Make a super loud whistle with an acorn or other pocketed object

Someone showed me this with an acorn a few years ago. Once you figure out how to do it well, you can use all sorts of objects to make a super loud whistle. This is handy if you are lost in a forest, just want to get someones attention, or if you want to ref an impromptu soccer game.

Caution as this is so loud, you may not want to try it indoors!

Please check out my other instructables and I also have a diy podcast called mechanicalmashup.tv

Step 1 The hands

hold your hands so your thumbs are touching like the picture below. Rotate your hands open slightly like you are making a butterfly shadow puppet (see second picture) Note the "V" shape created at the top of your thumbs.

Comments

[weesuzi]

That is probably one of the coolest things I have ever seen. First principles;what is actually going on with a whistle, why is it louder than when you just whistle with your lips?

[melissahu]

super simple and super awesome! thank you!

[mjgsr]

Great Instructable. The wife and I about hyperventilated trying different things.

[A good name]

"The wife" - Originally used by Kipkay. It should stay that way mate ;)

[Wafflicious]

I've heard tons of people besides kipkay say the wife.

[A good name]

I wrote that being completely unenlightened to the fact that it was a southern sort of phrase (at least, I don't think I've met any Northerners that use it). Feel free to flame me for being a noob at linguistics.

[Wafflicious]

Yes?

[absolute zero]

my father taught me this technique years ago, i glue a bottle cap and a beer top together an carry them around(fr the different pitches)

[chinchymork]

I love doing this I learned it at a bible camp!!! When ever I do it people get very annoyed. Great Instructable!! 5/5*

[linkmaster03]

The video is very good, thanks for showing how it can be applied to many different things! I am going to go out right now to find an acorn.

[linkmaster03]

I've already got the whistling down! Thanks for this 'ible, it's very easy to pick up.

[GRitter]

I don't remember who it was, but someone taught me this when I was growing up. I was recently showing some friends at a park and before you knew it, we had a whole crowd of people around and I was giving an impromptu lesson on how to whistle with an acorn. This is an awesome whistle, but I wonder what the decibel level is. I know it ridiculously loud (deafening even), but I wonder how it compares to say, a jet taking off or something. Any idea? Thanks for the Instructable, nice job.

[mattie]

Thanks for the idea. I think my grandkids would like this.

[TreborPugly]

How you hold the item isn't the key to making a noise on it. Your method might make it easier to do, but the key thing is blowing straight down on the edge of the circular object. This is how end-blown flutes are played. You can make the same sound by putting the object to your lips with one hand, to one side of your mouth, so the edge is right across the center of your mouth. Then you blow. You can also do this with bottles, making a high-pitched sound, much louder than the usual low tone you get by blowing across the top of a bottle.

[Magnelectrostatic]

I forgot the grass thumb thing so i just put it in between my lips, with plastic from a bag it's really high pitched and annoying

[markryder1988]

i use a strand of grass using both your hands use both thumbs and put your thumbs side by side and hold the grass in between your thumbs like a reed. cant be botheres to draw diagrams and its not too dificult to figure out thats quicker thananacornbecause you can find grass anywhere.

[dave spencer]

I can do that too but there is no comparison between noise levels. The acorn is super loud and shrill. Grass sounds like a whoopie kazoo

[monZy]

thanks, i tried it, and it works form me. In first time i dont get it how to make fingers in V. Nice i tried bottle cap, forks fine.

[gmjhowe]

very nice, i like, specially for people like me who cant wistle normally, and who also enjoys his dr pepper

[saites2001]

Neat.

[mje]

Great instructable! Your diagrams are excellent. I learned this when I was a kid, but had forgotten all about it, and I'd never heard that hunting tip.

[Sgt.Waffles]

Been doing this forever. Neat little trick isnt it? When you go hunting for pretty much anything, and they are running, using a whistle like this is a good way to get them to stop and look your direction, offering a good broadside or quartering away shot.

[meddler]

We had an oak tree in the front yard so we used acon wistles all the time.