The plans are as originally drawn (all measurements in millimetres), with black dimensions still to scale but amendments as actually made up in red (we had to make them slightly narrower overall because the towels we bought off eBay weren’t quite as advertised!). The 55mm channels are for low D, Eb and E whistles, with 50mm for Fs and Gs and 45mm for anything smaller. You need to make the top flap twice the length of whistle you want sticking out (2 x 60mm to the dotted lines in this case) + whatever depth of overlap you want the flap to have (we’d planned for 100mm, but made the large roll’s slightly deeper and the small roll’s much deeper so it could take As and Bbs as well as the Cs and smaller I’d originally intended). The wider side channels (80mm and 90mm instead of the 100mm originally planned) were included partly to give extra coverage when rolled, but also allow for instruments (eg flutes, recorders etc.) that don’t fit comfortably into the regular ‘whistle’ channels. The dotted diagonal and ‘stepped’ horizontal lines are what I’d originally envisaged stitching to take the channels progressively down to Bb length on the large roll and high E length (via D and Eb) on the small one, but practical testing led us to leave the large roll at 4 full-length (520mm) channels, 4 x 430mm for Fs and Gs and 4 x 340mm for As and Bbs, with the smaller one left full-length at 280mm throughout (and, no, that’s not my whole whistle collection you see in the photos!).
Don’t know how long the towelling will last, but it’s easy to work with, kind to whistles, protective enough to stop them bashing each other up and can always go through the washing machine if needed (NB I put the towels through twice to allow for shrinkage before we started measuring and cutting). Also can’t say I’d have bought black towels for the bathroom (no goths here!), but liked them for this job and my friend and colleague Jan Hamilton did a great job of making them up for me (thanks, Jan!)…
Aye, thanks (and thanks again to Jan)! And it’s interesting to see your bags and links above again because I’d discovered all of these for myself when we were considering and making mine last autumn.
Might just add some further comments as follows:
The channels for the various keys had to take those Overton/Chieftain bores (spot the three Bernard Overtons on display?) and tuning slides comfortably without leaving the narrower whistles ‘rattling’ around, so Jan sewed up a whole range of widths in a couple of old hand towels (still in use as extras!) for me to test before drawing up my plans and procuring the materials for the final job.
While we knew that some similar designs have tapered flaps to stop those awkward edges spilling out when rolled, we decided to stick with square simplicity when the towelling’s soft enough to bundle up a bit as you go.
Towels come in a huge range of weights and you want good, heavyweight towelling for this.
But you’ve got that old tarnished instrument in it. Why don’t I buy that one from you for $50 or so, I’ll even pay shipping! Then you can buy a bright shiny new whistle that will do justice to that case.
Just trying to help.
ecohawk
P.S. I’m getting out the sewing machine right now to try out Peter’s plans. Thanks for that sir.
Thank you for the offer, Ecohawk, but it would not feel right selling the whistle to you for $50. Just some old whistle I got cheap second hand - but it plays alright, I guess, if you like that sort of thing.
I have been amazed by the generosity of spirit shown by some members of this board. A true reflection of the calibre of the members of C&F.
I know it is just an old, tarnished second-hand copy of a Generation whistle, but it suits me, my style and maybe my current skill level. So I will keep it a while longer…
