Homemade flute cases

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Homemade flute cases

Post by linusorri »

I've been thinking about making a case for my flute. Any of you here done that? Care to share some pictures and tips?
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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by fatmac »

Hard or soft case? Wooden or delrin flute?

I only ask because some types may not be suitable for your intended purpose. :)
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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by plunk111 »

If you decide you'd rather buy than build (or you're just looking for a good case), I'd recommend this one from Cabela's. It's perfect for my antique 4-section flute.

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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by PB+J »

If you have a saw and a router, just take a piece of lumber--I'd go with something two inches by 6 inches and however long it needed to be for whatever size the flute breaks down to. Saw it in half, then rout a channel in either half wide enough to take just over half the depth of the flute flute. Line the routed channel with foam or felt. Put hinges on one side and a clasp on the other.

You wouldn't even need a router--forstner bits and a chisel would work
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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by keithsandra »

Bubble wrap and elastic bands wound round each piece then everything bubble wrapped together, with two more strong but not too tight elastic bands. This lightweight, drop proof package, takes little space in a jacket pocket, backpack or suitcase through x-ray machines and personal Customs' searches ... Don't use Sellotape instead of elastic bands.

Best, Keith.
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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by Conical bore »

Bubble wrap is the most creative thing I've ever heard used for this! Not sure it's a good idea to keep the keys depressed during transit, maybe better for keyless flutes?

My solution, until I can afford a French-style case from Northwind, is the smallest plastic pistol case I could find that would fit the flute, with tear-out foam blocks for a snug fit. This one is from Cedar Mill for $28 USD at Amazon:

http://www.ptjams.com/mb/img/flutes/aeb ... c_case.jpg

You can get fancy wooden pistol cases too, but they'll be a little larger and heavier. I searched and found some nice ones, but the prices are high enough that I'd rather just get a dedicated French-style case for that kind of money.
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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by Gromit »

If you have a saw and a router, just take a piece of lumber......
In my experience that "box" would warp.
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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by an seanduine »

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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by DavieD »

For the second flute case I build myself, I took a case from Duragadget for electronic devices:
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01N1I ... UTF8&psc=1
I discarded the foam, that came with it and took some harder foam I already had.
I cut the gaps for the flute and parts a little bigger and covered the foam with chamois leather.
Looks fine for me and has a nicer grip than foam.
I took o normal glue for it and it's durable.
It has room for a notebook and tuner, a cleaner and a tinwhistle as well.

Image

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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by Casey Burns »

The simplest and easiest case to make is to simply get some nice thickish cloth with a decent edge, add some velcro onto one end, fold it and sew it into a bag, invert it so the velcro is on the inside, and sew darts to sectionize it. I do this using place mats that I get for about $4.99 each (or less if on sale and there are coupons) from Cost Plus for my Folk Flutes.

A more elaborate padded case can be made using Cordura with a laminate liner. I get my fabric for this several yards at a time for my other keyless flutes. You can probably find similar fabrics at a fabric store that is geared towards sporting fabric as opposed to dressing fabric.

Another material that I've seen used is tapestry cloth with a lint free fuzzy liner.

I've never found a good solution for hard cases out of wood lined with velvet. It would be good if someone started producing these.

For my keyed flutes I have for years used zippered cloth cases made by my friend Mike Saunders but he is retiring from the case making business. Thus I will eventually have to work up a solution as soon as my stock for these runs out.

Casey
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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by irishmuse »

I've done a couple. I'm a weekend woodturner and not a particularly good boxmaker. it's a skill in itself, but can be done if you can source the materials and are tooled up. The one in Indonesian Rosewood I did myself (clearly if you look at the quality of the mitres etc.). The second is a former cutlery box I upcycled and repurposed. It has some sort of Walnut stain onto plywood.

In both cases (see what I did there?) crushed velvet has been folded over a closed cell foam pad made up of layers cut from one of those camping/yoga type mats you can buy here at $2- type variety stores. They are glued together with pva glue to the required thickness.The bottom section has cut-outs to accommodate the sections of the flute. The top section is one piece holding them in place when the box is closed. They are edged with velvet glued over stiff cardboard to form a frame for the foam to sit in (though you could just leave that step out and have the wood edge).

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As to cost, ( 5 years ago) the rosewood was about $40 AU ( the supplier cut and thicknessed the pieces to my specs.), the camping mat $15,the velvet $10/metre, brass hinges and clasp another $15. I have a woodlathe with polishing/buffing wheel system and shellawax, sanding discs, clamps and so on. Your finishing costs might have to be added. The rosewood one took me a full weekend. Repurposing the cutlery box about an hour, no costs as I had the box anyway. Best/quickest way to go if you come across one in a charity shop or somewhere?
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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by Jayhawk »

Nice work Irishmuse...on both upcycling and from scratch. I am now on the lookout for cutlery boxes!

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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by ChrisCracknell »

My first experiment in flute cases since getting a workshop again:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RKGgkaZf4YFMgf3o8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/5aFW7f73WXxDK91F7

Inside is my 2 part folk flute wrapped in a Dish towel. The case is too long for the flute even so, since I was not aiming at a particular flute when I made it. This took a router table and jig for the finger joints though the corners could be done in other ways. The sliding top works ok but may be prone to warping; my next trial will have both base and top glued into the frame (making a single completely closed box) which I then plan to saw through on the band saw to give me a lower and upper part to which I will then fit hinges and clasps. The wood is oak sawn out of a largish commercially acquired plank.

There is no realistic way I can make these for anything like a reasonable price for the effort involved. To do so would require setting up more jigs and going into small scale production. Which I currently don't plan to do. (or?)

I have fitted other boxes out with closed cell foam (karrimat...) and velvet glued over it. That has worked fine for me. I will do something like that when I have a box with which I am happy.
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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by ChrisCracknell »

(Fitting out an existing box is 10% of the work of a new box and requires almost no tools, so, if you can find a suitable box then go down that road.)
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Re: Homemade flute cases

Post by Gromit »

my next trial will have both base and top glued into the frame (making a single completely closed box) which I then plan to saw through on the band saw....
That's the usual method, the top and base panels should not be glued on all edges - to allow for movement.
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