So I’ve got an old Feadog sitting around doing nothing and I figured I would try and fix it up a bit. I already re-shaped the windway (its got great tone now), but I want to do a bit more to it. I’ve tried making it tunable, but the method with hot water (I actually boiled my water) didn’t work. The mouthpiece didn’t budge. Any suggestions on making it tunable and additional tweaks? Thanks!
~Jordan
I am kind of suprised your fipple didn’t come off on a D whistle. Every one I had came off without even any heat. The C whistle heads though, needed the full heat and yank treatment. I had a Generation C head that refused to budge, until I did this…
If you have a drill with a 1/2 " bit, you could drill a hole just big enough for the tube in a block of wood (3/4" thick is fine). You want the wood to slip barely over the tube without too much friction and yet be able to tap the end of the fipple squarely on it’s shoulder edge without slipping over it. Some hot water and some firm taps with the wood block should do the trick…
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll have to try that.
Another trick is to put it in the freezer for a little while before dipping the head in the hot (not boiling) water. This way you get to take advantage of both contraction and expansion.
Jason
Good idea! Thanks!
Try filling the cavity under the wind way with some resin or blu tack! This helps fixing the octaves. The second octave will become better in tune. Great tweak that will only take seconds!
Every Feadog I have made tunable did not have any glue on it. It just took a bit of brute force to remove it.
How did you reshape the windway? Thanks, Cyril
Have a look here :
http://www.chiffandfipple.com/tweak.html
and here :
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=39238&start=0
Sometimes you can break it loose with toluene or fingernail polish remover.
Thanks for the suggestions ya’ll! I have to give that stuff a try.