Whistle, idea from Stokes Stomp

[bowman]

Johnny, thanks for the links, both are very helpful. Thanks for all the input, it is greatly appreciated! I can see a lot of attention to detail in making the game calls.

Just to level set the expectations, as an Outreach project, the goal is to expose kids to woodworking that have not had an opportunity before. We want them to be excited about creating something with their own hands and creativity, and walk away proud and excited about doing just that. It could be this whistle idea, the traditional light saber, or a bird house. We want to reach as many kids (and adults too), so this cannot become a time consumption activity, where we spend 20-30 minutes per kid. If we do that, they get tired of standing in a slow moving line and go find something else to do. Obviously, if there is no line, we can be more lenient of that.

We also see this as a no cost to NCWW, as this is scrap sized wood that is prepared by cutting into 1"x1" (approximately). We are not having to spend a lot of time by drilling out the blanks for the light sabers, and not to mention the cost of PEX and flashlights.

 

[Graywolf]

I spent a little time today turning a few of these whistles.

Cutting the notch, boring the hole, bringing the tailstock up to support, roughing, turning and a friction finish was less than 15 minutes.

I also grabbed some red cedar out of the scrapbin and turned some thipple materials. What had read was that the Cedar was healthy choice of materials for not growing bacteria after being blown on for a while. If nothing else it sure smells nice. I have plenty of Cedar that we can convert into that material.
What I like about this set up is we don't have to change out the drive end for a jamb chuck and you drill bring up support and turn. When your finished just part it off and install the thipple test until the desired noise level is reached cut the thipple to length and send the happy camper off to annoy their parents to their hearts content.
so I turned a dozen this afternoon from pine, cherry,mahogany, and walnut.
I hope you find this helpful and Neal, pm me if you want to get together on this next weekend.

 

[Mike Davis]

I loaned Neal a heat gun for working hot glue. Faster and safer than Titebond or CA.

 

[Graywolf]

The ones I turned today have no glue. Just a very tight friction fit.

 

[bowman]

I spent a little time today turning a few of these whistles. What I like about this set up is we don't have to change out the drive end for a jamb chuck and you drill bring up support and turn. When your finished just part it off and install the thipple test until the desired noise level is reached cut the thipple to length and send the happy camper off to annoy their parents to their hearts content.
so I turned a dozen this afternoon from pine, cherry,mahogany, and walnut.
I hope you find this helpful and Neal, pm me if you want to get together on this next weekend.

Richard,
I'll be at Kingfest next Saturday, and Sunday I am unavailable. I do like that setup. I've been cutting the mouthpiece on the drive end, and had not considered flipping ends.

Here are a couple i did tonight, turned the same process. I did use the heat gun and glue stick on the longer cherry piece, and it did much better where is came to stalling on the jam chuck.

The shorty burled cherry (1.5" total length) was turned only with the detail/diamond tip EWT tool. I spent extra time flaring the end in an attempt to look like a horn.
:gar-Bi

 

[Phil S]

Any chance of doing a Grand Kickoff of this project at the Klingspor Extravaganza. Hopefully the light sabers can move to the back burner

 

[Graywolf]

I was thinking the same.

 

[Graywolf]

Neal, I forgot about Kings outreach event. I can do sometime the following Saturday if you like.

 

[Charlie]

I'm not trying to throw a monkey wrench into the works, but has anyone considered the choking hazard if the thipple should happen to come loose?
Is there a mechanical means to attach it, ie. small brad, etc?
Glue may work temporarily or permanently, but we all know that wood moves, especially two different species.

 

[Graywolf]

Charlie, that's one of the reasons that Cedar is preferred in that it swells in the opening. I get it, the whistles I presented have been around a few years and are solid today as they were when I made them.

 

[bowman]

I made a couple more today using the steps that Richard described, which went very well. Here are a couple of extra thoughts.

1. Richard is using smaller jaws on his lathe, better to grab smaller stock. Using the same jaw chuck that is on the outreach trailer, I have too use stock that is 2" square to get a solid grip. We may need to purchase a couple of these to move forward, or possibly additional jaw chucks to prevent swapping jaws during an event.

2. depending on how deep the hole is drilled in the blank these would need to be 5-5.5" long if drilled 3.5" deep, in order to give some safety factor in keeping hands and tools away from the spinning chuck.

3. A jig can easily be setup to cut out the 45 deg section, i put mine 3/4" from the drilled end.

I spent between 10-15 minutes each, including cutting the blank to length and cutting the section. Setting a couple of jigs on mitersaw and bandsaw, these can be knocked out fast when prepping for an Outreach event.

Drilling the hole will need to be closely linked with the stock available for the thistle, and may need to be done on-site as part of the event.

 

[Berta]

One lathe could be setup dedicated to the whistle. There is not a miter Saw on the trailer. The bandsaw will have to do.

 

[Berta]

They might have to come with a warning label.

 

[Mike Davis]

There is not a miter Saw on the trailer.

The blanks would be processed before the event just like we do now with the saber blanks.

No need for miter saw on the trailer.

 

[Graywolf]

I would recommend cutting them to length and cutting the notch as a standard preparation.

 

[bowman]

I would recommend cutting them to length and cutting the notch as a standard preparation.

i agree. As i mentioned, easily done with a stop block for miter saw, and simple jig on bandsaw.

 

[golfdad]

ShouldI pick up aset of jaws for the chucks we have so we can set one up at King to try it out?.......Also Neal the King event is only a Sat event

 

[bowman]

ShouldI pick up aset of jaws for the chucks we have so we can set one up at King to try it out?.......Also Neal the King event is only a Sat event

Thanks Dirk. I'm up for giving it a try Saturday, and yes, well aware it is Saturday only. My response about Sunday was for Richard, who offered to get together this weekend.

I'll check the trailer this morning to see if there may be small jaws there already.

 

[bowman]

I'll check the trailer this morning to see if there may be small jaws there already.

I checked all drawers in the tool cabinet, i did not find any jaws. I did run across 2-3 cone live centers.

 

[Graywolf]

The cone live centers will come in handy for this.