Okay, just in case anyone remembers it, I have made some progress with the Glass Whistle Project. The pyrex tubing is here, and I have stuck my Walton Little Black Whistle head on the glass, and it actually sounds very very different than on the Walton. If the un-drilled body is anything to go by, this could actually end up sounding pretty nice indeed. I’m now trying to modify other’s plans to the slightly non-standard size of the tube.
This weekend I borrow a blow torch and get the drills I need to drill out glass. Wish me luck.
Good, good, good luck! I’m really excited to hear your progress. I hope it works out. I just saw a picture at the whistle shop of a Hall crystal flute and I was completely bowled over by how beautiful it was. A glass whistle would be amazing!
On 2002-02-26 15:42, Bryan S. Poe wrote:
Curiosity has grabbed me by the throat. How do you make the little holes in pyrex? Do you melt them using a precision torch?
Well, I have to tell you I’m not totally sure right now. Plan A is to get a tile drill (which should be capable of cutting glass) to drill pilot holes, and then use a blow torch to get the glass to a state I can open up the hole with the end of a piece of steel. But I have to admit I am making this up as I go - it should work, but you know how plans are… I will have a much better idea after Sunday morning when I actually try this!
Insert a rod into glass tube to keep it straight and clamp in place. Measure and mark for your hole. Heat to just below melting and put a pointy thing to make mark or starter hole. Cool and drill/file carefully to exact specifications.
I remember working with pyrex in high school chemistry. It’s not as hard as glass blowing, doesn’t need the fancy equipment or anything. Just caution.
On 2002-02-26 17:11, avanutria wrote:
How breakable is Pyrex?
Well..Its tougher than glass, But when it does break, it has a tendency to throw splinters at a high kinetic state..Just take your time opening up the toneholes, Maybe a felt bit with Jewellers rouge would be enough to fine tune it
Here’s a small piece of practical experience that may be of some interest.
When I was in college, I worked as a stained glass craftsman. Visions of cathedral windows, but I actually spent a fair bit of time drilling 4" round holes in quarter-inch mirror for Kentucky Fried Chicken bathroom lighting fixtures. The technique was to take a small portable drill press thingie with a rubber suction cup on the bottom, attach it to the glass sheet, and then build a “dam” of white glazer’s putty around the desired site of the hole to hold water to cool the glass. I think the way to do holes in glass tube would be similar, with a drill press, diamond bit, and copious amounts of water for cooling. Go slow, don’t put too much pressure on, let the bit do the work, and voila. You’ll have to clean up the edges a bit (this is where the torch comes in, maybe?)
DrRichard, you have taken on a monumental task. If you are successful, your name will go down in the annuls of whistle history!
Last year, a friend at work decided he wanted to be the first to create a glass whistle. He is a skilled craftsman and worked previously as a luthier making high-end guitars, so he was no dummy when it came to using tools. He had very high hopes going into this project, and he researched a variety of glasses by calling suppliers nationwide. He also studied glass characterics in trade and industrial journals before starting.
Three months after starting the project and ordering lots of materials from all over the country, all he had to show for it were piles of broken glass. He tried a variety of glasses, including Pyrex, but everything broke during the drilling process. He consulted manufacturers and glaziers, none of whom could provide a solution. The closest he came to making a viable whistle was in using diamond-tipped bits in a drill press. Even then, he still had lots of breakage.
To make a long story short, he finally gave up on the project after investing several hundred dollars and three month’s time.
Good luck, DrRichard. Put my name at the top of your list if you can actually pull this off. MH
[ This Message was edited by: Marshall in New Mexico on 2002-03-01 14:33 ]
Instead of conjecture, has anyone thought of asking the Hall folks how they do it (drill the holes?) After all, they don’t seem to have any interest in branching into whistles, no matter how much I and many others wish they would. Who knows, maybe they’d tell us.
On 2002-03-03 11:01, Chuck_Clark wrote:
Instead of conjecture, has anyone thought of asking the Hall folks how they do it (drill the holes?)
That’s a great idea. I thought of the same thing, but wasn’t smart enough to post it.
I also remember that Tyghress, I think it was, e-mailed Mr. Hall about the possibility of him making a glass whistle. I believe she said that he replied to her and said he’d given it some serious thought lately and was wondering how he would do the fipple part, and asked her if she thought people would accept a plastic fipple on a glass body at first.
speaking only for myself, I’d certainly consider one. I fell in love with Hall flutes at first sight but am totally unable to coax a meaningful sound from a flute or piccolo. A D whistle with a black plastic fipple and that gorgeous sailing ship design would be irresistible.
However, it did pretty much totally ruin the bit. Sigh.