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#1 ·
How to make a stick whistle

Whistle Tutorial #1: History and Prehistory

TURNED WHISTLES TUTORIAL CAN BE FOUND HERE.

ROUTED WHISTLES TUTORIALS COMING SOON


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My first blog post.
Please bear with me as start it with a little story.

Everyone knows that prehistoric whistles have been discovered that were made from hollowed sticks or bird bones. Although I don't go back as far as prehistory, my first whistle was also made from a hollow stick. I kind of like the thought of how long people have been making and using whistles.

I vividly remember the day I got my first wooden whistle - which means I probably imagined most of it. I was about 4 years old, and we were off on a family vacation visiting my grandparents' farm. My brothers were out loading the hay wagon with Grandpa, and my dad, being the smart man that he was, decided it would be a good day to teach me, his youngest, how to fish. While my brothers were out laboring and sweating in the hot summer sun, Dad and I relaxed in the cool shade on the creek bank not catching fish. After a time, Dad reached into his pocket, drew out his knife, and went to work on a stick. Moments later, he handed me my very first wooden whistle. I can still see his smile now. Can you imagine the awe I felt when I blew into it and heard its sweet little toot? Probably about the same as any kid throughout history or prehistory who was given such a cool gift. My old man was a magic making god that day! I miss my Dad.

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On to the tutorial:

This won't be quite like the whistle Dad made for me, mostly because I have no idea how he hollowed the stick with just his pocket knife. I suspect it had something to do with the species of tree and it being a very green branch. Besides, I am a modern woman with Power Tools and technology.

First, I needed to fetch a stick. I couldn't get the idea across to any of my dogs, so I wandered outside and Googled the yard for what I needed. This looked like a likely candidate.


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I brought the branch inside and cut it to a suitable length for a whistle. About 4" for this one. 5" or 6" probably would have been better. Short = shrill.


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I used the drill press with a 3/8" bit and drilled down about 3". You can use whatever method you have at hand to make the hole. It doesn't have to be straight or centered; just get it at least 3" deep for a good tone. The important thing is not to drill all the way through.


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I sawed a notch to reach to about half, or a little less, the diameter of the hole I drilled. I made it about 1/2" from the end. The cut nearest the end should be vertical, and the other cut angled into it from about 1/2" away. I'll bet one of those Japanese saws would work better than my little hacksaw. A bandsaw also works well.


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Next, I rounded down a piece of dowel on my belt sander, sizing it down so it was a snug fit in the hole drilled in the stick. (It doesn't have to be a dowel, just a piece of wood. And there are lots of ways you can do this; you could even whittle it.) It only needs to reach in as far as the notch. After I got a good fit, I sanded one side flat a little longer than the length it would reach inside the whistle. It is difficult to explain how much the flat needs to be sanded-it works based on the relationship between it and how deep you made the notch-somewhere between 1/32" and 1/8". Trust me, it does not have to be all that exact. Start with only a little flat and sand it down further if necessary when you test it. I also recommend leaving a little extra length to use as a handle for glue up.


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Now you get to test it. It is a little bit awkward with the "handle" on there, but the dowel (we'll call it a "plug" from now on for confusion's sake) gets pressed into the "tube" of the whistle. The flat side goes up and the inside end of the plug should line up with the vertical cut on the notch. Give yours a try! Blow through it and see what kind of sound you get. If it is too airy sounding or doesn't sound at all, try adjusting the plug in and out by a fraction until you get a sound. If that doesn't work, you might need to sand the flat a tad more. There is a bit of trial and error to it. An airy sound usually means you need to tighten things up; either the notch is too deep or the flat is sanded down too far.

We're almost there. Once you get the placement of the plug that produces the best tone, pull it out and put a drop or two of CA (super glue) on the plug and hold it in place for a few seconds for the glue to set. Don't use more than a couple of drops or it will clog the airway. Also, don't get in a hurry to test it again. Do NOT put your lips anywhere near it until the glue is completely dry!! Trust me on this; you'll either end up with a very painful lesson on glue or give the ER doc a good laugh as your lips are being surgically separated from a stick-possibly both!


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All that is left is cutting off the handle and you have a whistle! You can whittle down on the bottom side of the mouthpiece or carve a heart and initials in it if you want. Whatever makes you happy. :)


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Have a good time! Go on a toot!!

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That was fun for me; I hope it was for you. Most important, I hope you can figure out how to make a whistle from these instructions. I'll get busy on the other Toots shortly. Maybe even with precise measurements next time. And who knows, possibly a video.

This is dedicated to my dad and all the other men and women who take the time to share some magic moments with a kid that will be a happy memory they can carry with them forever.

Thank you
 
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#28 ·
Thanks again, everyone. It feels good to be able to give a little something back after all I have learned on the LJ site.

I made the whistle today for the Turned Whistle TOOTorial. It is amazing that it takes all day to do a half hour project just by adding the extra step of taking photos. Hopefully, I'll be able to sit down and put the blog together tomorrow or the next day.
 
