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making pennywhistles

03 Mar 01 - 08:21 AM (#410152)
Subject: making pennywhistles
From: GUEST,Mike

I've gotten interested in making pennywhistles, but have been unable to find much information on this art, which seems like it would be exacting and challenging work. I've got reasonably good wood- and metal-working skills, and am willing to put some effort into learning the craft. I play the banjo now, so making pennywhistles could be considered a form of remedial activity or reform, I suppose. Searching around on the net, I've found some very nice-looking whistles, but little information on making them. Any thoughts on where I might start with this?

03 Mar 01 - 08:35 AM (#410156)
Subject: RE: making pennywhistles
From: alison

become a member of mudcat.. then you can send bob bolton a personal message... I know he has made quite a few..... probably has the plans etc.....

slainte

alison

03 Mar 01 - 08:37 AM (#410157)
Subject: RE: making pennywhistles
From: alison

I've sent him an email.. no doubt he'll appear in the next few days.....

slainte

alison

03 Mar 01 - 09:20 AM (#410174)
Subject: RE: making pennywhistles
From: Jeri

There are instructions for making all sorts of instruments here.

(Maybe I should go see if this is on Spaw's Instrument Links Permathread...)

03 Mar 01 - 09:34 AM (#410181)
Subject: RE: making pennywhistles
From: Margaret V

If you haven't visited www.chiffandfipple.com yet, have a look there. Margaret

03 Mar 01 - 10:46 AM (#410216)
Subject: RE: making pennywhistles
From: GUEST,Mike

Many thanks! Chiff & Fipple has some very useful stuff; certainly enough to get me started.

04 Mar 01 - 06:24 AM (#410629)
Subject: RE: making pennywhistles
From: Lin in Kansas

John on LIK's hook. Someday I'm going to get that other email so I can do it myself.

Best place to get started is certainly with people who play and make instruments, as suggested by others above. If you get into making instruments like the P-squeeks, you may eventually want to look at some other kinds of similar projects.

"The Amateur Wind Instrument Maker" by Trevor Robinson, University of Massachusetts Press, 1973 & 1980, ISBN 0-87023-312-2 (1980 edition), about $18.00 & probably available from Barnes or Borders .coms: has some detailed plans for a variety of fipple flutes, recorders, etc. You might find a variety of instruments here that would be fun to build. This book has been cited frequently by a number of sources, and may be available in a local public or university library for you to look at. It's only about 100 pages, but has some good stuff – including a short list of other useful references.

Almost any published "work" on instrument design eventually mentions "Acoustical Aspects of Woodwind Instruments" by C. J. Nederveen. I spent about 2 yrs looking for this one, because so many people recommended it, and it has been re-published (1998) by Northern Illinois University Press, ISBN 0-87580-577-9. I got my copy about a year ago, by special ordering it (for $28). Unless you are mathematically inclined, I'd say don't bother – at least until you have tried out what you can find elsewhere – or hit the libraries again. It's a good book, but you probably don't need it for what I infer as your interest.

Dover books (reprints) also have a number of historicly interesting technical stuff that you might want to look at (Helmholtz, Jeans, etc.) later if you get obsessed. Best bet is to make a hole in a long hunk of wood, bust through some side holes, and play with it -- after you get the fipple angle and spacing about right.

And have fun!!!
John in Kansas.

04 Mar 01 - 08:29 AM (#410650)
Subject: RE: making pennywhistles
From: Bob Bolton

G'day Mike,

I reckon you should start with Chiff & Fipple - there arte endless links, including more information on making than you can digest in the next year!

I made a lot of big whistles last year - mainly to experiment with more manageable fingering spacings. I just looked at what I liked and didn't like ... and made them - but I made had some whistles back in the 1960s, so I had a background. Anyway ... I have a whole new set of ideas that I need to test when I stop doing other things ...!

If you have any specific queries, by all means, PM to me, but I think you will find site through Chiff & Fipple that cover everything you need. (I can steer you to good sites if I know what you want to do.)

Reagrds,

Bob Bolton (going back to 58 pages of music I need to learn before the Federation Ball turns me into a pumpkin!)

04 Mar 01 - 10:30 AM (#410670)
Subject: RE: making pennywhistles
From: Cap't Bob

Mike, the following web site has some rather good detailed instructions.

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/6611/makewhis.htm

Cap't Bob