Make a whistle from bottle-tops.

We've all heard the amazing loud "survival whistles" made from bottle-tops or acorn caps.

I wanted to make something more ... controlled.

(you can probably work out what to do just by looking at the photo, but read on.)

Step 1 What you need

I made this with two soda bottle caps and a piece of drinking straw, using hot-glue, my Leatherman and a drill with a twist-bit for wood (I'll warn you in advance that the hole in the caps must be drilled - if you melt the hole, the edges will be too rounded to make the whistling noise you need).

Comments

[blinkyblinky]

Is that you because Wilgubeast's picture of you as Feature Author was different.

You look younger...

[Kiteman]

They're both me, just several years between projects.

[blinkyblinky]

That's cool...

[Dream Dragon]

A very small and simple "Ocarina". Pitch is affected by the size of the holes, and can also be adjusted by "Shading", bring something CLOSE to the hole don't cover it completely and notice the change in pitch, (about a semi tone). It's the way a "Bosun's Call" works.

[poza]

mine isn't working - what size hole did you drill here? i noticed the side hole is 3mm, but you don't mention the size of the top hole.

also, i wonder if the size of the straw matters - both width AND length.

once i get this to work, i was thinking of trying two peanut butter lids and a barrel from an ink pen.

[nathanlovesmusic]

i had to make a really big hole for it to work
just try making a hole then blowing over it if it doesnt sund make it bigger

[Kiteman]

The whistle is very sensitive to the precise angle the air hits the edge of the hole, and I found that it worked better when I slightly flattened the straw.

[nathanlovesmusic]

i tried very hard to use the wistle and every time i found the spot for the straw and picked it up to put glue underneath it it lost all its sound and didnt work. i also couldnt get the straw to stay flat. HELP!!!!

[Kiteman]

The straw will stay flat enough if you squeeze it hard and crease it.

If the position is proving fiddly, try a small blob of modelling clay or blue tac:

Stick the straw roughly in place, then fiddle until it's right, and while the clay holds the straw still, glob around it with the hot-glue.

[nathanlovesmusic]

thanks

[dragonmamath]

Awesome!

[Kiteman]

Thank you!

[bajablue]

This is EXCELLENT for someone who is whistle-challenged... and that would be me! ;-)

[Kiteman]

Thanks!

[hrodriguez7]

i'm havin' FUN man!!!!
this things awsome!
i'm stating to get dizzy, though......

[Kiteman]

Cool, but maybe you should sit down for a while?

[lucasunodiecinueve]

Thanks. Is so easy, funny and free whistle.or OCARINA ( aztec instrument) Show me more!!!!
http://www.google.com.mx/imgres?q=ocarinas+aztecas&num=10&hl=es&rls=com.microsoft:es-419:%7Breferrer:source%3F%7D&biw=1138&bih=535&tbm=isch&tbnid=kSjAS9YJEkiUIM:&imgrefurl=http://html.rincondelvago.com/musica-en-las-culturas-prehispanicas.html&docid=tHAwEYYOI4cg6M&w=500&h=160&ei=R_RqTtz-HqLLsQKw7K3pBA&zoom=1

[Mutantflame]

Nice whistle!

How did you enter this in the contest? I thought it was only open to those who live in the US or Canada? Have I been missing something?

I haven't made any contest entries because they all say that you can't enter if you live in the UK.

Z

[Kiteman]

_{(The "how" is "tick the box to enter the contest" - the website system doesn't know where I am, because Instructables don't keep a record of members' addresses. They will only officially know where I live if I win, and they need my address.)}

[Kiteman]

I'm hoping that they beat the lawyers into submission before the contest ends.

[Mutantflame]

But, if you were to win, to where would you send the prizes? Or would instructables just refuse to send them to you and send them to second place instead?

You got my vote nonetheless.

[Mutantflame]

I like your way of thinking.

[rimar2000]

Nice! my little granddaughters will be very happy with it.

It is almost an ocarine, you could name it "ocar" or so. VOTED.

Was a good idea to hire Robert de Niro for the video! The project deserves it.

[Kiteman]

Haha, thank you!

[randofo]

Video or it didn't happen! ;-)

[Kiteman]

New step five!

[Kiteman]

I'll have to mug a small child - I think Conker-X accidentally gave it to his friend.

[Kryptonite]

At least you've got your own mugs to do that with now!

[Lorddrake]

+5 internets for you for making Kiteman *facepalm*

[Kryptonite]

It's taken a LOT of work.

[Kiteman]

>face palm<

[Kryptonite]

+1