Birch Flutes?

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Ben Shaffer
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Birch Flutes?

Post by Ben Shaffer »

Anyone have experience with Birch Flutes?
If so what are they like?
Birch can look a lot like Apple or Boxwood
Birch seems to be used for various Parts for Bodhrans, Pipes as well as String Instruments, but I'm interested in finding out if anyone has made Birch Flute?
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Terry McGee
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by Terry McGee »

It would really need impregnating I think Ben to get up to the kind of density we lust after. EG:

Water 1.0
Pear 0.65
Birch 0.67
Boxwood, 0.95
Blackwood 1.27,
Mopane 1.3,
Gidgee 1.35
Delrin 1.356
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by kkrell »

Terry McGee wrote:It would really need impregnating I think Ben to get up to the kind of density we lust after. EG:

Water 1.0
Pear 0.65
Birch 0.67
Boxwood, 0.95
Blackwood 1.27,
Mopane 1.3,
Gidgee 1.35
Delrin 1.356
Does this mean that Water would make a better flute than Pear, Birch, or Boxwood?
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by chas »

kkrell wrote:
Terry McGee wrote:It would really need impregnating I think Ben to get up to the kind of density we lust after. EG:

Water 1.0
Pear 0.65
Birch 0.67
Boxwood, 0.95
Blackwood 1.27,
Mopane 1.3,
Gidgee 1.35
Delrin 1.356
Does this mean that Water would make a better flute than Pear, Birch, or Boxwood?
I'm a wet player already; wouldn't work for me.
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by Katharine »

kkrell wrote:
Terry McGee wrote:It would really need impregnating I think Ben to get up to the kind of density we lust after. EG:

Water 1.0
Pear 0.65
Birch 0.67
Boxwood, 0.95
Blackwood 1.27,
Mopane 1.3,
Gidgee 1.35
Delrin 1.356
Does this mean that Water would make a better flute than Pear, Birch, or Boxwood?
Sure, but carving the embouchure sucks...
Here's tae us--
Wha's like us?
Damn few--
And they're a' deid--
Mair's the pity.
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Terry McGee
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by Terry McGee »

kkrell wrote:
Terry McGee wrote:It would really need impregnating I think Ben to get up to the kind of density we lust after. EG:

Water 1.0
Pear 0.65
Birch 0.67
Boxwood, 0.95
Blackwood 1.27,
Mopane 1.3,
Gidgee 1.35
Delrin 1.356
Does this mean that Water would make a better flute than Pear, Birch, or Boxwood?
Probably. But like the Covid 19 vaccine, you have to keep it refrigerated....
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Peter Duggan
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by Peter Duggan »

Terry McGee wrote:Probably. But like the Covid 19 vaccine, you have to keep it refrigerated....
Reducing the density to take it below boxwood...
And we in dreams behold the Hebrides.

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Terry McGee
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by Terry McGee »

Damn you sir. I am outfoxed!
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by Holmes »

Katharine wrote:Sure, but carving the embouchure sucks...
Sucks? That's where I've been going wrong, I've been blowing...

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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by Jayhawk »

While I don't post as much anymore, I still lurk around the boards periodically. Just reading this thread I have to say:

1) Y'all crack me up, and
2) I love all my fellow Chiffers.

Thanks for brightening a cold, cheerless Monday morning. This is by far my leading candidate for thread of the year!

Eric
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Terry McGee
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by Terry McGee »

We are indeed a lucky bunch, Jayhawk, not only playing (and/or making) a great instrument, but in being able to enjoy the fellowship of like-minded souls around the entire world.

I became especially aware of that when the bushfires on our east coast swept down to our back fence here in Malua Bay, and the surreal scenes from our local beach made it to front pages of newspapers around the world (not much more than a year ago). I was completely "cut off by modern communications" as Milligan put it so many years ago - no power, no internet, no mobile coverage (the local towers burnt) for a week or so, and then sporadically on and off after that as stressed and damaged systems continued to fail.

But when I did check out Chiff & Fipple, sitting in the car at the top of a high hill looking across the bay to a distant mobile tower, there was a thread asking after my safety. How nice is that?

I know things are looking pretty gloomy in many parts of our Irish music diaspora right now, but I think with the vaccines and growing awareness of governments we can see the glimmer of hope at the other end of the flute bore. So line up for those jabs, and let's get this show back on the road!
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by jim stone »

You are, Terry, a treasure.
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Terry McGee
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by Terry McGee »

Now, jim stone, my only concern about you is your proclivity for exaggeration. "Gem" yes. "Diamond in the rough" certainly. "Pure gold", undoubtedly.

But "treasure"?

Oh, alright then!

(Heh heh....)
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by awildman »

C'mon, Terry. You know the old saying: One man's trash is another man's treasure.
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Re: Birch Flutes?

Post by Narzog »

I'm not a master flute craftsman but from my experience and tests material has a small effect on tone. So I'd think birch would work fine, although may not be the ideal wood.
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