Whistling Dakota style

I got a wooden whistle
and it wooden whistle;

Then I got a steel whistle
and it steel wooden whistle;

I got a tin whistle,
and now I tin whistle.
               - Anonymous

 

Have fun making wooden whistles. They make great gifts for your friends. They
are also a great scrap box project and can be made from almost any kind of
wood. Recommended native woods include aspen, basswood, cottonwood,
and ponderosa pine.

Tools and Materials:

pencil; tape measure; scroll or coping
saw; drill; sandpaper; glue

• 1 inch piece of 5/8" dowel
• 1" x 1" x 5" whistle blank

Directions:

Because of the cutting involved in this project, ask an adult to help you.

Cut a 1: length of 5/8" diameter dowel and sand a flat slope on one side so you'll have an air hole about 1/8" wide (see Figure 1 above). Apply glue and insert the dowell into the end of the whistle block with the flat side up. (see diagram)

Now measure 1 inch from the end and again 3/4", and lay out the "blow out" hole. It should be a V-shaped hole about 3/8" deep (see B of Figure 2.)

Next, lay out a half inch radius mouth on the plugged end and, on the scroll saw or band saw, cut out the radius to accomodate your lower lip, and the V-notch for the "blow out" hole.

Optional: drill a 3/16" hole and bevel the other end of the whistle. You can slip a cord through the hole and wear the whistle around your neck.

Sand all edges smooth and give your whistle a try. You can vary the pitch of your whistles by using blanks with different length holes. The deeper the hole, the  lower the pitch.

Optional: Apply nontoxic stain or finish.