How to make a untunable whistle...tunable??

felixbm · Post by **felixbm** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:02 pm

HI all,
I bough this basic whistle a couple weeks ago, on wich i started annoying my family trying to learn. Now that i'm starting to improve, I find that my good old cheap whistle is slightly un-tuned compared to most of the tutor videos i found over the Internet. The fipple is glued to the shaft, but there must be a solvant or something to remove it. Would that be a good idea? Would I ruin the whistle and have to buy a new one? And how should I tune it afterward? thanks for the advices! Its a feadog, D, Cylindrical shaft and green plastic fipple glued on.

Jason Paul · Post by **Jason Paul** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:20 pm

You can often remove it with proper application of hot water.

Dip the whistlehead in hot (not boiling) water. Don't let it sit in the cup because you can warp the head if it rests on the bottom. Hold it in the water for 10-20 seconds or so, then try to pull it off. Try pulling straight off without twisting.

If that doesn't work, let the whistle sit in the freezer for a while, then try the above technique.

I have a Feadog in D and the head came off with hot water alone, and fairly easily.

Jason

felixbm · Post by **felixbm** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:46 pm

So you suggest I do that? Won't the head move after that?

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:32 pm

It will still be tight enough that it's stable but you can move it in and out for tuning
.
Sometimes it takes a strong grip on both the plastic fipple and the metal tube in opposing directions to break the glue joint. Try to twist rather than squeeze. Bigger heads, like the Bb Gen's sometimes crack, but I have never cracked a Feadog D or smaller Gen.

straycat82 · Post by **straycat82** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:04 pm

I have used this method on every cheap whistle I've ever owned and have yet to ruin one. There were a few that, once the glue was removed, were a little too loose but that was an easy fix. I simply wrapped the top of the tube in a small amount of plumbers tape and replaced the head onto the body. Also, I always try to make sure that I remove all of the excess glue from the body before replacing the head to ensure that it won't bond again. I would also add that keeping the whistle in the hot water for 10-20 seconds is unnecesary and would only increase the chances of a warped headjoint. Usually only 3-5 seconds is needed for the glue seal to break.

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:06 pm

Also see these:
http://www.chiffandfipple.com/tunable.html
http://www.chiffandfipple.com/tweak.html

I wear a pair of latex kitchen gloves for extra gripping traction. I have a half dozen Feadógs, and the tops all came off easily. If the mouthpiece is then a bit loose, a turn or two of Teflon plumbing tape should do the trick.

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 5:10 pm

I made a whistle tunable once by finding a piece of copper pipe that the barrel of the whistle fit snugly into. I cut the whistle in two at an appropriate spot, trimmed a bit off the cut ends, and slid them into about 1.5" of the pipe. The whisle was a low tech whistle from Guido in Italy. The fipple was integral to the barrel so the tweaks mentioned earlier would not work.

Chiffed · Post by **Chiffed** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 10:39 pm

If the head remains too loose after removing the glue, teflon tape (as mentioned) works, but so does rubbing the end of the tube with a candle. Beeswax makes it very stiff, which I like, but straight parraffin works, too.

Pardonn the shpellink.

Bryce

felixbm · Post by **felixbm** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:11 am

Nice thanks for the advices i'll post some comments about the technique

Daniel_Bingamon · Post by **Daniel_Bingamon** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:50 pm

Instead of coming "unglued at the fipple"

Here is what I suggest for making a real "tuning joint".

1. Go to your local hobbytown store or www.specialshapes.com and buy some brass 0.014" wall tubing that is one size larger than the barrels diameter.

2. Get a Hacksaw and cut the tube where you want the tuning joint to go. Make sure to sand away all burrs.

Make very certain that you have the right size tubing to slide over the other before you do this.

3. Cut a piece of the larger tubing and push it one to half of the tube that you just sawed off.

4. Glue half of it in place with super glue.

5. The other half of the tubing can then be slid into place.
A small amount of beeswax can be put on the free tube to keep it from sliding around.

Mack.Hoover · Post by **Mack.Hoover** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:36 pm

Daniel, You sure generous with trade secrets!

lordofthestrings · Post by **lordofthestrings** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:42 pm

I agree with Dan's method, I've performed this operation on a handful of whistles for friends/students, and have yet to come up with anything foolproof-er. I also make similar slides for my own whistles, though usually internal. Flexable tube (like a hose-ish sort of material) works well too, and will make a nice tight seal.

I've also tried un-gluing the head, and sliding it as far back as it will go, then gluing it in place. I then add a rush to the barrel of the whistle, to bring it up to the correct pitch. This takes some tinkering, and the above method is much simpler. (but it does sorta look cool, and definatly will confuse session mates, to have a tuning bead protruding out the end of your whistle!)

Try at your own risk

Guinness · Post by **Guinness** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:20 pm

Daniel_Bingamon wrote:Instead of coming "unglued at the fipple" Here is what I suggest for making a real "tuning joint"...

Anybody ever try this on a non-tunable Chieftain?