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Make your own whistle

by Tool Using Animal on March 13, 2008

Table of Contents

Make your own whistle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Make your own whistle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Get wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: The window and lip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 3: Fipple and windway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 4: Make it pretty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 5: Shaping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 6: Finally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-whistle/
 Author:Tool Using Animal
I'm a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, I am currently working on my Master's. Otherwise, I enjoy
building things, designing the things I'm going to build, and fishing.

Intro: Make your own whistle

How to make your own whistle. With this instructable we can free America from it's dependence on foreign made whistles.

Step 1: Get wood

Got wood? Great!

I used a "pen blank", that's a 3/4 x 3/4 x 5 inch piece of wood. Woodcraft sells a five pound grab bag for $13, so I have plenty of wood.

In addition to the wood, you'll need a 5/16th drill bit and a 5/16th hardwood dowel.

You can start by drilling a 5/16ths hole down the center of your piece of wood. How deep? Less deep than the wood, or if you need exact numbers, the hole should be x-1
inches deep, where x is the length of your piece of wood. Use a drill press and a vice, if you choose to freehand it, please clamp the wood in something, you don't want
splinters do you?

Image Notes
1. Dead solid perfect...ish

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-whistle/
Step 2: The window and lip
Did you know the parts of a whistle have names? I didn't, but I learned some. So in this step, we'll be making the window and the lip, one is the consequence of the other,
so let's just make the window.

Start by using a razor saw to make a transverse cut approx one inch from the drilled end. Cut down as squarely as possible. Stop when the blade of the saw extends
approx 1/8th of an inch into the hole.

Now using a chisel (mine are muy dull), cut towards the slot you just cut, making about a thirty degree incline, make the cut as smooth as possible. Stop when the you
have sliced into the bore hole about an 1/8th of an inch.

Image Notes
1. Waxing your saw makes this easy

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-whistle/
Step 3: Fipple and windway
If you blow into your whistle now, nothing happens, we need to create a windway that guides the air over the lip, this is called a fipple. The fipple is made from a piece of
5/16th hardwood dowel about one and a half inches long. Using your chisel, slice a flat onto the top of the fipple, now slide it into the hole with the windway on the same
side as the window and lip, insert the fipple until the interior end is just inline with the window.

Now what you've been waiting for, blow your whistle, sound okay? Great, if not, back out the fipple, or push it in a little farther, still bad? make another fipple, try two or
three, see which sounds best. A pair of vise grips makes adjustment easy.

Once you are happy, change nothing! Use some thin super glue and wick it in around the fipple, don't get it in the wind way.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-whistle/
 Image Notes Image Notes
1. Fipple 1. windway

Step 4: Make it pretty

If you want, you can stop at the previous step, just trim down the fipple flush and you have an ugly whistle. But I chose to try turning my whistle.

A confession, I didn't use my drill press lathe, I had such a good time using it, that after careful accounting and discussions with the wife, I went to Woodcraft and bought
a Jet mini lathe. I just have to give up beer for a year.

So without further ado

I chucked the whistle into my lathe, using a scrap block to prevent the tailstock from pushing the fipple out of place.

Image Notes
1. Hole to fit over excess fipple.

Step 5: Shaping
Next I roughed it to round and shaped the mouth piece

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-whistle/
Step 6: Finally
I rounded the end, and added a groove for a lanyard.

A little sanding and a buffed on coat of lacquer and it's ready to slip into my pocket.

Hope you enjoyed it!!!

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Cut here 1. Shiny and loud
2. and here

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(Photos) by production by sanding table.
MadMechanicMike Omegablood by Dr Qui

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-whistle/
Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 68 comments

Darksabre says: Feb 26, 2011. 1:44 PM REPLY

I'm sorry, Maybe this has already been asked - or maybe you already pointed this out - But what is the wood you are using for this project? The grain is
fantastic!! Great Instructable :D !!!

