Chiff and Fipple Forums

I lost the end cap to my M&E polymer flute. As far as I'm aware, it's useless except for aesthetics. But I'd like a replacement, if only so that my flute doesn't look decapitated. It can be wood or plastic or whatever, I don't care.

Does anyone know of someone who would sell something like this? Are end caps typically standardized? Do flute repairers make them custom for people? Would this be expensive?

I'm in the DC area for a few more days and then I'm back in Boston.

Do you know anyone who has a metal lathe? They could make one for you out of a delrin rod, it's easy to do and shouldn't be expensive.

Maybe ask M&E where you might get one? If they don't have local stockists, it might not be expensive to ship one by mail.

Sometimes with small components, makers are even generous enough to send you the item free of charge, if you cover the postage.

Try a whiskey bottle cork.

Someone the other day suggested buying a beautiful cabochon and gluing it to the whiskey cork top - malachite or azurite or rhodochrosite?

On my keyless old M&E I have a ribbed black, hard rubber, whiskey stopper, which diameter fits perfectly inside and out. I affixed upon the end of that a silver family crest button from the 1800’s. It also fit my Baubet delrin with both the inside and outside diameters working perfectly. I have a couple of pictures that I will send to the email in your profile as I cannot attach them here.
In any case all the best, -JD

JD...send me the pic and I'll host it online...I'm curious to see what you've got going on!

Eric

JD rocked it! This looks superb:

I concur! Outstanding!

Bob

Brilliant.

Thanks for the tip about using a bottle cork. I happened to have an unopened bottle of Sandeman port in the house so I opened it and the cork looks great on an antique Metzler flute......I haven't tried playing it yet because I cant stand any noise at all today........