I had a thought (maybe not a good one) but what about getting my name engraved on my whistles - the ones I know I don’t ever want to part with, in case they ever got lost or something. Can this be done at a regular engraving place? Has anyone ever done this?
Would this be bad for the whistle if it was somewhere down near the bottom? Just a thought…
That’s a great idea!
Jessie
I’m certainly no engraving expert, however I can tell you that my Overton bari A came with a personalized engraving by Colin inside the bottom end of the tube. Doesn’t seem to affect the sound at all…
A jeweler can do this for you if it’s a metal whistle, but it might be expensive. You can also buy an electric engraver ( made by Dremel, I think) with a little vibrating carbide tip. This is not very expensive, and you just hold it like a pen and do the job yourself.
I’ve used a Dremel engraver in business to mark power tools with a company name and phone number. The results were NOT pretty.
I recommend you check with a professional engraver first. Perhaps a trophymaker could do it for less than a jeweler and this may be less than the cost of the Dremel tool.
[ This Message was edited by: Tony on 2001-10-10 08:14 ]
I agree…DO NOT do it yourself. I am a jeweler, and I SUCK at engraving.
Jessie
I tried engraving my name in some metal using a Dremel tool with some very fine diamond-covered burrs. The results were disastrous!
Jewellers and trophy-makers are good places to start but there are also shops that specialize in engraving “anything”; they have specialized computer-controlled equipment that will do the job correctly the first time around. They are also skilled at engraving on convex or concave surfaces which many trophy-makers are not.
The easiest and cheapest way to etch a name or a design in tin/brass/nickle is to use “resist ink”(in pen form)and a mild metal etching acid. These products can be found at electronics hobbie shops and craft stores.
A design or name is left clean but all the surrounding metal is painted with the resist ink pen/marker(an asphalt product). A mild acid wash is painted over the clean reverse stencil and then nutralized with a baking soda solution. The resist ink is removed with a mild solvent and the design/writing is left behind.
Etching kits have full instructions and they are safe and easy to use. “Best bet” in my opinion. 
Thanks for your advice everyone, I’ll keep you posted if/when I go for it..
Thomas’ point about etching sounds interesting.
Copying machine tone works as a etch resist.
You can use toner for etching.
In fact, reverse the negative image on mylar film and then iron it onto the instrument.
Also wrap areas of the instrument that you don’t want expose to the etchant and then put it in the etching solution. I think you can still get this stuff at radio shack, but be careful with this stuff!
I have my flute tuning slides engraved by a professional engraver. His price is very reasonable, and he has a computer-controlled machine which can engrave on a cylindrical surface. A lot of engraving businesses do not have this capability, but you should be able to start with the Business Yellow Pages and find someone in your area who can do the job. A jewelry store would be the absolute last resort.
Dave Copley
Dave,
I remember talking to you about this engraver. Do he do graphic images as well.
BE WARNED
I worked for Tinderbox here in Salt Lake several years ago, and we sent people out to local engravers all the time for things from $15 cigarette cases, and flasks, to $1000 pipe stems and lighters (yes, they make some that expensive).
A word of CAUTION! If you go ANYWHERE to have your work done, ask BEFOREHAND what their guarentee on workmanship is. A lot of places TELL you they can do a job, and even give it a good attempt, but then the machine and/or the operator slips for some reason, and you’ve got a nicely gouged piece of scrap!
HATE to see that with a good whistle or flute. Most engravers are competent enough, just be careful, amd ask LOTS of questions BEFORE you commit your whistle to it’s new ‘tattoo’. See if you can get a written guarentee first, so that they’ll accept responsibility if something does go wrong.
Cover your bum!
Bri~