Chiff and Fipple Forums

My flute is getting stuck after plying for a while at the tenons, to the point where I cannot take it apart for a long time. I use cork grease regularly but it still always get stuck. Could the corks be swelling or something and any remedies that can fix this? Thanks!

Probably it's swelling due to moisture. Along with cork grease there is this remedy: stand the flute up against a wall and let it drain. Give it an hour or two or three. After it gets drier it should become manageable. There is nothing terribly the matter with leaving the flute assembled under such circumstances.

Thread wrapped or cork wrapped? Happens to both.

Let it dry out a day or two before attempting to separate. Sometimes its easier to separate with a rocking motion rather than rotation. Once separated, wait another day or two to allow it to dry out completely. If it is thread wrapped, unwind a few turns of thread. If it is cork wrapped you might dry carefully sanding the cork just a bit.

Then get some polyurethane. General Finishes Gel Topcoat Urethane is what I use in the workshop for sealing and it can be wiped on. I use this on end grain, and on the inside of sockets and inside the bore at the tops of the middle joints and under the thread wrappings to minimize movement sometimes. Use a thin coat and let it cure completely.

Then it should do this less. What is happening is that water is swelling the wood of the tenon and causing it to expand and lock onto the socket. If the flute doesn't have a metal band it can be put at risk of cracking the socket from this.

Casey

I use toilet wax seal; 100% pure petroleum wax. I know it sounds strange, it's the seal that is placed under the toilet where the toilet connects to the sewer pipe. I put it on the tenons and the end grain of the tenons. The end grain of the tenons is where much of the moisture enters the wood. It works for me and I use it on all of my wood flutes; haven't had a tenon stick for years. Toilet wax seal can be purchased at most hardware stores and it is very inexpensive and one seal lasts a very long time and does not deteriorate over time. Should you try this, make certain that the wax seal is 100% pure petroleum wax. In addition, it really seals the tenons well, no air leaks. Many plumbers are using a new plastic type seal instead of the wax seal, you do not want the plastic version. Good luck.

P.S. I should mention that I have thread wrapped joints, not cork. I wouldn't recommend it for corked joints.

Hi

If your tenon is cork wrapped, you might find this video useful.

https://youtu.be/BeHaBW4FLs8

Tim

This happened to a boxwood flute of mine. It was going just a little out of round. Just a few thousandths/tens of micrometers will cause it to seize -- it was becoming wood-on-wood rather than cork on wood at the very end of the tenon/base of the socket. I figured out which way it was ovalling and took just a little bit off the high sides of the tenon. It's never happened since.