Tool Using Animal says: Feb 26, 2011. 1:55 PM REPLY

It's Zebrawood.

thepelton says: Aug 24, 2010. 4:07 PM REPLY

One thing you could do if you don't want a square whistle is to use a windfall piece of wood. Elm and Paulownia cure nicely without a lot of cracking. A good
rule of thumb is to set it aside for one year for ever inch of diameter. A whistle size piece would be useable in about half a year. I am sure that some other
people could make suggestions as well. Well...?

iamlopainus says: Sep 24, 2009. 2:19 PM REPLY

MY WHISTLE ISN'T WORKING!!!

thepelton says: Aug 23, 2010. 11:39 AM REPLY

One problem may be that the angle isn't sharp enough. The wedge of wood that the air blows onto( = /) has to be very sharp. Look at and study a
finished, working wooden whistle to get it right. I would say it has to be about 22 degrees to work well.

iamlopainus says: Aug 23, 2010. 2:32 PM REPLY

thanks

offseid says: Mar 24, 2008. 3:09 AM REPLY

Very cool. I would have appreciated a brief "what to do" for those of us who don't have a lathe but would like to have something other than a rectangle for a
whistle. As for me, I think I would maybe chamfer the corners with my chisel (and then maybe chamfer again), and then go over it with a rasp. Never done it,
so I don't know how it'd work, but I think that's what I'd do. Nice one, though!

Mr. BeanyMvBeanBean says: Mar 26, 2008. 8:49 AM REPLY

just use a dowel instead of the rectangular piece.

thepelton says: Aug 23, 2010. 11:43 AM REPLY

I have made whistles in wood with a round hole, and a piece of dowel for the mouthpiece that is sanded so that it lets a little air in by a hole that looks
about like a crescent moon or fingernail clipping.

Tool Using Animal says: Mar 24, 2008. 12:08 PM REPLY

Chamfering the corners and then again (4-8-16-32) until round would work fine, I'd not do it with a chisel, a block plane or shurform tool would be a safer
choice.

Marco hernandez says: May 6, 2008. 4:52 AM REPLY

Tool USing Animal that is so cool that you show me how to make a whistle.

funwithfire325 says: Apr 7, 2008. 1:19 PM REPLY

be carefulL! you might kill yourself when u use that saw!~ can i have your stuff then?

offseid says: Mar 24, 2008. 7:41 PM REPLY

Yeah, good call. A chisel would not give you a very uniform chamfer.

ninjaimasta says: Mar 25, 2008. 11:31 AM REPLY

lol Tool you just inadvertently linked your comment to Lost (the TV series) lol

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-whistle/
 ninjaimasta says: Mar 25, 2008. 11:32 AM REPLY
sorta... lol

thepelton says: Aug 23, 2010. 11:32 AM REPLY

When I make small items that could end up in the mouth, such as a whistle, I make sure that I know what the wood is, and that it isn't a variety that could
cause someone a rash from contact. In making whistles, I would avoid the entire genus of Dalbergia (Rosewood, Tulipwood, Cocobolo) for that reason. Tulip
poplar (Liriodendron Tulipfera) is not related and would probably work quite well for the use. It was preferred by the pioneers for making wooden spoons
because it had almost no chemicals that could impart a flavor to whatever it contacted.

yoyology says: Jun 8, 2010. 9:02 PM REPLY

Nice work!

Both my grandfathers were inveterate tinkerers, and would have loved Instructables. My mom's dad made me a willow whistle one summer, and your 'ible
reminded me of that. User "shoemaker" shows you how to make one here .

I leave you with this thought:

I made a wooden whistle, but it wood'n whistle.

I made a steel whistle, but it steel wood'n whistle.
I made a tin whistle , and now I tin whistle!

joeyjo says: Mar 15, 2010. 12:27 PM REPLY

Nice little project. I do pay attention to wood toxicity because every so often a student has a weird reaction to some woods...nothing serious...which is why I
refer to the toxicity chart.

kmelon says: Feb 24, 2010. 10:36 PM REPLY

cheers man mine works really well. if i say triple the scale will it give out a deeper sound like a trains whistle?

Knyte7 says: Nov 28, 2009. 8:09 PM REPLY

Thanks for the great instructable. Clear and complete. I've made whistles in the past, but with only limited success. Using my lathe and these instructions
should be a big upgrade.

luke11 says: Apr 3, 2009. 3:04 PM REPLY

Ok i've tried this several times but every time my whistle doesn't 'whistle'. No sound. Can you tell me what i might be doing wrong? Thanks

Tool Using Animal says: Apr 3, 2009. 4:07 PM REPLY

COuld you post some pix?

SinAmos says: Apr 3, 2009. 3:38 PM REPLY

Sweet.

kaptaink_cg says: Aug 8, 2008. 6:15 PM REPLY

How critical is the hole diameter? Does the diameter only vary the tone, or is there a point at which it will not work?

Tool Using Animal says: Aug 10, 2008. 4:18 PM REPLY

Hmmm I don't know. The larger the hole, the lower the pitch and the greater volume of air needed.

martymunch says: May 11, 2008. 6:37 PM REPLY

I made a few of these this weekend. They are fairly easy to make once you get the right angles down. It was very tricky making the fipples until I got one to
whistle. AWESOME!!! fav, and my two little kids love them!

