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Any experience/advice turning wooden trad flutes?

jonny458

Hey! I'm considering turning a wooden flute as my final project in school. I actually own one so dimensions aren't a problem.

Any advice on equipment/technique for actually making one of these? Both the bore and the outside of the main segment taper down slightly and I have no idea how to do this.

As regards material, rosewood, ebony or African Blackwood would be ideal, however they would be extremely difficult and expensive to obtain! Would Irish Ash be fit for the job?

Thanks in advance!

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recipio

I know nothing about turning musical instruments but would advise you to practice on some American maple first. its a relatively hard wood and turns nicely. You can spray it with a black lacquer if it works out. African Blackwood is available from online shops ( or go to a UK woodworking show ) but its a brittle wood and you would need some experience to turn it.

Alun

Maple is used a lot for wooden recorders so should be a good choice. I vaguely recall once having a recorder that was made from beech but I'm not sure. The problem with using softer woods is that moisture builds up inside them when playing and causes them to expand ever so slightly and they then go off tune.

Regarding the making of the flute, I have seen videos etc. of the manufacturing process for woodwind instruments such as clarinets, oboes etc., and they use a lathe more akin to a metal lathe than a wood lathe, with cutting tools mounted on a carriage, rather than woodturning chisels freehand on a toolrest, to ensure the instrument is turned perfectly straight. I didn't know about the internal bore being tapered, I'd presume they'd use some kind of custom made auger which would be difficult to replicate otherwise.

recipio

Agreed. Boring a long hole in wood is always a challenge. For long standard lamps - 1.5 metres - I find it easier to rout a channel in two faces ( when the wood is still square ) and glue them together. Otherwise I have made a jig to mount on the lathe and drill horizontally for drilling up to 30 cms. For a tapered hole in blackwood I think I'd ask a flute maker for advice.!

kadman

I have a good personal friend who is a world renowned uileean pipe maker, and I could ask him to either post here, or contact you if you need to ask him for guidance. He has taught some of the leading talents worldwide, and is a proper gent.

I would imagine a tapered hole =tapered reamer

jack of all

Interesting, I had the pleasure of visiting the workshop of an uillean pipe maker myself a couple of years ago. He used an old metal turning lathe to produce his pipes, made from African Blackwood.

kadman

jack of all wrote: »

Interesting, I had the pleasure of visiting the workshop of an uillean pipe maker myself a couple of years ago. He used an old metal turning lathe to produce his pipes, made from African Blackwood.

Not Davey by any chance.

jack of all

kadman wrote: »

Not Davey by any chance.

No, Eugene Lambe.

jonny458

kadman wrote: »

I have a good personal friend who is a world renowned uileean pipe maker, and I could ask him to either post here, or contact you if you need to ask him for guidance. He has taught some of the leading talents worldwide, and is a proper gent.

That would be fantastic! I would love to ask him a few questions as I imagine the process for making a chanter would be quite similar to that of making a flute.

kadman wrote: »

I would imagine a tapered hole =tapered reamer

I'm actually planning on making a reamer for this project this week. Should I try make a flat or conical reamer?

recipio

jonny458 wrote: »

I'm actually planning on making a reamer for this project this week. Should I try make a flat or conical reamer?

Reamers are precision machine tools used after a drill bit to give a precise hole. How do you hope to 'make one' ?

peter bermingham

Plus your going to have to harden and temper the steel whether its tool steel you or hss

tabby aspreme

If you tapered a piece of flat tool steel such as an old type mortice chisel and worked an edge similar to a wood scraper on the four corners, would that work.

recipio

tabby aspreme wrote: »

If you tapered a piece of flat tool steel such as an old type mortice chisel and worked an edge similar to a wood scraper on the four corners, would that work.

Speaking from experience ? :rolleyes:

tabby aspreme

recipio wrote: »

Speaking from experience ? :rolleyes:

No never had to make a reamer, but being a big fan of the humble scratch stock and how easily profiles can be developed using a bit of filed saw blade I had a moment of inspiration

magicbastarder

recipio wrote: »

Speaking from experience ? :rolleyes:

it seems to have been phrased as a question rather than a statement.

tabby aspreme

More inspiration,
OP Google,( Greenwoodworking saw steel tapered reamer plans) you may have an answer to your problems

jonny458

tabby aspreme wrote: »

If you tapered a piece of flat tool steel such as an old type mortice chisel and worked an edge similar to a wood scraper on the four corners, would that work.

I was thinking of something along those lines alright

And thanks for the tip!