week now ). I've since run out for a 1/2" length of the stuff, in order to try to make my own whistle.
Are we saying I won't get a good 'D' whistle out of it? If not, is there anything my Dremel and I can do to make it better?
..you know, if I can't make this work, I can open a pub out of my garage instead...maybe call it "The Hacksaw and Hammer" or more appropriately, "The Bloody Thumb":lol:
I've been using off the shelf PVC 'plumber's pipe' to make flutes (schedule 40, the off-white stuff, 3/4"), and so far I've made one 'G' and one 'D' , and, as far as I'm able to play them, they sound o.k. (I'm a guitar player, remember--been playing woodwinds, oh, a whole week now ). I've since run out for a 1/2" length of the stuff, in order to try to make my own whistle.
Are we saying I won't get a good 'D' whistle out of it? If not, is there anything my Dremel and I can do to make it better?
..you know, if I can't make this work, I can open a pub out of my garage instead...maybe call it "The Hacksaw and Hammer" or more appropriately, "The Bloody Thumb":lol:
Welcome to Uncle John's "Home for Unwanted and Misfit Flutes and Whistles".
- brewerpaul
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Re: Delrin
[quote="jsluderBut I like the matte finish on my black Delrin Busman. I don't think I'd want it any shinier. [/quote]
At 400 or 600 grit it's still matte, but I'm able to get out some of the concentric toolmarks that I wasn't able to previously. I've thought of getting it shinier, but I'm afraid it'll show every tiny scratch that way. The matte has a nice grip too.
At 400 or 600 grit it's still matte, but I'm able to get out some of the concentric toolmarks that I wasn't able to previously. I've thought of getting it shinier, but I'm afraid it'll show every tiny scratch that way. The matte has a nice grip too.
- brewerpaul
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Very interesting. What will glue this stuff to metal? If anyone has any scrap I'd love to play with it a bit. Ditto for other potential polymers.ctilbury wrote:Has anyone tried using ABS for a whistle? It is about half the cost and has many of the properties that make a good instrument. Plus, you can glue it.
- EricWingler
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