Re: Chinese (or other) B foot Bohm flute cases; yes, these will serve very well for an 8-key wooden flute, with a little (easily DIY accomplished) adaptation. Either a two part body (5 section, sometimes referred to as “Rudall style”) or one-part body (4 sections, often referred to as “Pratten style”) type of flute can be accommodated. With the separate R & L hand body joint type, you can choose whether or not to leave them assembled - there is room to store them separately, and there is no need to keep the foot on the lower body as in most period cases for these flutes – in fact, it just isn’t possible. These cases are pretty slim-line, but most 8-keyers should fit OK unless they have very sticky-out keys. As has been pointed out already, the C foot versions of these cases are not suitable – it doesn’t matter how you disassemble and arrange the flute, you usually can’t quite get all the parts in by an annoying few millimetres.
The manufacturer pre-installed blocks in the bases of these cases are of course only suitable for use with a Bohm flute, but they are simply glued in over the velveteen lining and are easily removed with a sharp knife and a little levering, and one could remove any glue residue with acetone. The blocks are of soft wood with a velveteen covering, and they may in part at least be adapted for re-use to fit your own flute, or may be entirely discarded. In any case, you will need some foam blocks or maybe to make some new wooden blocks and cover them with cloth for insertion in the base to secure your flute……. I have not as yet actually done this, though I recently acquired a stock of these cases for use with flutes I overhaul and repair which have lost their original case. The blocks in the case lids are velveteen-covered foam and can be left as they are, though one might wish to add some more, better sited to ensure a simple system flute cannot rattle about. There seems to be ample clearance for any keys projecting up towards the lid.
As the pictures below show, my own R&R fits quite snugly into one of these cases in a layout conveniently and logically orientated for picking up and assembling its parts (so many flute cases seem to have daft layouts in this respect!). I haven’t actually created any blocks to fit it in properly, but one can easily see what would be required. There is only room for a rather narrow divider between the two rows of parts, but there is sufficient clearance not to bang or tangle keys.
Interior as supplied
Interior with blocks removed
Removed blocks
My R&R laid out in the case, re-using the one large block in way that quite neatly fits the foot-joint (but one could cut part of it away or not use it and thus free up more space for grease pot/tube etc.)
These Chinese cases are cheaply but quite well made and should do a decent enough job for “our” kind of flute, providing safe enough storage and transit in a conveniently light and slim case. I don’t think these cases would withstand much dropping and bashing, however, and certainly wouldn’t protect your flute from being run over by a car or any such calamity. At about £20 including P&P from China as sold on eBay, I think they are a potentially useful solution at a reasonable cost.
