silicone for filling cracks?

LorenzoFlute · Post by **LorenzoFlute** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:38 pm

hi,
my old german flute has a couple of cracks, that untill now have been filled with beeswax (and also covered with tape), and it plays well. But some days i can hear that the bottom notes don't sound as usual, so i put more beeswax.

Now i was thinking, how about using silicone to fill the cracks? water shouldn't pass, it won't open the cracks, it won't get away like beeswax and i belive that (maybe) it shouldn't be too difficult to take it off if needed, possibly for a real rapair.

What do you think?

Rob Sharer · Post by **Rob Sharer** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:47 pm

No no no!!! Silicone has a nasty habit of a) hanging around forever in wood, and b) resisting all other finishes/adhesives. It might seal up the crack, but it may make any other repairs impossible. So unless you want to condemn all future generations to packing that crack full of silicone, don't do it. Cheers,

Rob

irish69 · Post by **irish69** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:23 pm

try some crazy glue or some nail glue. you have to get all that wax that you put in there out first!!

jemtheflute · Post by **jemtheflute** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:44 pm

irish69 wrote:try some crazy glue or some nail glue. you have to get all that wax that you put in there out first!!

To echo Rob, "No, no no!!!" Never fill cracks with glue - only use glue if you have reduced the crack (by removing liner tubes) and are gluing it SHUT before re-reaming to readmit the liner without stress. Glues and fillers are a nightmare to get out of cracks, even with nasty solvents, so that you can get the crack as closed as possible and fix it properly. Wax, on the other hand, can be removed with moderate heat and residue easily flushed/cleaned off with a solvent to permit glue to take properly in a good repair.

norcalbob · Post by **norcalbob** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:03 pm

I've never repaired a wooden flute, so I would trust what Jem and Rob say. I have used Superglue to repair hairline cracks in a didgeridoo, and wonder if it might be useful for similar cracks in a wooden flute?

Didgeridoos which are not sealed with epoxy or other sealants can crack when the moisture content of the wooden changes rapidly just as a flute can. I purchased an unsealed, Aboriginal, handmade didgeridoo about a year ago. It was beautifully hand painted with ochres and was a gorgeous player. I just couldn't keep my mitts off of it, and instead of breaking it in gradually, I overdid it and it cracked.

There were two hairline cracks about 3 inches long near the mouthpiece. I found that the Superglue flowed into these fine cracks easily and didn't damage the delicate ochre artwork.

Would Superglue be o'k depending upon the size of the crack in the flute, and if not, what is the preferred repair method?

jemtheflute · Post by **jemtheflute** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:13 pm

I use superglue to seal cracks closed; yes it's good not only because it holds well but also because it is fluid enough to get well into a crack by flow and capillary action - then clamp closed! You gotta be a bit nifty. though! At least if it goes wrong you can (carefully!) lever the crack back open, soak it in acetone, clean up and have another go! I also use it with wood dust from the flute itself (from filing out the bore to readmit the metal tubes - N.B. not sanding when collecting dust for this purpose) to top-dress along the line of the as-closed-up-as-possible-and-glued crack, then scrape/rub down to give as flush and invisible as possible finish.

Jon C. · Post by **Jon C.** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:17 pm

Rob Sharer wrote:No no no!!! Silicone has a nasty habit of a) hanging around forever in wood, and b) resisting all other finishes/adhesives. It might seal up the crack, but it may make any other repairs impossible. So unless you want to condemn all future generations to packing that crack full of silicone, don't do it. Cheers,

Rob

I had a flute repair that the brilliant repairer had used silicone to glue the liner in, try to get that out... Can't heat it, can't melt it, (high temp) can't disolve it with solvents, (maybe oil). Bet to stay away from that stuff...

LorenzoFlute · Post by **LorenzoFlute** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:18 am

ok i guess i won't use it

beeswax should be fine anyway, i'll try to put it with particular attention, it may last for a longer time.
Thanks for help,

Othannen

pkev · Post by **pkev** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:16 pm

Hi there,

Depending on the size of crack, and how expensive the flute is, it might be worth checking into having it professionally repaired and have the crack/s pinned.

Cheers
pkev

Guinness · Post by **Guinness** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:47 pm

Sorry, but pinning is butt ugly.

jemtheflute · Post by **jemtheflute** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:55 am

Pinning is certainly not desirable, though done well it should be virtually invisible. It seems to be less fashionable for flute repairs than it was a few years back. There is usually no need for it on head and barrel joints where a glued crack in a re-reamed, lined tube is no longer stressed and is supported by the glued-in liner tubes. However, it may still be necessary to ensure a crack in an unlined body joint that is trying to spring apart stays glued!

sbfluter · Post by **sbfluter** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:52 am

I still think it might work well enough to just stick a piece of scotch tape along the crack on the inside. It's not a permanent alteration to the flute but it's not easy to remove, either, which could be bad.

LorenzoFlute · Post by **LorenzoFlute** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:42 am

i found a special wax used specifically for filling wood cracks and scratchs. it's harder than the beeswax that i used, it doesn't get off as easily, it's easy to work with and is dark brown, so it's also aesthetically nicer