OT-make a boatswain's (bosuns) whistle?

Sea Farmer · Dec 23, 2015

They are not very expensive to purchase, but I have an insane desire to make one as a gift. However I can't find plans anywhere, and I don't have one to reverse-engineer.

Has anyone ever done this, or does anyone know of a place to get plans, or even a detailed diagram?

On edit: well, this is the best diagram I can find. No dimensions though:http://navydp.com/NavyCollector/Navy Images/__History of the Bosun Call.pdf

magicmaker · Dec 26, 2015

Sea Farmer, I have one out in my shop somewhere. I could dig it out after New Years.
Jim

Sea Farmer said:
They are not very expensive to purchase, but I have an insane desire to make one as a gift. However I can't find plans anywhere, and I don't have one to reverse-engineer.

Has anyone ever done this, or does anyone know of a place to get plans, or even a detailed diagram?

On edit: well, this is the best diagram I can find. No dimensions though:http://navydp.com/NavyCollector/Navy Images/__History of the Bosun Call.pdf

Gazz · Dec 26, 2015

Sea Farmer said:
They are not very expensive to purchase, but I have an insane desire to make one as a gift. However I can't find plans anywhere, and I don't have one to reverse-engineer.

Has anyone ever done this, or does anyone know of a place to get plans, or even a detailed diagram?

On edit: well, this is the best diagram I can find. No dimensions though:http://navydp.com/NavyCollector/Navy Images/__History of the Bosun Call.pdf

I have my dad's in hand which is marked Made in England and can tell you this;
1 Ball is apprx .785" OD
the hole in the ball is apprx. .275" OD
2. the tube is about .235" OD and is 4.125" long including the mouth piece.
3. The web is about .040" thick and is about 2.06" long

Sea Farmer · Dec 26, 2015

Hey thanks!

Guess I'll make a dapping die and punch, hammer some hemispheres, and see if I have any soldering skills left.. . . .

Jim I thought I'd posted a TY early this am but it seems to have disappeared.

Reading the various results of online searches it seems that the fiddly part in tuning is getting the trailing edge of the opening in the ball filed to the right angle and attitude with respect to the tube's end, and maybe filling the ball with the right amount of melted beeswax to tune it.

Another project to keep me off the streets during a long dreary winter

L Vanice · Dec 26, 2015

Sea Farmer said:
...Another project to keep me off the streets during a long dreary winter

Bound to be more fun than watching oysters mate.

Larry

Sea Farmer · Dec 26, 2015

L Vanice said:
Bound to be more fun than watching oysters mate.

Larry

They only do that in the months with no "R" in them. Except in the artificially-heated water of hatcheries of course.

Sex fact of the day: oysters are protandric hermaphrodites. . . .

tdmidget · Dec 26, 2015

Not that there's anything wrong with that.....

kenh · Dec 26, 2015

Now my education is complete!

lathehand · Dec 27, 2015

SeaFarmer: Please keep us posted on making the bosuns's call. I'm a bit of a whistle enthusiast - made a few of them - and I'd love to make a call. I am quite intimidated by making the ball. I'd be delighted to follow behind you on this project.
Carl

Sea Farmer · Dec 27, 2015

lathe hand I will, although like most of my projects it'll be slow going.

My initial thought on making the bowl is to make a dapping die set to make two hemispheres and solder them together. I've never "dapped" before, but it doesn't look too difficult, based on the various Youtube vids on the subject. Soldering them together neatly and cutting the opening properly look challenging.

I notice the bowl is not always spherical--some models use a barrel or teapot shape. Those may be easier to make.

Lester Bowman · Dec 27, 2015

If it were me..I would do it old school.Get out your 2 ounce ball peen.Get yourself a chunk of lead and start hammering away forming two "bowls".You can even form one to slip inside the other then solder.Copper,brass..German silver. You can use a large ball bearing for the final forming.
I think the "hammered" finish would look awesome.

Scottl · Dec 27, 2015

Sea Farmer said:
Sex fact of the day: oysters are protandric hermaphrodites. . . .

I think I used to work with some people like that.

L Vanice · Dec 27, 2015

Sea Farmer said:
lathe hand I will, although like most of my projects it'll be slow going.

My initial thought on making the bowl is to make a dapping die set to make two hemispheres and solder them together. I've never "dapped" before, but it doesn't look too difficult, based on the various Youtube vids on the subject. Soldering them together neatly and cutting the opening properly look challenging.

I notice the bowl is not always spherical--some models use a barrel or teapot shape. Those may be easier to make.

Here is my set of dapping tools for all you who have no idea what is being discussed. I have a few punches for cutting discs from sheet in the round container. The ball ended dapping punches are marked with metric sizes from 1 to 26 with some half sizes. The block has numerous sizes of recess and is marked France.

Larry

magicmaker · Dec 29, 2015

Sea Farmer;
You have the dimensions in another post. Here are pics.
Jim

Sea Farmer · Dec 31, 2015

Thanks Jim, those pics answer the question I had about how the tube end is aimed at the bowl opening.

cvairwerks · Dec 31, 2015

A little tuning info here: https://sites.google.com/site/usnbosunm8/pipe

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