Chiff and Fipple Forums

I have a vintage c. 1840's 8-key wooden flute by English West Country maker Robert Weeks of Plymouth. It is in overall excellent condition, with no cracks to the body. However it does need one or two new pads.

How straightforward is it to obtain and fit older-style ball pads on the older spoon keys? I've fitted new pads to more modern flutes, but wonder if spoon keys should be left to a professional or someone with more experience?

Also if someone can also advise how I can post photos here, I'll add a photo or two.

With these lovely old flutes, personally I'd have a professional do it. Since you are in England I think contact Arthur Haswell or Peter Worrell, top professional restorers.

Would love to see some photos.

How to post images:

faq.php#f3r3

Use the 'Img' button on the editor. Your images will need to be on offsite image stores such as Dropbox or Flickr and so on and so forth. Put the URL of the picture in the Img tag.

I have flute with salt spoon keys but have not tried to repad. I know someone who did and it worked for him but is a bit tricky to get the right amount of padding in the purse that you make out of kid leather or pneumatic leather I think it is called sometimes. Have to source flock or raw lambs wool for the packing. Skiver leather I remember is another name. Fiddly thread wrapping and knotting , some people put a stitch through the centre of the pad to prevent bulging.
I saw instructions for it somewhere I think it was Terry McGee's website. Might be in Hammy Hamilton's book.
When attempting the pads you might well get a few rejects before you get the hang of it, that was my friends experience. Have to get enough packing in to seal well and last well but not so much that it bulges into the flute.
Hopefully someone here will give you the full instructions. I would like to see them. Will probably leave trying on my flute as I don't think I would be using it. The pads have limited life, even when not being used I believe .

People have used air con filter material (the less dense type), and padding material from the old green parka coats and similar 'flock'.

mendipman wrote:How straightforward is it to obtain and fit older-style ball pads on the older spoon keys?

How to Make Purse Pads (with photos):
https://kellynivison.com/purse-pads

I know that you can buy kid leather at Hobby Lobby.

Thanks for the link showing how to make the salt spoon pads. If I can source the materials I’m tempted to give it a try myself. The pad doesn’t need to be fitted until a suitable size has been made, and that gives some leeway or allowance for initial mistakes.

I did a "forensic study" into these pads some years back. Something here may be of help:

http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Purse-pads_ ... -Balls.htm

Jon Dodd is now back in Corsham, near Bath, England: http://www.jondodd.net.
Jon did a great job repadding my Rudall flutes

Steampacket wrote:Jon Dodd is now back in Corsham, near Bath, England: http://www.jondodd.net.
Jon did a great job repadding my Rudall flutes

Thanks for the contact details. Corsham is not too far from me, about 40 miles. From a quick look at his website and costings it looks like a service with new pad(s) would cost me between £100 and £120. I know repairers have a living to make but that sort've cost inclines me toward learning to do the repad myself and only paying for materials. I also like to be capable to do my own typical flute maintenance.

Terry McGee wrote:I did a "forensic study" into these pads some years back. Something here may be of help:

http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Purse-pads_ ... -Balls.htm

Cheers Terry, brilliant, detailed information.

I'll now refer to my keys as elastic plug keys!

Here is a photo of my Richard Weekes 8-key flute. The maker Richard Weekes (1811-1886) was active an flute-maker between 1840 and 1871 in Plymouth, Devon.

mendipman wrote:Here is a photo of my Richard Weekes 8-key flute. The maker Richard Weekes (1811-1886) was active an flute-maker between 1840 and 1871 in Plymouth, Devon.

Unfortunately, that sort of image link only takes one to one's OWN dropbox account (where YOU're logged in), and isn't shareable. You have to upgrade to DROPBOX Professional to create shareable links, or host the file on another site (Facebook, IMGUR, etc.).

I too would be interested to see a photo of mendipman's Richard Weekes flute

I think I shared a photo on here in the past using Box.com

kkrell wrote:

mendipman wrote:Here is a photo of my Richard Weekes 8-key flute. The maker Richard Weekes (1811-1886) was active an flute-maker between 1840 and 1871 in Plymouth, Devon.

Unfortunately, that sort of image link only takes one to one's OWN dropbox account (where YOU're logged in), and isn't shareable. You have to upgrade to DROPBOX Professional to create shareable links, or host the file on another site (Facebook, IMGUR, etc.).

IMGUR and box.com charge a fee. I don’t use Facebook. What is an alternative free site that I could use to share photos here?

When I created my Box.com account, there was a free limited amount of storage. I dont know whether that has changed though...