Low D whistle from sdr 21 PVC

[Dan Mozell]

I just found out about SDR 21 PVC. In 3/4" size the wall thickness is 0.06". I figured this might make a good low D whistle for a design where the wall thickness determines windway height. It's a lot thinner than schedule 40 PVC or cts CPVC. But when I looked at the stuff in Lowes, I saw that the bore had a texture. It might be hard to sand it out.

I wondered if anyone has tried this stuff. What would a textured bore surface do to the sound? Alternately, is it just this particular brand (Cresline) which has the textured bore surface.

Thanks.

P.S. This material might work as a lip plate for a PVC flute (expanded to size with acetone or heat).

http://www.danmozell.com

[Tommy]

There were some tipple flutes that were made with a textured or dimpled interior surface. They received good reviews.

[Feadoggie]

I wondered if anyone has tried this stuff. What would a textured bore surface do to the sound? Alternately, is it just this particular brand (Cresline) which has the textured bore surface.

Dan, I believe I have used it but I can't be positive. I just went down to the shop to see what was in the raw materials pile to check the markings. That turned up nothing. I made a bunch of flutes and a couple low D's from what I believe is the same stuff a couple years ago. I still have some of the flutes. My recollection was that it was another brand, Charlotte Pipe, and had pinkish red lettering all over it. It was rated at 200 psi. I bought it at a Lowes Home Center as well. The bore is rough on the flutes I still have here and it really didn't make much difference in the final flute. They play ok. Of course I did not have any smooth bore pipe of the same dimension with which to compare it. I just measured the dimensions of the pipe on one of those flutes and it matches the sdr 21 specs I found on Cresline's website.

I think I trashed the low D's it spawned but not specifically because of the pipe, more because I didn't like my results. The bore on that pipe is pretty big, close to an inch. It's light. It's easy enough to work with. And it is very inexpensive and readily available. It does soften quite easily in acetone.

The biggest drawback I had with the Charlotte brand was the red lettering marking the pipe. No matter what I tried, sanding, scraping or chemicals, it left the pipe with a pinkish cast. I could never get it clean. Maybe a pink whistle would do for some but it just isn't my color.

I agree with your thinking on the wall thickness and windway height. It would lend itself better to the Guido Gonzato mouthpiece design than most of the other pipe in a Lowes store. Give it a try and let us know what comes of it.

Feadoggie

[Seonachan]

I hope it's kosher for me to resurrect this old thread.

I've been on a whistle-making tear, experimenting with whatever plastic pipe I can find. I did get some of this PVC SDR21 (psi200) pipe and made two low D's a low C, and a low F out of it. The F is too short a whistle for this bore size - it plays but doesn't sound very good and the holes are too big (so big they're deep). The D's and C play well - or they would if I were good at whistle making.

As Feadoggie said, it's very easy material to work with. I only have utility knives and x-acto blades to work with, and it cuts much easier that PVC schedule 40 or CPVC. I would describe the sound as strong but thin/reedy. Here are some sound files, comparing my homemade PVC-21 (3/4"), PVC-40 (3/4"), and CPVC (1") low D's. Usual novice caveats apply: I play whistles about as well as I make them (not very); some variation in sound could be due to how well/not well I made the mouthpieces; and it's not the best microphone.

PVC sdr-21 Low D: http://www.box.net/shared/dh12vtxjtl
PVC sched. 40 Low D: http://www.box.net/shared/vhrjub2fxe
CPVC Low D: http://www.box.net/shared/g5nrynh0ql

I like the sound of the CPVC best, though I may be biased by the feel - it's nice and solid and has a nice vibration when it plays. The PVC-21 feels like a laminated cardboard tube.

Here's a pic (the two to the "northeast" are the sdr-21's):

[Tommy]

I hope it's kosher for me to resurrect this old thread.

Here's a pic (the two to the "northeast" are the sdr-21's):

Sure it is fine to resurrect old threads. Lets the contributors know if they were of some help. To many times people have asked for input, receive it, and then they never come back. Nice looking whistles.

Hmmmmmm...... My monitor is on a swivel base, and no matter which way I turn it the picture stays the same. OK.... so I tried to put a little humor in here about the picture being oriented to a compass. Hmmmmm.... so which way is a screen supposed to be in relation to magnetic north?

[MTGuru]

I hope it's kosher for me to resurrect this old thread.

Sure, as long as you mention that it's a resurrection, as you did.

[MoonDragn]

Wow, I love the whistles out of pvc. Can you do this with other pipes of the same diameter? Is there a formula you can use to calculate where to draw the holes? How did you make the fipple part?

[Tommy]

Wow, I love the whistles out of pvc. Can you do this with other pipes of the same diameter? Is there a formula you can use to calculate where to draw the holes? How did you make the fipple part?

Every thing needed to know is right here.
http://guido.gonzato.googlepages.com/whistle.html

[MoonDragn]

Wow, I love the whistles out of pvc. Can you do this with other pipes of the same diameter? Is there a formula you can use to calculate where to draw the holes? How did you make the fipple part?

Every thing needed to know is right here.
http://guido.gonzato.googlepages.com/whistle.html

cool thanks for the link! LOL Whistle obssessive acquisition disorder! I think I have that.

[Tommy]

Whistle obssessive acquisition disorder! I think I have that.

uhhhh...... there is no known cure. There is no one that has only one whistle, and although some people sell a few, they never sell all of them.

[henryz]

Looks like the Gonzato effect has struck again! The SDR-21 low D's sound pretty good, as well as the others.
I've had pretty good luck using 3/4" CPVC for high-C (not optimum, I know..) down to low-F and 1/2" CPVC for higher keys. This is what they look like (C on top, F on bottom).



Guido's site is a very good place to start. His designs are easy to fabricate and sound pretty decent.
Unfortunately, MoonDragn, you may find that whistlemaking obsessive disorder is worse than whistle acquisition obsessive disorder. At least it's cheaper (unless you start buying machine tools).

[Feadoggie]

Seonachan, that's some nice bunch of whistles. I like the sound of the schedule 40 PVC low D.

henryz, Nice work. What are you using for the internal tuning slides on those whistles?

Feadoggie

[henryz]

The slides are standard couplers (end-to-end) for 1/2" copper pipe. It usually fits inside the 3/4" CPVC snugly. I glue the end that fits into the body with JB Weld and leave 3/4" sticking out.

[hoopy mike]

I hope it's kosher for me to resurrect this old thread.

I like the idea of a kosher resurrection.

[Seonachan]

I've had pretty good luck using 3/4" CPVC for high-C (not optimum, I know..) down to low-F and 1/2" CPVC for higher keys.

Those look really nice. Any sound clips?

I'm trying to make a low F out of 3/4" CPVC now. My 1st attempt came close but not quite, so I'm using it to experiment on - playing with the windway height, putting in a tuning slide (same copper coupling idea - works great), etc. I can tell when I get the next one right it'll sound nice. I tried a few low F's with the bore size recommended by Guido (~22mm), but they all resulted in oversized holes. The alto-sized pipe seems a much better fit, at least with CPVC.

Whistlemaking Obsessive Disorder? I can stop anytime I want to. Honest.