I just found a source for Sterling tubing in 12 inch lengths, Its from 1/4 inch-5/8ths
They also have sheets of Sterling
Its a company called “Rio Grande”
they supply Jewelers ( Is that the right term)
Dan
Actually, the largest tubing they sell is 1/2" with an inner diameter of .468". Rio Grande is great.
Jessie
Duhhhh …Yeah…Thanks Jessie,
Would 1/2 inch be suitable for a D whistle ?
Would the Sheet Sterling be suitable for larger whistles ?
Dan
Yes, the half-inch tubing would be appropriate for d whistles. As for lower whistles, while an experienced metalsmith could fashion sheet into tube, you’d be better off special-ordering larger diameter tubing from Stern-Leach. They have a minimum order, though. I think there are other places that have larger diameter tubing in stock. But I will warn you that mixing silver with inexperience could lead to heartache.
Jessie
JessieK wrote:
… But I will warn you that mixing silver with inexperience could lead to heartache.Jessie
Especially if you’re making bullets
(there’s a werewolf joke in there somewhere)
I know from other unrelated business that requires close tollerance metal work where the end product is to have electro-plating, anodizing or powder coating, allowance for the coating thickness must be considered. I would expect any instrument maker (or wannabe) that uses this process learns from experience just how much to compensate the tuning to allow for the metal plating thickness to bring the finished product into tune.
Side note: Jessie, glad to see you back to posting on a more regular basis !!
Thanks, Tony, but don’t get used to it.
Jessie
Hey ho.
Thought I’d add my 2 cents: Stern-Leech minimum order is 50 ozs. or about $450.
Erik
[ This Message was edited by: ErikT on 2002-02-02 10:56 ]
I have an inexpensive alternative to precious metals and difficult electro-plating etc.
Gold Leaf(in 3 colors),Silver Leaf and Platinum Leaf are sold in craft stores. These materials can be easily applied by beginers and then clear coated with many types of polymer sprays to chose from.
If you wish a beautiful patina on copper or brass,you can immerse your whistle in tobacco mixed with just enough ammonia to make it wet. Keep it outside in a covered glass or plastic container overnight and then rinse with baking soda and water. Clear-coat when finished. The longer you leave it in the solution, the heavier the patina.
In my opinion,this is the ONLY use tobacco has!!!(ex smoker 
)
P.S. “Leaf” comes in patterned artwork applique’s too,including celtic designs.
[ This Message was edited by: Thomas-Hastay on 2002-02-02 13:49 ]
some articles on the rolling of metal ferrules/tubes for use in Uilleann pipes have been published recently in the Piper’s review,the newsletter of the American Uillean pipers. Another article on the same subject was written by Geoff Wooff and appeared in the Journal of the Sean Reid Society, vol 1.
While they deal with parts of the pipes, work is essentially the same except for the fact you stick holes in the tubes and turn them into whistles.
Plating or adding Gold Leaf to a copper or other whistle isnt what I’m after. Its a tone
I’m looking for, The Physics points to Silver or Wood, However after I bore the wood it has to sit several months to stabilize. I dont want to wait that long to see if my numbers are right
Dan
Graphics Guy, have you considered synthetic material like resin or Polyacetal (delrin)??
You won’t have to wait for seasoning, your initial cost will be low and you won’t have moisture or humidity problems.
Dan
Sorry about mis-directing the subject. If you are interested in the metalurgy of organ pipes that includes German silver,tin/lead and Britania(lead free white metal),I recommend…
"The Art of Organ Building,volume II by George Ashdown Audsley,Dover publications. It has A Library of Congress number of #64-18839 but is pre-ISBN and out of print. You may find it in a library or you may be able to get a used copy on the net. Much of the information and diagrams for this book can be seen at…
Organstops Main Page
Or…
Frames](http://www.organstops.org/MainFrameN.html%22%3EFrames) version
…and click on the data catagories in the left frame.
If you wish acoustic information on differing metals with formulae on sound travel though alloys,I suggest “Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics” or “Horns,Strings & Harmony” by Arthur H. Benade.
[ This Message was edited by: Thomas-Hastay on 2002-02-03 14:41 ]
On 2002-02-03 03:32, Tony wrote:
Graphics Guy, have you considered synthetic material like resin or Polyacetal (delrin)??
