Help building an Alto F Whistle - Dimensions

Whistle
1

I am currently building a Low D (D4) whistle with 25mm OD tube. I have a commercial model to use as a reference, so it is going well.

My next project is an Alto F. Unfortunately I don’t have access to one. So I was wondering if anyone could either point me in the right direction to any online resources or give me some measurements. The first is, what diameter tube is your whistle made with? what is the overall length and a bonus but not strictly needed hole spacing and size.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Martin

2

Take a look at In Search of the Optimum Bore - #55 by hans .

1 Like
3

Thanks for that link, that answers alot!

4

Could anyone with a Low F whistle and a set of callipers or a ruler let me know what size tubing is being used for their whistle? Preferably the outer and inner diameter. I am trying to build one with 25mm OD/21mm Inner and the hole sizes are too big for my fingers!

Thanks

Martin

5

3/4 nominal PVC (1.05 OD x .824 ID) works pretty well on my PVC models, but I do turn down one end and bore out another piece for the mouthpiece to reduce the windway height.

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6

Thanks Alex

Can you tell me what your biggest hole is? I have one that is 11mm which for my fingers is a bit big.

Cheers

Martin

7

Hello,

21mm inner diameter is playable, but probably will be too loud in the second octave.

Depends on your preferences, strong bell note vs. sweeter higher tones.

18-19mm ID is more balanced in my opinion.

Good luck with your project :slightly_smiling_face:

3 Likes
8

Mine is 7/16" diameter which is actually a little bigger than your 11mm. Out of curiosity are you trying to use your finger tips to cover or pipers grip using the middle joint flats? The piper’s grip may help you with covering those if you hadn’t been using it.

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9

Filip

Thanks for your help. I need to look at different pipe options.

Martin

10

Hi Alex

Thanks for your help. No on Low D whistles I use a pipers grip. I am just having a few problems scaling a low D whistle that I have to a alto/low F. Some of the holes are just coming out too big. I need to move them up and down the tube to get a comfortable finger span.

Martin

11

I have a couple. First one:

ID 0.704

OD 0.873

sounding length 17.81

overall length 19.12

Second

ID 0.665

OD 0.882

S/L 17.81

OAL 19.25

The sounding length is the same on the two despite the different bore diameters because the windways are different dimensions.

1 Like
12

Chas

Thanks so much, that is really useful! I have to say the ‘inches’ thing confused me at first, being in the UK I am more used to metric.

However the measurements are really useful. I have both sizes in metric equivalents so time to do more experimenting.

Thanks for taking the time!

Martin

14

Oops! I usually post sizes in English and metric. :sleeping_face: