To the Home whistle makers
- CrazedHavoc
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To the Home whistle makers
I just successfully made my first whistle out of PVC using Guido Gonzato's guide, a low D, with complete determination. Boy it feels wonderful to make an instrument!!
I am putting the finishing touches on the whistle and was wondering how I could tidy up the inside of the holes of the whistle. Looks kind of choppy.
I do not have any power tools though my landlord might let me use his downstairs. Sandpaper isn't really seeming to be doing the trick unless I just have to go at it like a madwoman. Any ideas?
TIA
I am putting the finishing touches on the whistle and was wondering how I could tidy up the inside of the holes of the whistle. Looks kind of choppy.
I do not have any power tools though my landlord might let me use his downstairs. Sandpaper isn't really seeming to be doing the trick unless I just have to go at it like a madwoman. Any ideas?
TIA
"The death of beauty is just not possible even amongst all of the ugliness that is and can be."
- maki
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
Have you tried a round needle file, or riffller file?CrazedHavoc wrote:I just successfully made my first whistle out of PVC using Guido Gonzato's guide, a low D, with complete determination. Boy it feels wonderful to make an instrument!!
I am putting the finishing touches on the whistle and was wondering how I could tidy up the inside of the holes of the whistle. Looks kind of choppy.
I do not have any power tools though my landlord might let me use his downstairs. Sandpaper isn't really seeming to be doing the trick unless I just have to go at it like a madwoman. Any ideas?
TIA
Cheap at any hardware store(Harbor Feight in your area?), it shouldn't cost more than a couple bucks.
I'd go with the Fine grade.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsea ... round+file
- CrazedHavoc
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
Haha. No I haven't. It's a shame I didn't pick one up at the hardware store when i was there picking everything else up. I didn't really pre-think it out, thinking sandpaper would be good enough, and being intimidated by the different files and sizes. I'll stop by there tomorrow. We don't have Harbor freight around here but plenty of others. Thank you for narrowing down the file options for me!
"The death of beauty is just not possible even amongst all of the ugliness that is and can be."
Re: To the Home whistle makers
Hi CrazedHavoc,
I'd like to pass along a warning about working with PVC. I read it on one of the whistle making pages.
PVC doesn't dissolve in the body. So, if you inhale PVC dust, it might stay there in your lungs. To be on the safe side, wear a dust mask when whistle making. I do.
trill
I'd like to pass along a warning about working with PVC. I read it on one of the whistle making pages.
PVC doesn't dissolve in the body. So, if you inhale PVC dust, it might stay there in your lungs. To be on the safe side, wear a dust mask when whistle making. I do.
trill
- narrowdog
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
the way I clean up the holes to make them round
is to tightly rool up some medium grade 'wet & dry' or sand paper
so it's a tight fit in the hole and the turn the sand paper
so that it tightens further in the hole.
It will be quite tight but you'll find if you turn it in both directions
it will round it off nicely and you can adjust the size too.
Hope this makes sense and helps.
is to tightly rool up some medium grade 'wet & dry' or sand paper
so it's a tight fit in the hole and the turn the sand paper
so that it tightens further in the hole.
It will be quite tight but you'll find if you turn it in both directions
it will round it off nicely and you can adjust the size too.
Hope this makes sense and helps.
Happiness is taking things as they are.
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
Hi
I would go along with Narrowdog.
Use 400 grade wet & dry and ensure that you soak this for at least 5 minutes in luke warm water to which you have added a little amount of washing up liquid ( 5 drops per 4 pints). Keep the wet & dry moist but not running with water. This will get over the problem of PVC dust and with also smooth (old vehicle body finisher's trick) the inside of the whistle, it will also stop the wet & dry paper from sticking to the inside to the whistle. When you are sure that the inside is smooth you can wash the whistle under running water. When the whistle is dry polish the inside with metal polish or tooth paste using a lint free cloth. Finish by washing the whistle in warm soapy water and let it dry without using any heat.
You may also wish to smooth the inside of the finger holes using this method.
Best of luck with you new whistle.
Ian
I would go along with Narrowdog.
Use 400 grade wet & dry and ensure that you soak this for at least 5 minutes in luke warm water to which you have added a little amount of washing up liquid ( 5 drops per 4 pints). Keep the wet & dry moist but not running with water. This will get over the problem of PVC dust and with also smooth (old vehicle body finisher's trick) the inside of the whistle, it will also stop the wet & dry paper from sticking to the inside to the whistle. When you are sure that the inside is smooth you can wash the whistle under running water. When the whistle is dry polish the inside with metal polish or tooth paste using a lint free cloth. Finish by washing the whistle in warm soapy water and let it dry without using any heat.
You may also wish to smooth the inside of the finger holes using this method.
Best of luck with you new whistle.
Ian
- CrazedHavoc
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
thank you all!!
Is this wet & dry sandpaper something I should be able to fnd on the standard sanpaper aisle of a hardwre store, or elsewhere?
Is this wet & dry sandpaper something I should be able to fnd on the standard sanpaper aisle of a hardwre store, or elsewhere?
