Instructables user [rog8811] was looking to build a fog horn that resembled hand-pumped units found on small ships in the early to mid 1900s. His budget was a bit limited, so he set off to build the cheapest replica possible.
While the original horns were likely constructed from steel, copper and wood, he opted to use cheap plumbing components he found at his local hardware store. He used a simple double-acting air pump to drive the horn, combining it with a slightly modified bottle trap. The trap was shortened, and a diaphragm cut from a dish washing glove was added to generate sound.
He added a few more pieces of PVC piping to enhance the output, giving him the results you see in the video below. He says that the best thing about his design is the ability to easily tweak the pitch and volume of the horn by simply adding different drain components to the pump.
Watch out vuvuzela, there’s a new cheap and annoying horn on the block!
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/21517471 w=470]
Genuis.
This is way cool! Daring a horrible punlike attempt- rog8811 has made a new way for us to blow our own horn.
I do wonder what other effects we could derive from his build. Galton Whistles perhaps?
There’s a lot of Hacker potential in Sonic Energy devices.
http://www.sonochemistry.info/introdution.htm
Well I’ll be damned. ANOTHER project to add to my wish list.
I’m sure a horn like this would be a must-have on just about any boat, whether for grabbing attention, etc.
(psst… Great writing, by the way. Not a typo in sight! :D )
ME SO HORNY!! (Sorry, had to.) I like the way it works on the up and down stroke, I’m off to the Home Depot!
Some time ago a friend of mine somehow managed to buy a steel horn from a old cargo ship, he just adapted it to run from compressed air cans.
I couldn’t believe it when he told me the (very noisy) horn sound I was hearing around the city was from him!! My city is not anywhere near the sea so the horn noise was quite a novelty there… Seriously, that was awesome!
I can’t believe no-electricity-wonder this made it past the editors onto Hackaday! Where’s the bloody Arduino?!
FWIW, I was researching horns for a while and put together a playlist of some of the best and loudest out there. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAF8E60300C153566
Phhhhh WTF wheres the arduino? :)
patman’s totally right, def a neat wish list project. You know what would be neat on HaD? The ability to wish list projects, much the same way Ravelry and Instructables do.