Hello !
I recently 3dprinted a train whistle that usually works with a mouthpiece. It works by simply blowing air in it.
However, I would like to convert it to a whistle for my bike. For that I would need a system that could blow air in it, instead of myself, with the press of a button.
Any idea on what i could start with to build that ? It would be best if the circuitry was quite compact too.
Thanks !
I work in industrial automation and have a background in pneumatics. I think you’ll be surprised at how inefficient pressurizing/moving air is. I think the most practical solution (if you can call it that) is likely carrying an air reservoir that can be pumped up with a bike pump, and having a valve to trigger the whistle. There isn’t really a safe way to carry compressed air on a bicycle because it’s inherently dangerous to transport. There are lots of ways to make an unsafe air reservoir for example what Chris Notap on you tube does.
My first thought for a compact, air-blower would be the inflater for air mattresses. They’re already fairly small, have a high flow rate, and exist in forms which accept 12 VDC.
Another option is a small tank of compressed air, but that option is either heavy (steel tank) or stores air at inefficient, low pressures (plastic tank).
I suppose a third option is to rig a can of air-duster so that it blows through the whistle. That would be mechanically simple to implement a solenoid to press the valve, although there is a small environmental cost to using cans of air-duster regularly.
You could base your design off my favorite bike accessory, the Airzound bike horn
Install it with the mouthpiece facing the wind
🙌