The Kings Mills Bag Whistle
NEW BULLETIN:
An improved Bagwhistle is being made and I'm having a limited production run on. Click here for more information.
The plans given herein may be reproduced and
The instrument may be built freely by anyone. It shall be known as the "Kings Mills Bagwhistle" or for
short, "Kings Mills Pipes".
The Bag Whistle, is a Tin Whistle with Drones and an Air Supply Bag patterned after Bagpipes.
To date: It is not known if any other "Bag Whistles" or similar instruments exist. The description and pictures
below will define the Kings Mills Bagwhistle:
ABSTRACT
1. The chanter and blowpipe are combined to facilitate upper octave playing.
2. An obstruction is placed in the hose which leads from the blowpipe/chanter into the bag.
This obstruction is to reduce airflow so that the chanter may receive high velocity flow while the drones continue
operating at low velocity.
3. The dronestock is modeled after Scottish Smallpipes thus have three outlets for drones. Drones can be added or
removed for various pieces of music where certain drone frequencies are more suited.
4. The Chanter is designed as a Tin Whistle and this instrument is typically keyed in 'G' at .392 Hz.
5. The Drones are typically keyed in 'G' and in 'D' at 392Hz and 587.33 Hz respectively.
6. Tuning is based on the standard A=440Hz.
7. The Drones are closed ended pipes which are more likely to keep the same pitch at varying air velocities.
8. The end cap on the drone is used for tuning.
9. The bag has a drain plug in the back to allow moisture to drain when it is not in use.
10. A coupler is placed between the fipple and the top tonehole for tuning.
Left Picture, Bagwhistle instrument with both drones loaded and one droneplug installed
Right Picture, Back plate of Bag whistle bag with moisture plug removed.
Bottom of left picture, left-to-right: G-Drone, D-Drone, Drone Plug 1, Drone Plug 2, Chanter Fipple and
Chanter Tone Body.
Picture of right: Instrument being played.
BAG WHISTLES HARDWARE
Below is a simple hardware information list on the Bagwhistle. In the future, more detailed instructions will be posted here.
Chanter Parts
Beak = 3/4" CPVC 6.5 inches pipe with standard PVC Tin Whistle beak cut
Three way= 3/4" CPVC tee
Fipple = 6" CPVC pipe Fipple (see diagram below)
Coupler = 3/4" CPVC coupler at 1.5" length
Tone Body 3/4" CPVC pipe at 11 3/16" length key of G
Feed Hose to bag = 7/8" OD Braided Flexible Vinyl Hose 15" length 2.5" between chanter and bag
Holes must be drilled on end of pipe inside of bag to prevent bag material from closing it in.
Almost 13" of hose will descend into the bag slightly past the drones. This is to keep water out
of the drones windway.
Bag Backing=3/4" birch plywood
1" stopper for ventilation
Drone Stock= 2.5" PVC coupler, cut coupler to match length of 3/4" CPVC couplers length
Qty 3: 3/4" CPVC couplers sanded on edges to fit.
Fill empty space with Sculpey compound and bake with 3/4" CPVC pieces of pipe inserted to prevent the couplers from closing in due to oven heat when curing the sculpey with the entire piece placed in the oven.
Cut a groove on the outside diameter of the dronestock on the side going into the bag
Use a belt or disk sander to make the drone plug surface smooth and presentable.
Wash lettering off of CPVC pipe using Acetone.
Drones:
LOW-G = 8 inches of 3/4" CPVC with end of internal plug 3/4" way down.
Surface cut wind way. Hole is 13/16" from end 5/16" diameter. 3/4" CPVC cap on end.
HIGH-D = 5 7/16 inches of 3/4" CPVC with end of internal plug 3/4" way down.
Surface cut wind way. Hole is 13/16" from end 5/16" diameter. 3/4" CPVC cap on end.
Drone Plug (Make 2) = 2.5" CPVC with 3/4" CPVC cap on end.
NOTE: When the drone is plugged into the dronestock, the dronestock completes the roof of
the windway.
Back plate:
Shape wide on top and narrow bottom. Corners should be smooth. Drill one inch hole and
install ventilation plug. The plug is removed to air out bag when not in use.
Bag:
Vinyl Bag with cloth lining (do not use fuzzy lining - it will not hold together)
20" wide piece of Vinyl 14" long and then narrow to 4" wide in center in about a 9" distance.
The neck area should be smooth contoured. Fold the 20" width over and sew the ends that meet.
Turn bag inside out and seal seams with silicone sealer.
Put Silicone on edges of back plate and nail with copper tacks.
Strap: Find a piece of cloth strap and connect to opposite drone side and to back plate using Velcro kit.
The instrument was built during the month of June 1999, it was designed over the course of spring 1999 while waiting on planes at various airports.
Fipple Layout
Use a router bit to cut the windway on the surface of the CPVC pipe.
There is a new fipple design that will appear on this site soon.
Web Page Creation Date: 5-July-1999 Updated 1/30/00, Updated 12/12/01
By: Daniel Bingamon
(Note: E-mail addresses from this page may not be incorporated into Unsolicited Email lists, any unsolicited E-mail will be turned in to groups that fight unsolicted Email)