#34 ·
How to make a whistle on a lathe

TOOT TOOT TOOTORIAL TWO

This time, we're going to turn a whistle on a lathe. I will be including some beginner level information since a few of the people who showed an interest in this project are novices. Besides, I think it is a great beginner project; it requires no parts or kits, just a chunk of wood, your lathe, your tools, and you. Please use all safety precautions you have available!

I can't think of any good stories to start with this time, so let's get right toot it.

This is a scrap of wood from my firewood pile. If anyone can identify the species, that would be terrific! The caramel and cream colors are really pretty. This piece is approximately 6-1/2 long by about 1" square.



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I like to start out between centers and get my stock roughly round first.



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Then I choose which end will be the mouthpiece and put the other end in the chuck in preparation for drilling. If you turned between centers, you'll have a good centering mark for your drill bit. I use a Jacob's Chuck on the tailstock of the lathe because I have one and it is convenient to do everything at the lathe. A drill press also works well if you have a vice or some other way to hold it upright and steady.

Here is my whistle blank being drilled with a 3/8" bit.



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Take your time and drill slowly, pulling the bit out often to clear away chips. Although I was an honorary Boy Scout for a while, this is not intended to be a lesson on how to start a fire with a lathe. Try to avoid scenes like this one done for demo purposes only. ;) :



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I usually drill as deep as the bit will go as long as the blank allows it. Here is what the process looks like without all the smoke:



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Remove your blank from the lathe, and get a depth measurement of the hole you drilled. I usually just hold it up against the drill and eyeball it, but since I was making this tutorial, I decided to use my calipers and take a photo that doesn't really show you anything. Most calipers have depth gauge you can use. Sticking a pencil in the hole and marking it with your thumb works fine, too. It doesn't have to be terribly precise-we're building a whistle here, not a watch!



Anyway, figure out the depth of the hole and mark it on the outside of your whistle.



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Now we need a piece of stock about 1/2" in diameter. A 1/2" hardwood dowel works great if you have one handy. I decided to use this little cut off of blood wood from an earlier project.


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The length isn't too critical; just make sure you have enough for your chuck jaws to grip with about an inch protruding.



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Turn the first half inch so that you get a snug fit when you slide your whistle on it. You want a pretty tight fit, but not so tight that it will cause your whistle to crack when you put pressure on it with your tailstock. Just sneak up on the fit. Or get fancy with the calipers again if you want. When you have your diameter figured out, make a nice, square shoulder for your blank to rest against. This will help stabilize it while you are turning.



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Once I have the whistle back on the lathe, I like to make a groove with my parting tool where I marked the drill depth. The pencil mark can too easily get lost or erased with one touch of a turning tool.



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While you are marking things, now is a good time to mark off about an inch for the mouthpiece. Turn that section down to around 3/4". I like to put my first bead right on that line.

Then go ahead and turn the rest of your whistle-you can draw out a design on paper first if you want, but I like to just relax and practice my technique, such as it is. A captive ring is a fun feature to add, as are "burn lines" and chatterwork, or coloring with a felt pen as the lathe spins. Let your imagination be your guide! I've kept mine fairly simple for demonstration purposes and my sanity (if you think walking and chewing gum is a challenge, try turning and remembering to take pictures.) Just make sure you work your way past the groove marking the depth of the drilled hole! Your whistle won't work if there is a hole in the end.



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Now comes to cutting the notch that makes it toot!
Measure in about 1/2" from the end and make a vertical cut with a hacksaw, coping saw, or one of those neat Japanese saws the name of which I can never properly recall. Just like on the Stick Whistle in the previous blog, make the cut to about halfway through the hole. Then make an angled cut from the first bead to the bottom of the first cut. I like to cut the notch so it lines up with the pattern of the grain.



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OPTIONAL STEP
This next step is recommended only for those who have a wide vocabulary of cuss words and enjoy crawling on hands and knees to find small fragments of wood amid piles of shavings. ;)
I only did this for demo purposes. LOL



The rest of you, please feel free to skip it and put on your preferred finish then part it off.
I like a coat of BLO (Boiled Linseed Oil) followed by an application of Renaissance Wax.
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We're almost there! Turn or sand the shoulder off your dowel to give you have a little bit of "wiggle room" so it can easily be pulled out of the whistle and it reaches slightly into the opening created by the notch you sawed. Be sure to leave yourself a little "handle" on it as we did with the Stick Whistle project.



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You want to put a slight "flat" on the plug that will fit into the mouthpiece of your whistle. Sorry, I forgot to take a photo. There is one on the Stick Whistle blog if you need to see what I am talking about.

It is difficult to explain how much the flat needs to be sanded-it works based on the relationship between it and how deep you made the notch-make it somewhere between 1/32" and 1/8". Trust me, it does not have to be all that exact. Sand a little, insert the plug -flat side up- in your whistle, give it a gentle blow, and see how it sounds. The plug end should approximately line up with the vertical cut in the notch.