"The death of beauty is just not possible even amongst all of the ugliness that is and can be."
- narrowdog
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
any hardware store will have what we call 'Wet & Dry'
they usually come in A4 size sheets.
I use 120 grit for getting the hole round and then
some 240 grit for finishing.
I'll post a pic later.
they usually come in A4 size sheets.
I use 120 grit for getting the hole round and then
some 240 grit for finishing.
I'll post a pic later.
Happiness is taking things as they are.
- CrazedHavoc
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
Thanks
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- brewerpaul
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
You may be able to use this type of X-acto blade to get inside the holes.
This'll get out the bigger chunks and then you can more easily finish up the holes with sandpaper.
This'll get out the bigger chunks and then you can more easily finish up the holes with sandpaper.
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
I used stickie back sandpaper wrapped on a dowel stick before I invested in small files... Bob.
Oh body swayed to music, O brightening glance,
How can we know the dancer from the dance?... WB Yeats
How can we know the dancer from the dance?... WB Yeats
- Innocent Bystander
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
The tubing I use is Polypropylene, not PVC, and boy, does it not like sandpaper! (No, it does not.) Any kind of abrading procedure on polypropylene results in ragged edges and strings of plastic.
I don't drill the holes - I expect you have done. Instead, I start them off with a bradawl, and increase the size using the blade of a pair of scissors. I have a nice thin pair of scissors that I bought in Saudi Arabia, of all places, about twenty-five years ago. They are hairdressing scissors, and very sharp. They are just the kind of blade that is good for rounding out the insides of holes on a polypropylene tube.
So If you find sandpaper or wet-and-dry emery paper does not do the job, I recommend one blade of a long thin pair of scissors.
I don't drill the holes - I expect you have done. Instead, I start them off with a bradawl, and increase the size using the blade of a pair of scissors. I have a nice thin pair of scissors that I bought in Saudi Arabia, of all places, about twenty-five years ago. They are hairdressing scissors, and very sharp. They are just the kind of blade that is good for rounding out the insides of holes on a polypropylene tube.
So If you find sandpaper or wet-and-dry emery paper does not do the job, I recommend one blade of a long thin pair of scissors.
Wizard needs whiskey, badly!
- CrazedHavoc
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
No power tools at all. Bored the finger holes with a utility knife. Haha
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- Feadoggie
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
All good information above. I use wet-dry on a stick, the xacto knife, needle files, rifflers, jeweler's files and some fine rat tail files. Whatever seems right at the time. I'll add one more tool to the list but it is more for the outside finish of the holes. I use a variety of abrasive stones made for a dremel tool but held in a pin vise and merely rotated around the top of the hole by hand. Works well and does not have to be particularly aggressive with a fine stone. And the shape of the stones keeps the rough stuff away from the rest of the PVC's finish, reducing scratches. Of course some folks just cover the PVC with masking tape before they drill and leave it on until they've finished everything else to protect against scratching.
And you might want to make the transition from the inner bore to the finger holes smoothish and not as angular as a straight drilled hole. That can have a desirable effect on response, etc. After drilling the holes I debur the hole on the inside of the bore using either sandpaper on a dowel or a half-round file with an appropriate diameter, easy does it. Then I work the inner edge of each hole through the hole itself with the Xacto knife is needed, followed by files and sand paper untill I get a nice smooth transition. I pay more attention to the upper edge of the hole, the one nearest the head than I do the lower edge. Only takes a minute or two for each hole.
I like Ian's suggestion of tooth paste as a polishing compound. I used it for years on stringed instruments. Just make sure you use the plainest most generic tooth paste you can find. Unless you fear your whistle will have bad breath of be prone to cavities.
Welcome to the club. Bet you can't make jut one!
Feadoggie
And you might want to make the transition from the inner bore to the finger holes smoothish and not as angular as a straight drilled hole. That can have a desirable effect on response, etc. After drilling the holes I debur the hole on the inside of the bore using either sandpaper on a dowel or a half-round file with an appropriate diameter, easy does it. Then I work the inner edge of each hole through the hole itself with the Xacto knife is needed, followed by files and sand paper untill I get a nice smooth transition. I pay more attention to the upper edge of the hole, the one nearest the head than I do the lower edge. Only takes a minute or two for each hole.
I like Ian's suggestion of tooth paste as a polishing compound. I used it for years on stringed instruments. Just make sure you use the plainest most generic tooth paste you can find. Unless you fear your whistle will have bad breath of be prone to cavities.
These are quiet, pretty cheap and work well. Clamp the whistle down before you drill. Try to keep the hole to just one side too.CrazedHavoc wrote:No power tools at all. Bored the finger holes with a utility knife. Haha
Welcome to the club. Bet you can't make jut one!
Feadoggie
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- CrazedHavoc
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Re: To the Home whistle makers
Thanks everyone. I will be stopping by my hardware store again tonight.
Feadoggie, I already have plans on making another one tonight!!!
Feadoggie, I already have plans on making another one tonight!!!
"The death of beauty is just not possible even amongst all of the ugliness that is and can be."