CP: New Pratten flute design!

[Geoffrey Ellis]

Great looking flutes! I like the idea of alternative woods.

Thanks! Yes, in the face of the big changes happening as a result of the CITIES regulations, developing alternative materials has a strong attraction. The resin-stabilized maple has the natural beauty of wood, it feels like wood and yet has many other attractive qualities such as being non-shrinking, waterproof and highly resistant to other environmental factors. Plus, it has the dye in the resin itself, so that wood is actually brown at a cellular level, not just on the surface!

[dyersituations]

Yes, in the face of the big changes happening as a result of the CITIES regulations, developing alternative materials has a strong attraction. The resin-stabilized maple has the natural beauty of wood, it feels like wood and yet has many other attractive qualities such as being non-shrinking, waterproof and highly resistant to other environmental factors. Plus, it has the dye in the resin itself, so that wood is actually brown at a cellular level, not just on the surface!

That's cool, thanks for the details. And I've always liked lighter colored woods for flutes and pipes.

[eilam]

looks great !!! maybe a cap for the slide just to protect it?
i love the color of the stained maple. nice embouchure shape too.
e.

[Geoffrey Ellis]

looks great !!! maybe a cap for the slide just to protect it?
i love the color of the stained maple. nice embouchure shape too.
e.

Thanks! Even though it features some more modern innovations I really wanted it to have a classic look to it. And the maple turned out even more handsome than I expected.

Not a bad idea about the cap. It's true that the tenon is exposed when the flute is disassembled and it would not be difficult to provide a protective cap made from Delrin.

[Jon C.]

Looks great!
I have a one key flute that is made from Maple, it is not stamped but probably 1840's from USA. The interesting thing is the maple retained it's shape all these years, perfectly round bore, and fairly good shape still. I think the maple was sealed with shellac back then, but amazingly light.

[Geoffrey Ellis]

Looks great!
I have a one key flute that is made from Maple, it is not stamped but probably 1840's from USA. The interesting thing is the maple retained it's shape all these years, perfectly round bore, and fairly good shape still. I think the maple was sealed with shellac back then, but amazingly light.

Shellac is great stuff! And some type of sealer is all that maple needs to become a great flute, but it definitely needs something. I've mixed my own shellac in the past and I'm tempted to experiment with it again. I've wondered what a French polish would like like on a flute, but it's a big labor commitment to find out.

[an seanduine]

French Polish had its day in the 1880's an 90's with 'American' dealer flutes. I have had several pass through my hands, and had to make small repairs to their finish. They were of the post-mounted variety, and I would guess that the surface was applied while spinning on the lathe prior to setting the pillars as a labor saving technique. These were either Cocus or Kingwood or Brazilian Rosewood, so had extremely fine surfaces. I would imagine maple would be a lot mor laborious.

Bob

[Geoffrey Ellis]

I would imagine maple would be a lot mor laborious.
Bob

That was my impression. I read an article about using the technique on furniture and it takes a LOT of elbow grease. Spinning something on the lathe does spare one the burden of having to rub and polish by hand, but it also only goes in one direction, whereas French polish seems to require a lot of random movement in many directions. However, since the article I read was about finishing larger furniture it might be that the exact same technique is not necessary. Only one way to find out

I also imagine that it would be much easier to do on a keyless flute without having to contend with posts.