MadMechanicMike says: May 15, 2008. 7:04 PM REPLY

i find that making the fipple last is the best method. i use a dowel and cut it a little longer than it should be then put it in and blow it. I then move the fipple
as needed. also, i cut my window and lip halfway through the barrel at a little more than a 45 degree angle. another thing to try is to drill straight through
the whole whistle stock and insert a dowel. you can tune the sound of the whistle by moving the dowel in and out.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-whistle/
 martymunch says: May 19, 2008. 8:39 PM REPLY
So I forgot to post this. Over the weekend I did try the slide whistle idea. It doesn't work so well as it is to hard to get an air tight seal and still be able
to slide the dowel.

martymunch says: May 17, 2008. 11:42 AM REPLY

i might try the slide whistle today. I'll get back to you on that. thanks for the info.

peguiono says: May 18, 2008. 3:48 PM REPLY

thank you i made 2 whistles this weekend the both work great!! thank you

MadMechanicMike says: Apr 3, 2008. 1:01 PM REPLY

i made about 5 of these in wood shop but they are square. i made 2 double barrel ones, a triple barrel, and 2 single barrels. pm me if you want to see them.

MadMechanicMike says: Apr 27, 2008. 7:49 AM REPLY

here they are and then some extras. the bad looking ones are my first attempts. they all work. i just recently tried one on the lathe and it worked great.

Mr. BeanyMvBeanBean says: Mar 26, 2008. 8:48 AM REPLY

Blah you beat me to it. I was about to make this same Instructable.

DIYmaster says: Mar 24, 2008. 4:23 AM REPLY

Wow, this is amazing!!! Nice work!

Clayton H. says: Mar 23, 2008. 8:01 AM REPLY

You can probly turn this into a ocarina if you make it a little bigger.

Tool Using Animal says: Mar 23, 2008. 9:40 AM REPLY

You could, or a recorder, I couldn't, as I've the musical ability of a tone deaf mole rat ;-)

LMO says: Mar 23, 2008. 6:47 AM REPLY

This is now on my To-Do list. Great instructable.

Big Bwana says: Mar 17, 2008. 1:52 AM REPLY

Very nice, and simple to make a bunch of them, and thanks for the link to toxic woods...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-whistle/
 oll1ebaba says: Mar 15, 2008. 12:10 PM REPLY
Is that Zebrawood? I turned a bowl out of zebrawood once - it's not very easy to use on a lathe because it's such a hard wood. It splintered a lot and was
very scary but eventually I got down to a bowl. Nice instructable by the way! I was going to make a spear that whistled but I didn't know how, I think this will
help a ton.

bumpus says: Mar 14, 2008. 7:30 PM REPLY

you know, someone should really make an instructable on how to water cool a dremel... that would be awesome mine got all hot and bothered :(

LinuxH4x0r says: Mar 15, 2008. 10:39 AM REPLY

Mine overheats only if I stall it. Put it in the freezer for 15 mins and it will be fine.

LinuxH4x0r says: Mar 13, 2008. 6:22 PM REPLY

Nice! I never knew it was so easy. Great job!

LinuxH4x0r says: Mar 13, 2008. 7:43 PM REPLY

I failed at making the whistle, but it inspired me to finally use my drill press as a lathe.

Tool Using Animal says: Mar 13, 2008. 8:45 PM REPLY

What went wrong?, maybe we can figure it out.

LinuxH4x0r says: Mar 13, 2008. 8:47 PM REPLY

The way I cut it. I think it was too deep. What were the approximate dimensions of yours?

Tool Using Animal says: Mar 15, 2008. 9:28 AM REPLY

I started with a .75 x .75 x 5 inch piece , the hole is 5/16ths, I've made a bunch of whistles in the last two days (my wife's girlfriends want
them) and cutting too deep killed more than one, I'd say err on the side of a shallow cut.

LinuxH4x0r says: Mar 15, 2008. 10:38 AM REPLY

Thanks! I might try it again later (maybe tomorrow)

Yudo says: Mar 14, 2008. 3:24 PM REPLY

that is cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!sighk.

Charger_06 says: Mar 14, 2008. 3:01 PM REPLY

nice instructable +1

rizkyw says: Mar 14, 2008. 2:22 PM REPLY

Is there really such a thing as a 'blood whistle'? :O

view all 68 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-whistle/