Hi everybody!
I have been working on a copper high D whistle for few days now. The first fipple didn’t work, but the second I made today seems to work quite nicely. I made the plug from mahogany and I’m going to try beeswax against moisture. I haven’t drilled the fingering holes yet, but the low D seems to be in tune (my meter doesn’t read 2nd D).
The wall of the copper pipe is quite thick and the sound is soft and healthy but not loud.
This is really fun thing to do and I think the result will be at least good looking if not the best sounding. Only thing I’m afraid of, is that this new hobby may make me to do more and more whistles in the search for better sound.
I’ll let you know when I get my first whistle ready.
I’ve started work on making my own as well. In my case, I’m going to try to use Low D hole positions on a high D so that my youngest can get his 3rd fingers to cover the hole. I’m using PVC.
It still may not quite be enough, we’ll have to see. I may also try the Low D option I’ve seen of moving the holes closer together. I know there is a limit to how close the holes can be positioned yet still be in tune. I understand that changing the hole size as you reposition is the way you keep it in tune.
Anyone ever try to make a high D whistle for tiny hands that just cannot manage a typical high D whistle? I could get an E for him, but then I would have to get one so that we could play together. And what kid in his right mind wouldn’t want to play a D with the big boys?! That’s what I thot, at least.
The following is a copy from a PM I sendt to someone else on this forum that wondered about the same thing. It may get you on the way:
Example A uses a “chimney” in the fingerhole. This is simply a short piece of tubing that protrudes down into the bore of the whistle, and has the same effect as increasing the wall-thickness/constricting the bore,-both of which result in flattening the pitch. The note will now be flattened, and the fingerhole could therefore be moved upwards.
Position the fingerhole in such a location so that you can reach it and settle for a suitable diameter. It will now play to sharp. Insert a piece of tubing as a chimney and adjust its length until the note is flattened into tune. Use tubing from K&S Engineering. Can be bought at any modeller’s store.
Example B uses a piece of tubing inside the bore to reduce the bore-diameter upwards of the fingerhole. This will flatten the note, and the fingerhole can now be located further up the shaft.
Both methods may introduce unwanted side-effects, but give it a try. If it works well, then the problem is solved.
Now it is ready!
Works like a dream! The sound is pure, not very loud, but very lovely. Not too much treble and not too breathy, yet breathier than my Freeman Mellow Dog. This will be the crown of my home studio
A little polishing and then I’ll just leave it to gain natural darker colour.
If you ever have considered to start to make your own whistle don’t wait, just do it, but prepare to get material for more than one whistle.
…afraid? Me? Did I say so? Well, once I played sitar to the consul of India
Hello again!
That’s me and my homemade copper D in my avatar. Another on the make, and my second son (10 years) is making one for himself as well! Life’s so good.
Hej, du skriver ju svenska som en svensk. Inte är vel din svenska så illa?
Va inte rädd för att fråga om du fastnar i nått flöjtproblem. Jag hjälper gärna om jag kann.
Hej, du skriver ju svenska som en svensk. Inte är vel din svenska så illa?
Va inte rädd för att fråga om du fastnar i nått flöjtproblem. Jag hjälper gärna om jag kann.
OK, english then:
Hey, you write swedish like a swede. your swedish isn’t that bad is it?
Don’t hesitate to ask questions if you get stuck with flute-problems.
I’ll willingly help if I can.
I made the plug from a piece of mahogany and beeswaxed it against drool. The plug was a bit loose at first, but I made a seal around the plug from 0,4 mm seal paper i use with my motocycle engines. The seal is also waxed. Now it is tight fit. I also used a little brass nail to keep the plug secure.
Yesterday I made more slightly thicker plug material in a lathe for my upcoming whistles.
Looks good Rustman, youve actually made your first, biggest, and most fatal mistake!! You have started building whistles. I started about 6 months making Gonzato PVC whistles just for fun, and now am building aluminium ones (see pic). I have found it’s become a bit of an addiction, although you do get quicker at it after a while, this one took an hour and a half to make and sounds pretty good. Mind you I’ve binned a few and had to go back and make new fipple blocks for quite a few. You’ll find that if a whistle is giving you trouble and all other parameters are right, then it’ll be the fipple block that is the problem.
I just centre punch each side and seal with beeswax to hold them in, seems to work fine. The wood I am using is some hardwood I found under the house, I went round sucking all my scrap wood until I found one that wouldn’t pass air. I’ll probably go to PVC rod for fipples once that runs out. I play in a folk band, people hear them and buy them, they sorta sell themselves. I have a real job as well, so it’s still a hobby, but a very enjoyable one.
Welcome to the wonderful world of whistlemaking!!!
Cheers,
Ian [img]