If it is too airy or doesn't sound at all, try adjusting the plug in and out by a fraction until you get a sound. If that doesn't work, you might need to sand the flat a tad more. There is a bit of trial and error to it. An airy sound usually means you need to tighten things up; either the notch is too deep or the flat is sanded down too far.
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When you have a good, clear TOOT, it is a good idea to use a pencil to mark the plug's position for glue up. Add a couple of drops of CA (Super Glue) inside the tube and hold the plug in place for a few seconds, giving the glue time to dry.

I will add the same caution here as I did in the last blog: Do NOT put your lips anywhere near your whistle until you are POSITIVE the glue is dry!! You could spend a very uncomfortable time in the Emergency Room waiting for the doctor to stop laughing. Safety First! I usually give it a little spritz of CA accelerator before testing it and finishing.


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Trim off your little handle, sand the end flat, and shape the mouthpiece at an angle with sandpaper or electric sander. And you are done!



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I look forward to seeing YOUR creations. Thank you for reading and following along. I hope you had fun. And I hope you give the gift of a whistle and a smile to the kids (of all ages) around you.

  • I know I have no control over what anyone does with this project, but if you must make them to sell, I hope you will consider donating at least some of the proceeds to the battered women's shelter in your town or other child friendly charity. Maybe give them some whistles, too.
    Thanks!

Next up, the router table whistle for all you "squares" without a lathe. :)
You know how impatient turners can be!
 
#62 ·
How to make a whistle on a router table

Sorry about the delay in posting this tutorial of the series. I ran into some technical difficulties… which is another way of saying I sometimes have the attention span of a gnat and messed things up the first time around.

Speaking of messing things up, I've injured my knee and have to stay off my feet for a few days. I am only on day two and already going crazy. All in all, it looks a good time for going on with this toot toot tootorial series.
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ROUTER WHISTLES

This is actually a very simple whistle to make… a couple of passes on your router table, a couple of cuts on your table saw, some sanding and gluing, and that is all there is to it. These things are so easy, we're going to make two at a time!

Please use safe shop practices and have fun!

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Start with a 3/4" board about 5" or 6" long by at least 4" wide.
The fancy-schmancy new Incra stuff is not required. I've made dozens of these whistle on a cheap bench top router table I purchased over 30 years ago.


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Set up a 1/4" straight bit in your router table, raise it up to route a 1/16" groove.
You could use a larger bit, but I wouldn't go much deeper than 1/16".



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Stand your board on edge, and center your bit.


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Set up a stop on the left so your groove will end about 1/2" from the end of your board.
Route with the grain.


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It should look like this after your first pass:



~ Flip the board over and make a pass on the other side to make two whistles at once.

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Raise your bit to cut 1/4" deep this time.
Don't move your fence; you'll be cutting in the same groove.


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Now set up a stop on the right of your bit so that your next pass will start "in" about an inch from the end.
Start with your piece of wood butted up to the right hand stop, ease it down on to the spinning bit, and route all the way across until you come to your left hand stop.


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It should come out looking like this:
(note that you have still have about an inch of your 1/16" groove remaining)



~Don't forget to flip your board over and make the same groove for your second whistle!

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Cut your whistle blanks off of each side - make them about 3/4" thick (or whatever the width of your original board) so they will be square.


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Next, cut two 1/8" strips off the edge of your remaining block of wood. Be careful! These strips will become the tops of the whistles. You can also cut the strips from a contrasting wood or a lamination (examples at the end of this tutorial).


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Cut a 1" piece off the end of each of your 1/8" strips so you end up with two 1/8" thick strips (1 long and 1 short) for each whistle.

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Sand one end of the remaining longer piece of your strip to about a 30º or slightly less angle. Don't go too steep or it won't work.
Oops, I didn't get a photo of that, but you can see it in the final photos below if you need to.
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Glue and clamp the 1" piece on the end of your whistle with the shallow groove. This will be the mouthpiece. It is more important that it line up exactly where the groove changes depth than on the end of the whistle - you can always trim. Leave a 1/4" space and glue the angled end of your longer piece of 1/8" stock. You may want to trim the end to length first. I usually just get it with the chop saw after the glue dries. Make sure you use enough glue to get a solid seal the length of the whistle, but not so much that the squeeze out will go into your grooves.


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While your glue is drying is a good time to reward yourself with a piece of that lemon pie you made earlier.
Oops, you didn't make a pie? That's okay, I ate two pieces! ;)


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Trim off the any extra lengths of your 1/8" strip, use some sand paper to shape the mouth piece and round off the edges. And there you go… it is a whistle!



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Some variations to try:

Make two or more grooves, of different lengths, side by side to make a double train whistle sound.
(example: bottom whistle in the photo is an example of this)

Use laminations or inlays.

Use plain pine and let kids decorate them with paints or markers

Try different sizes

Use contrasting woods

Use your imagination!!



Here is one last variation that I tried-a four holer:


Have fun and please share with the kids in your life! I look forward to seeing your creations.

As I requested with my last whistle tutorial, I hope you will consider donating some whistles to kids who could use something positive in their lives. Check out your local charities, shelters, paramedics, social workers… any place where there are kids in need. Thanks!

Questions and comments welcome, of course.

Next tutorial up will be a Penny Whistle!
 
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