How to Whittle Whistles Out of Wood
Creating a whistle is a great project for beginner or novice whittlers. The basic construction is simple, but the possibilities for shaping and decorating can be endless. With a few simple tools and a good whittling knife you can whittle a piece that not only looks beautiful, but also functions as an age-tested signaling device.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Wood block
- 5/16" dowel
- Saw
- Drill with 5/16" doweling bit
- Whittling knife
- Sandpaper
- Wood glue
Instructions
-
-
1
Cut a block of wood 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch and 3 inches long.
-
2
Use a drill with a 5/16 inch doweling bit to drill a hole in the center of the block. The hole should be at least 2 inches deep and should not penetrate the other end of the block.
-
-
3
Cut or whittle a wedge into your block 1/2 inch from the top with the hole opening. The wedge should cut into the block 3/8 of an inch and be a half inch long. The top cut of the wedge should be flat opening into a 45 degree angle.
-
4
Cut 5/16 inch dowel rod down to between 1 to 2 inches. Use a whittling knife or sandpaper to flatten one side of the dowel. The flat side should remove about a quarter of the overall diameter of the rod.
-
5
Insert your dowel into the hole so that the flat side faces the wedge. The bottom of the dowel should be located where the wedge opens into the hole. Test the whistle and move the dowel in or out of the hole so that the whistle creates a sound easily and does not sound airy. Mark on the protruding end of the dowel where this point is.
-
6
Remove the dowel and cut the at your mark so that it will sit flush with the opening of the hole. Coat the dowel in wood glue and reinsert it into the hole. Wipe away any excess glue and let dry.
-
7
Use a whittling knife to round, shape and adorn the body of the whistle. Sand the finished whistle smooth.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The length of the hole will determine the sound and pitch of your whistle. You can create a whistle with a longer hole, but keep the wedge and dowel in the same position to ensure the whistle still produces sound.
Go slowly and carefully when whittling your whistle to avoid cutting yourself with your knife.
