This may seem like an idiotic question, but I’ve got a Burke D brass session whistle and the tuning slide has become frozen in the body. I cannot move it and I’m afraid to exert too much force. Now, how do I free the thing without doing damage to the brass? The instructions that came with the whistle say that brass is bendable and I’m afraid of doing harm to the instrument. I know…I probably should have used some sort of lubricant on the slide when I first got the whistle, but I didn’t, so now I’m “stuck” with this problem…
It gets weirder still. God, they say, helps those that help themselves. Yet this is interesting.
The whistle needed to be warmed a bit, it seems. I was finally able to separate it with a firm but not overly firm twist and pull. I applied a light film of cork grease to the slide.
Now? It's so loose that there's no tension whatsoever. The whistle still sounds, it sounds beautifully as ever (I guess that's the point), but brass itself seems to be a funny metal.
In case anyone is wondering...I have not abused this instrument. When you spend a on a Burke whistle you take care of it. It has been subjected to temperature changes because I carry it around in my car, but that's as far as it's gone.
[ This Message was edited by: KenWolman on 2002-04-26 09:49 ]
I’ve found petroleum jelly to be the best lubricant for my Burke AL-Pro.
I tried cork grease on it because that’s what I use on all my other whistles, but it still wanted to sieze up.
It’s also a good idea to twist the head occasionally just to make sure it stays free.
I’ve found that petroleum jelly works best. It does decay the surface of the o-ring over time, so, as recommended in previous post, twist and slide the head around at least every other day.
Keith
Ken, check that the O-ring has not become unseated. I’ve come to the conclusion that a perishable ring in the head of a whistle is a questionable idea.
I did just this thing with my Burke A, and the way I dealt with it was grab a rubbery lid gripper from the kitchen in each hand, and get stern with the critter, with a straight twist and pull.
Use petroleum jelly, or cork grease to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Stick your pinkie down the shaft and locate the O=ring that has become unseated, and squidgy it into place (you’ll know when it finally seats in the groove). Now gently replace top piece in the shaft, and don’t rock it as you do, or the o-ring will slip. Make sure you do it straight in.
You should be all set. My O-ring is not degradable rubber, but silicone or some other plastic, and though it will displace, it hasn’t lost its seal.
Best of luck!
This is all good advice that I wish I had heard when I first got my Burkes. I actually e-mailed Mr. Burke, who answered me back right away! Very reassuring, and he now has a devoted fan for life!
Mary
Thanks to all. It was the adventures of the o-ring, all right. This funny round thing crawled out of the whistle head and I freaked out. “Saints above, there’s worms in my whistle!” No, it was an o-ring, and I phoned Star of the Sea. Before they called back, I looked around inside the other Burke whistles I own and discovered the similarities of construction: the o-ring down inside the instrument. There is NO way that someone with ordinary fingers or even a tweezer could fit that thing back inside a regular D whistle so I just stuffed it in as best I could and prayed. For no discernible reason, the whistle slide reacquired its resistance.
When the folks at Song of the Sea called back I described what happened and what I did. They were familiar with this problem. It was the second Burke o-ring story they'd heard this week, but hardly the only one they've ever heard. I told them what my next solution was going to be: teflon tape around the tuning slide. "Good plan, that was what the other guy this week did." In fact, a thin layer of teflon tape around the tuning slide is what they recommend in case the o-ring blows out. Apparently Burke whistles are noted for this one major design flaw; Mike Burke himself is aware of it, I think, and the folks at Song of the Sea keep reminding him....
But for now anyway the whistle plays (oh boy, does it ever) and I have my reel of teflon tape at the ready just in case. \ \ [ This Message was edited by: KenWolman on 2002-04-26 17:44 ]
[ This Message was edited by: KenWolman on 2002-04-26 17:48 ]
Read this thread for more info, Ken: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?topic=570&forum=1. I recently sold my Burke, along with the spare O-rings Mike sent me.
I still have problem to twist and tune my Burke’s Al Pro D whistle. I try to twist and pull but nothing moves, finally the head part is getting loose a little but it still not sliding. Can anyone give me an detailed step-by-step instructions to tune my Al Pro D. Thanks.
Sounds like you need to pull the head off and check the condition and position of the o-ring.
On your D(I have a WBB in C)a new pencil with an unused eraser will help. Put it, eraser end first, into the whistle and roll the o-ring up the side and out, that is if it didn’t come out with the head.
If the ring has ANY deformity replace it. If it looks smooth and clean put a little petroleum jelly on it and using the pencil eraser, insert it into the whistle and seat it into the groove on the inside of the whistle. Put a little jelly on the shaft of the head and carefully insert it. Make sure the head is paralell to the whistle shaft and push straight down. This may take a few tries but don’t dispare, and DON’T force it.
If the o-ring appears damaged or deformed in any way replace it. If you don’t know the size, call oe e-mail Mike and he will tell you, and maybe even send you some. You can get them at most hardware stores.If you do replace it yourself, I suggest using a silicone ring, the petroleum jelly won’t affect it like it does rubber.
If all else fails contact Mike and return it to him for repair, do not tinker with it!
Good luck and good whistling.
Keith
If all else fails contact Mike and return it to him for repair, do not tinker with it!
Keith
[/quote]
Second that!!! Don’t mess with that great whistle! Follow some of these good suggestions, and if nothing works, send it back!!!
Mary
Finally, I heat up my Al Pro D whistle and I separately my whistle head and shaft. I can slide back and forth easily now. But I cannot find the O’ring. Is this whistle no O’ring?
By the way, both the inside and outside of the whistle design are great. The whistle is not just an instrument and it is also an art.
[ This Message was edited by: tinwfun on 2002-04-27 13:08 ]
[ This Message was edited by: tinwfun on 2002-04-27 13:14 ]
[quote]
On 2002-04-27 12:59, tinwfun wrote:
But I cannot find the O’ring. Is this whistle no O’ring?
I thought my Brass Pro Session didn’t have an O’ring for about a week. Finally, i broke the end off a Q-tip and gently felt the groove where I figured the O’ring should be, and sure enough, I could feel one seated in there. It must be a clear one or something! Anyway, my Burkes are MUCH easier to move around than the Copeland D, and I’ve applied Vaseline to that one twice already.
Mary
I assumed the color of O-ring is black that I cannot find the black O-ring. I realize that there is a yellow colored ring in the Al-Pro D. Is that the O-ring?
Hi,
I seem to be talking a lot about O’rings lately. I must type up an explanation and make some drawings to make it easier to understand for my customers.
The clear O’ring is made from Polyurethane.
They actually are a pale yellow. The latest
type I am buying are Viton, which is black.
Both types are resistant to deterioration by
greases.
I have included care sheets with whistles when I ship them that recommend lubrication of the O’rings. This can be done on a monthly basis. But to prevent the O’ring from seating and getting stuck a bit, you need only move the slide every time you play it. If you don’t play it for a while, then pick it up and move the slide at least once a week to keep it from sticking. The stuck O’ring will break loose with no bad effect, but it does get tight if you wait several months to move the slide. Once it moves, it gets very easy to move again.
If you take the slide apart, you can avoid knocking the O’ring out,by pushing it back together carefully, keeping the upper bore going in straight, and not letting it cock to one side. Cocking to one side will sometimes catch the edge of an O’ring and push it out.
This does no long term harm, but is inconvenient and scary if you don’t know what happened. I am working on improvements to make it more difficult to knock them out, but it should not cause problems once you know how to put it back together. Sorry for the inconvenience. I am working on better instructions,which I am going to post on my website soon. If anyone has a problem, please write me for assistance.
All the best
Mike