Tin Whistle storage

[The Merry Wanderer]

Anyone have any ideas on any containers to hold a tin whistle? It would make it easier transporting them otherwise they all just clank together and end up eventually getting a bit bashed up. Anyone got any ideas on what i could use?

Thanks

[Tim2723]

Hi and welcome!

The subject of whistle cases is a popular one around here. The search feature will yield any number of informative conversations we've had recently. There are a couple of folks making custom cases commercially, and a great many players also use drumstick bags that are sold in music stores and through the Internet. Selecting the right one for your needs is mostly a matter of knowing what size instruments you have or are likely to get in the future. Soooo...whataya got to put in a case??

Welcome to the forum!

[logicstorm]

Some whistles I have bought from bigwhistle.co.uk come with a plastic case which is useful for keeping the more expensive whistles safe. I keep all my whistles in an old laptop bag

[McHaffie]

Greetings,

Like Tim said, if you do a search you'll find an amazing aray of great containers for whistles on this forum - home made and commerical options of all kinds.

Just a couple of quick ideas to get your mind rolling that I know many people use are:

PVC pipe from the hardware store - two end caps and one length of pipe. glue one cap on to one end of the pipe, drop in your whistle, and pop the other cap on - instant hard case. Many choose to put some foam rubber in the end caps to protect and stabilize the whistle during transport.

Standard Pool Cue case - open it up, take out the insert, shave it down so it will fit back inside nicely in any position, or remove entirely and create your own dividers with foam.

Those are just a couple of cheap, quick and easy ideas. There are many many others and I encourage you to enjoy a good browse

Take care,
John

[Feadoggie]

Anyone got any ideas on how what i could use?

Welcome to C&F!

As has been said above, what you might use depends on what you have to carry and how well you need to prtect it. Here are some ideas not already mentioned.

- Wear clothes with big pockets, some cargo pants work well. You’ll want to watch how you sit down depending on which pockets you store the whistles. If you prefer more formal attire, suit jacket pockets can do the job.
- Roll the whistles in a cloth or small towel and secure with a rubber band or string.
- If you sew or know someone that sews you can easily turn a towel into a whistle roll bag with compartments for each whistle..
- Plastic freezer bags come in sizes that will accommodate many whistle sizes.
- Shoe box or other cardboard box. Simple enough.
- If they are high D’s, plastic pencil/ruler boxes work. They are cheap and durable. You may still want to use a cloth to keep them from clanking against each other or just buy enough whistles so that they can’t move around much.
- Look for old wooden knitting needle boxes or the cardboard and plastic tubes that supplanted the wooden boxes. I know this is a stretch, but if you are my age you may remember such things.
- Cardboard or plastic document mailer tubes come in a variety of sizes and can be cut to length depending on the key of the whistles you transport. Add padding as needed such as bubble wrap (keeping with the packaging products theme.
- Rose Plastics make square ratcheting tubes in a dizzying rainbow of colors as well as the simple translucent variety. These are used by a few makers to ship their whistles. They are available at some plastics/packaging suppliers but you may need to buy them in bulk (I’ve tried).
- Look through a craft or art supply store. You might find a plastic or even a wooden case made to carry art supplies.
- Use a tool roll like those made to protect woodworker’s chisels. These can be cloth or sometimes made of leather.
- I’ve thought about ammo belts like those worn by the bad guys in western movies of years gone by. Match your whistle keys to the caliber of the cartridges the belt is designed for. Just slip the whistles into the cartridge holes. You will want to use a whistle with a larger head than body so they don’t just slip right out though.
- Coroplast or Corlite corrugated plastic portfolio cases come in a variety of sizes. Elastic cord or velcro tabs keep them closed. Add padding as you see fit.
- For a two-piece high whistles you can look for the padded zipper cases sold to hold palm pilots or expensive calculators/hand held computers. I bought a few on clearance at Staples a couple years back for a couple dollars apiece. They are well padded and stiff sided.
- Messenger bags were originally designed to carry small packages by bicycle messengers but have become widely available as book bags for students.
- Soft bags designed to carry laptop computers are darned-near ideal. They can be found in many stores and sometimes you can find a real bargain. These usually have multiple compartments and one is always well padded. They come in attaché and backpack varieties as well.
- Re-purpose an attaché case. Use foam padding to make berths for each whistle or part of a whistle as needed.
- Similarly, you can use aluminum or plastic cases sold to carry poker chips or hand tools. eBay is full of these.
- Fly fishing rods are sometimes carried in elegant cases. They may be made from cloth, molded plastic or even aluminum. These can get pricey too.
- Plastic gun cases are frequently used as flute cases and come in sizes suitable for whistles. Plano cases come to mind. I have a Plano handgun case made to carry two pistols that holds a lot of whistles. Some pistol cases are too small to fit a one piece high D so check your measurements before you buy one.
- Pelican and others make hard cases to protect, store and transport cameras, computers and other high tech gear. Whistle size cases are available.
- Buy a purpose made whistle bag or case. Several are available through whistle retailers online. Mike Burke offers a nice whistle roll bag that will protect a few whistles. Lots of single whistle bags are available.
- I have about a dozen different bags made by Kate Lozier of TuffBags. Each is constructed of Codura nylon pack cloth lined with polar fleece and designed to hold specific sets of whistles from two high D whistles to a dozen whistles in different keys. They are well made and have been “tuff bags”.
- Sassafras Grove bags are the pinnacle of soft cases and can’t be beat for design and craftsmanship.
- Do you know any woodworkers? If so, you might have a wooden case made to order. These can be simple boxes like those pen turners employ to display their handmade pens. A whistle box is usually a bit longer than a pen box.
- Or look into a case made like a custom wooden flute case or jewelry box. The sky is the limit if you go this way. It all depends on what you want to store and carry.

