Tools for whistlemaking

skh · Post by **skh** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 9:54 am

I don't want to spam both boards, but maybe there are more whistlemakers hanging around here than there, so I'll ask again:

How much heavy toolery is needed to work with PVC and metal? What kind of tools do you use for making your whistles, and how much would be possible with hand tools? How do you produce (carve?) and sharpen the blade, what kind of saw, if any, do you use for giving the head its final form, and how do you make the block fit so snugly?

When I look at hand made whistle heads, or pictures of those, it all looks like severe wizardry to me, but I believe that with the right tools and strategies it must be doable by mere humans. If you want to share how you make your whistle heads, I would be most interested.

Thanks in advance,

curious,

Sonja

Groovehead · Post by **Groovehead** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 10:54 am

I build in PVC only so someone else will have to answer the metal question.

Tools I use:

Hacksaw
Mitrebox
Vice
Drillpress
1/2" Forstner bit
5/8" Forstner bit
Assorted standard drill bits.
Coping saw
Dremel tool (with router attachment and several handmade jigs and guides)
An assortment of files and sandpapers.

There are many different ways to accomplish fitting the block. The way I do it is to drill out the inside diameter of the headpiece with a 5/8" Forstner bit. The Delrin stock I use is 5/8" in diameter so it fits snugly.

I make the curved cut for the mouthpiece using a coping saw by hand. It's never perfect, but it's comfortable and I think the slight variations from whistle to whistle give them character...

ErikT · Post by **ErikT** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 10:59 am

Hi Sonja,

The simple answer is that it could take very few tools (ie. a jewelers saw, a hammer, a few files, a handheld drill and some sandpaper) or it could take a lot (a lathe, milling machine, broacher, table saw, etc.). It just depends upon how quickly, accurately and repeatably you wish to make them.

If you are just playing around, I wouldn't worry about tooling up. Just get a few pieces of pvc and the first set of tools that I mentioned and see what you can do. This process will then open more pointed questions the answers of which will help move you in the right direction.

There are several "How to" pages that might also help. Here is one: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/6611/makewhis.htm .

Erik

skh · Post by **skh** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 11:29 am

Erik,

thanks for that link, it answers the first round of questions.

Sonja

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 12:33 pm

Where do you get the Delrin stock? Also a supplier for Brass tubing, etc.?
Ron

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 12:44 pm

RonKiley wrote:Where do you get the Delrin stock? Also a supplier for Brass tubing, etc.?
Ron

http://www.onlinemetals.com
Thanks to Erik Tullberg for posting that link a while back.
They really are great people to do business with, and are one of the very few places that will sell in small quantities.

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 12:48 pm

Also Small Parts...
Acetal
http://www.smallparts.com/HTML%20Produc ... D-ZRBD.htm

Brass tube
http://www.engineeringfindings.com/cat22/cat22pg38.pdf

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 1:52 pm

Thanks for the links!
Ron

ErikT · Post by **ErikT** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 3:02 pm

raindog1970 wrote:
RonKiley wrote:Where do you get the Delrin stock? Also a supplier for Brass tubing, etc.?
Ron
http://www.onlinemetals.com
Thanks to Erik Tullberg for posting that link a while back.
They really are great people to do business with, and are one of the very few places that will sell in small quantities.

Gary, I'm glad that they've been useful to you! They've always been great to work with for me, too.

Funny story (stop me if I've already told it): I had ordered some aluminum tube from them a couple months back and the postal engineer left it on my front porch (in -30 temps). I brought it inside and it sat for a while. We had a dinner guest that night and sat around talking as I opened the package. Thinking I was funny, I stuck my tongue to the tube. Yeah, it was still cold enough to freeze my tongue. I didn't enjoy dessert.

Erik

serpent · Post by **serpent** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 4:54 pm

For brass, steel, and copper:
Milling machine
Drill press
Small lathe
Cobalt end mills, sizes 1/8" through 1/2" in 1/32" increments
Cobalt drill bits, sizes 1/16" through 1/2" in 1/64" increments
Center punch (automatic is good)
Polishing heads (3) emery, tripoli, red rouge
chamfering tools for the holes
good set of needle files (Stubbs are the best)
small metal-cutting bandsaw
Bench shear (throatless preferred)
2-ton arbor press
Propane or MAPP torch
"Blue Steel" marking fluid
Carbide scribe
6" and 12" calipers, dial or digital (preferred)
1" capacity digital micrometer
Belt sander
Hand drill
Small anvil
ball-peen hammer (8oz is a good size)
Hand magnifier
Safety glasses
Leather or heavy denim work apron
Brazing rod and flux
Silver solder and flux
tin/silver solder and flux
wire -feed welder with 0.035" flux-core wire (nicety, not necessity)

Most tools and materials available from Harbor Freight Tools
http://www.harborfreight.com

Good source of supply of metal tubing.

I am working on a series of whistle-making videos to be available on the Serpent Music website, and on CD, late summer 2003.

If anyone needs brass tubing 0.040 wall, or chrome molybdenum steel, 0.035" wall, I can get it in quantity, in the following OD sizes
9/16
5/8
3/4
1" (1/16" wall in brass)
I will sell it cut to length ($1 per stick cutting charge for onesies), or FOB in 12-foot lengths (large quantities only, or you'll be paying more for freight than for the metal) email or PM me for prices. I am cheaper than anyone else mentioned, because I'm not going to try to rip you off for buying small quantities.

Any decent plumbing supply or Home Depot will have all the copper tubing you could ever want.
Have fun!

serpent

Rockymtnpiper · Post by **Rockymtnpiper** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 8:42 pm

Where do you get the Delrin stock?

Look in the yellow pages under "plastic Supply" or somesuch, we have one that does some sort of production work, and they also supply plastics to the sign making trade, and hobbyists.

Sandy Jasper · Post by **Sandy Jasper** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 9:58 pm

To begin with,

Hand drill, full set of drills and files.

Later,

Drill presses, buffer, grinder, vise, dremil, needle files, center punch, rulers, fine felt markers, plenty of adapted tools, Good lighting, safety glasses, masks, gloves and BANDAIDS!!!!

(Elf up on Blocks, cut finger...)

Have fun!!

Sandy

ErikT · Post by **ErikT** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 11:13 pm

Oh! As long as we're on safety - don't forget ear protection! You've only got one ear (well, ok, 2 - but it doesn't diminish the point).

Erik

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 5:13 am

For safety sake, don't forget a dust mask!! PVC dust stays in your lungs FOREVER, literally. It will still be there long after your mortal remains have returned to dust. Don't mean to be a bummer, but this is important. Whenever possible, work PVC wet, to keep the dust down: use wet/dry sandpaper and dip the pipe into a bowl of water from time to time. The stuff is safe to work with, as long as you take some simple, reasonable precautions.

rbm · Post by **rbm** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 4:07 am

Sandy Jasper wrote:To begin with,

Hand drill, full set of drills and files.

Later,

BANDAIDS!!!!

Sandy

as above + tube cutter. (for copper whistles)

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