Whistles??

I'm sure there was a design in model engineer for a steam "organ". probably in the 50's, one of the series that LBSC did as "something for the kiddies" at christmas. Someone, somewhere, will probably have a copy.

Regards Kevin

Think 'Swanee whistle'!

An open tube ( i.e. an 'unstopped' whistle ) give a certain note. If you block the end of the tube ( 'stop' it ) you'll lower the note an octave. By moving the stopper up and down in the tube you can vary the note produced. Thing is though, you need to watch out for the Swanee effect....if the piston is move while the whistle is in use you'll get the dreaded 'Panto' or "Carry-On" slide.

Regards,

Strange indeed. I read the very article this morning; the magazine is still on my bedside table...

"A steam calliopette" by LBSC. Model Engineer Vol. 107, No. 2682 Oct

Will scan and PDF for OP if required.

--Thanks; will search the garage for that issue this morning. Oh, and here's a link to a photo I posted to tribe.net last night:

You seem to be contemplating an electrically controlled fairground organ. An organ pipe is like a whistle. Chruch organ pipes are made of soft metal and are tuned (in the open topped form) by making them a little longer than required. At the back of the pipe near the top, out of sight, is a tab cut out on three sides (top and the two sides). You can then bend the tab (almost like rolling it up or back) to change the note until it's right - unroll a bit for a longer effective length and go lower, roll up a bit more for higher. Is this basic enough?

Wilfrid Underwood

--Gotcha; know about pipe organs and have seen how the pipes are made, but I think they'd be a wee bit big for what I've in mind, plus making them out of a lead alloy assures an early meltdown! :-) --Have been going the downloadable database of ME and managed to find an article from the mid-sixties that has an article on whistle making there's another article from the year 1959 but I'm missing that yr.