Whistle Making

Wynder · Post by **Wynder** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 8:06 pm

Greetings, folks!

After a horribly... horribly (no, really), horribly failed attempt at making my own whistle a few years back, I'd like to tango with fate once more and see what happens when I put tool to metal.

So, I'm looking for very detailed instructions for the body construction, mouthpiece design and fabrication and advice on what types of tools and materials (and where they can be obtained) are needed. I know this is all a pretty ubiquitous request, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Rob

ctilbury · Post by **ctilbury** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:51 am

I am curious. What are your goals? For example, what key? Do you want to learn the craft? Or do you just want to make one that is perfect the first time? What tools do you have available?

I have been thinking of putting a detailed plan for one of my old designs on my web site. It would have all of the info you need to actually make one, including photos. This design would also require making some simple tools, but would also have all of the basic layout for a good fipple and tuning slide. People may be able to apply some of the information to their hobby efforts.

Is there any interest in this?

Wynder · Post by **Wynder** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 7:26 am

>What are your goals? For example, what key?

D for starters, from there I'd try to apply the technique to different keys and, perhaps, materials.

>Do you want to learn the craft? Or do you just want to make one that is perfect the first time?

The good answer is that I'm definitely interested in learning the craft -- it'll probably depend a lot on the going cost of the materials involved (I've no idea what the type of alluminum goes for). Though I have tried to research it, I'm just not sure of what exact material is the most preferable to use.

>What tools do you have available?

At this point, my workshop is a blank slate -- I moved into my home a short while back and only now have I had the chance to actually start putting tools into it. It's not often that I do much work that requires any kind of heavy equipment, but I'm willing to make the investment into this.

>I have been thinking of putting a detailed plan for one of my old designs on my web site. It would have all of the info you need to actually make one, including photos. This design would also require making some simple tools, but would also have all of the basic layout for a good fipple and tuning slide. People may be able to apply some of the information to their hobby efforts.

Is there any interest in this?

Most definitely. if I found I had an affinity and talent for whistlemaking (to the point where I produced something worthy), I'd send you my #2 whistle.

Regards,
Rob

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:23 am

ctilbury wrote:Is there any interest in this?

Lordy mercy, yes! I love to see the different methods people use to make things.

ShadowBG625 · Post by **ShadowBG625** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:32 pm

http://science.univr.it/goccia/whistle/

This is the website I used to make learn how to make 'em. I think it's the best, most detailed website.

I tend to use a soldering iron-like tool to aid in my construction. And you can't go wrong with using Daniel Bingamon's TWCalc. Take a look at a whistle I made recently

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 3:42 pm

I had bad luck with that site, the whistle looked great and played, but C wasn't clear...and I'm pretty sure after I bore the holes the D got off somehow. A lot of sucess storys on this site though, maybe i'm tardo.

ctilbury · Post by **ctilbury** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:15 pm

FenianForFreedom wrote:I had bad luck with that site, the whistle looked great and played, but C wasn't clear...and I'm pretty sure after I bore the holes the D got off somehow. A lot of sucess storys on this site though, maybe i'm tardo.

Sounds like you are having trouble with hole sizes.

Prolly what happened was that you drilled the pilot hole too close to the fipple. When you widened it to bring it into tune, it was still too small. A small hole has a lower cutoff frequency. The cutoff freq determines the highest note that the hole can produce.

Also, making holes in the tube changes it's bell pitch. I forget whether they make it sharper or flatter. (flatter, I think) When you tune, monitor both the bell note and the hole you are tuning. Use an electronic tuning standard. They are cheap and worth it. (I use a KORG CA-30) You may be able to undercut the holes to bring the bell note back into tune. Also be sure you dont have plastic burrs hanging down into the tube.

I find it much easier to make the fipple and the body separately and connect them with a coupling. If I ruin either, I can just replace what I pooched and not the whole thing. You can also use a coupling for a limited tuning slide.

Don't give up. Make a couple more and you will get it right.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:28 pm

Actually I have a rather sharp knife i was making the holes with, i may have been slightly off as far as hole diameter with some...would it be better to use a hand drill? Yeah...I've only made two so far, I'd really like to get decent at making them because i'm too poor to pay $$ for low whistles.

ctilbury · Post by **ctilbury** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:48 pm

You can get a cheap 25 pc. drill set for about $20. The drills are graduated in 1/64'ths and that is good enough accuracy.

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 5:01 pm

The goccia instructions can result in a good whistle. I have one. But so much rests on so little. A fraction of a fraction of a millimeter, and you have a dud. This applies especially to working withh the labium (blade).

Edit: Guido is a hellova nice guy. If everyone acted more like him and less like me the world would be a better place.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 6:11 pm

Thanks for the advice...it seems to me when i make the marks that the 2nd and 3rd hole away from the end of the body are too close together especially with the 8 mm one.

Bretton · Post by **Bretton** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 6:28 pm

I've noticed that lot's of instruments have related instrument building workshops people can attend. I assume these probably make the workshop leader some money.

Someone should do a whistle building workshop...you could pay X$ (which would include tools and supplies to use at the workshop) and then you'd spend all day (or a few hours anyway) making your very own whistle (flutes might be fun too) under the guidance of a practiced whistlesmith.

-Brett

ctilbury · Post by **ctilbury** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 6:45 pm

Bretton wrote:I've noticed that lot's of instruments have related instrument building workshops people can attend. I assume these probably make the workshop leader some money.

Someone should do a whistle building workshop...you could pay X$ (which would include tools and supplies to use at the workshop) and then you'd spend all day (or a few hours anyway) making your very own whistle (flutes might be fun too) under the guidance of a practiced whistlesmith.

-Brett

I wonder if anyone is doing this for whistles. I would like to provide that service to people who are interested. I doubt that anyone would want to travel all the way out to Granite Falls, WA just to participate in such a meeting.

Daniel_Bingamon · Post by **Daniel_Bingamon** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 9:41 pm

Someone has offered me access to a place in Covington (Northern Ky suburb below Cincinnati) to so a Whistle Making Seminar. I might do this some time after the first of the year. It will cover the theory and techniques.