You won’t have to wait for seasoning, your initial cost will be low and you won’t have moisture or humidity problems.
Yep..In fact all the prototyping will be done on PVC first…Copper and or Brass next…Then Silver after that…Maybe 3 months or so from now. Prototyping will be done on a friends “Rapid Prototyper” Never have figured out why he has a 10,000 dollar machine, this is the first thing that it will be used on. Drastically speeds up the research
Dan
On 2002-02-03 14:27, Thomas-Hastay wrote:
DanSorry about mis-directing the subject. If you are interested in the metalurgy of organ pipes that includes German silver,tin/lead and Britania(lead free white metal),I recommend…
"The Art of Organ Building,volume II by George Ashdown Audsley,Dover publications. It has A Library of Congress number of #64-18839 but is pre-ISBN and out of print. You may find it in a library or you may be able to get a used copy on the net. Much of the information and diagrams for this book can be seen at…
Organstops Main Page
Or…
Frames](http://www.organstops.org/MainFrameN.html%22%3EFrames) > version
…and click on the data catagories in the left frame.If you wish acoustic information on differing metals with formulae on sound travel though alloys,I suggest “Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics” or “Horns,Strings & Harmony” by Arthur H. Benade.
I read “The Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics” Some time ago. And you reminded me the of the Gold leaf idea for engraving
But first I need to design the thing, Then I can make it look good
Dan
On 2002-02-03 01:04, Graphics Guy wrote:
Plating or adding Gold Leaf to a copper or other whistle isnt what I’m after. Its a tone
I’m looking for, The Physics points to Silver or Wood. . .
I just gotta ask – how does physics point to silver or wood – what do they have in common physically?
Charlie
I just gotta ask – how does physics point to silver or wood – what do they have in common physically?
Charlie
It’s the way the material resonates, and the frequency at which it resonates…Silver will resonate but if its thin wall stuff,it might not do it the way I want it to.
Wood mellows the note. it just requires care and time to work with
Dan
Dan
Are you familiar with the process of reticulation with sterling silver?
The process is simple… Sterling Silver contains Copper and if you heat it in a kiln or with a torch to 1200 deg F(650 C)the surface layer will oxidize.
Once oxidized, you immerse the Silver in heated solution of “Sparex” or a 10 percent nitric acid solution,then rinse in water and baking soda. This removes the copper oxide from the surface leaving a skin of rich silver over a copper oxide layer,“locking in” the copper oxide from the air.
Re-heat to the above temp and let air cool,then repeat the acid bath/rinse.
This will give you a high silver skin on cheap sterling silver with little change in thickness. This same process can be done with 10K to 14K gold as well(copper is the alloy in these too).
Do you know about the Japanese alloys of Shaku-do and Shibu-ichi ? These Gold/Copper Alloys can use the above process for a deep purple and silvery-pink surface respectively.
I dont think that I’ll be reticulating the Silver
(Hey Hunny Bunny ?..I need a torch with a rosebud head. Yeah..I can see that conversation. LOL ) Seriously, that might be a high risk venture. We have kids and they might just wander in and burn themselves.
Maybe after I design the whole thing, and start actually making it. I know this sounds like a lot of trouble to make one pipe, But I want to make it for Kari and for the kids.
MAYBE if its a good sounding beast,then I could entertain plans for selling it on a commercial basis. So…this is why I’m looking for as close to perfect as I can get.
WITHOUT spending the small fortune to buy 3 whistles from a Whistlesmith..Or buying 30 or 40 cheap whistles only to find that they wont play.
I know I spent a total of 50 hours or so tweaking with the Clark and then another 40 or so hours with the Walton Mellow D. But thats only because I was laid up in bed with a bad hip and lower back spasms. Had to have SOMETHING to do. And truth to tell. I knew I could do it. Making a whistle is an art, I think. The math is easy..It takes a serious love of the craft and experience to produce something like a Sindt or an Overton or a Parkhurst. I also intend to send prototypes to Colin Goldie , Dave Parkhurst, and 3 or 4 others and ask for their feedback. I know I can make a whistle, That was never the question, The question was…How good will the whistle be ?
Dan
Nothing ventured,nothing gained,nothing learned…de-evolution