I am sure there are other solutions as well. Welcome to the board.

Feadoggie

[Tommy]

There are lots of alternitives to a whistle holder/roll/container.......etc.


However, we have here on C&F our very own Annie. She is on a leave right now but has promised to return. Click here http://www.sassafrassgrove.com

[MTGuru]

Excellent summary, Feadoggie.

Rose Plastics make square ratcheting tubes in a dizzying rainbow of colors as well as the simple translucent variety. These are used by a few makers to ship their whistles. They are available at some plastics/packaging suppliers but you may need to buy them in bulk (I’ve tried).

Yes, those are the ones Tony Dixon supplies. I think you're right about the bulk purchasing. But Bigwhistle sell them individually at ~£1.00 each. And since the OP here is in the UK, the mailing cost would be minimal.

http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/shop_result ... 5&search=1

The main caveat is that these are air-tight, so wet whistles need to be dried before storage for any length of time. Or you can drill a few holes (in the cases, not the whistles!) for ventilation.

With the whistles individually protected from knocking, something like a drumstick bag then makes a convenient carrier for assorted whistles.

[The Merry Wanderer]

Thanks very much to everyone for all their advice and comments! I think for now i will try the plastic bag with the rubber band trick but i will indeed browse the sites for better alternatives the prices seem to be pretty reasonable. The drumstick bag sounds pretty good. Thanks very much for all the info and sites offered and for the warm welcome!

[BillChin]

A baby blanket or small towel makes for a nice roll for a few whistles. Add a shoelace to keep it together and you are done.

[MikeS]

PVC pipe from the hardware store - two end caps and one length of pipe. glue one cap on to one end of the pipe, drop in your whistle, and pop the other cap on - instant hard case. Many choose to put some foam rubber in the end caps to protect and stabilize the whistle during transport.

If you go this route, I suggest drilling a 1/4" or so hole in the removable cap. These pieces fit snugly enough that you can find yourself working against a bit of a vacuum otherwise, making removal a challenge. I learned this one the hard way. It's tough to make a good first impression at a session when you can't get your whistle out of the case.