Soaking an old wooden flute in orange water ...

[keithsandra]

My circa 1830 small holed, four key cocus flute developed a crack-repair leak. The restorer soaked it for a few days in orange peel and water. Now the crack repair has merged into the wood and the sweet toned flute sings like an angel again. Cost? Canadian$42. She threw in an old but sturdy professional leather covered case with dehydration packets, for free. Life is good.

Best wishes,

Keith.

[pmcallis]

An old "orange" flute, eh? Better be careful where you play it.
Paul

[BigDavy]

An old "orange" flute, eh? Better be careful where you play it.
Paul

Old Orange Flute


David

[LorenzoFlute]

[keithsandra]

Lorenzo, Maybe the other posts are being tongue in cheek, pointing out the irony of an 'IrIsh' flute being associated with an anti southern Ireland (EIRE), northern Ireland Protestant movement, The Orangemen, and a politically provocative Irish folk tune. But I'm not wholly sure. Maybe you have to be Irish to get it?

In the meantime, I am British born, now Canadian, playing a Cuban cocus wood Yankee made flute probably influenced by Rudall and Rose in England. (Brits still innocently refer to Americans as 'Yankees' - don't ask).

Best wishes,

Keith.

[Steve Bliven]

Brits still innocently refer to Americans as 'Yankees'

Not in Red Sox territory, they don't

Best wishes.

Steve

[an seanduine]

However, in Red Sox territory, they do have a Green Monster

Bob

[benhall.1]

I have no idea what you guys are on about. However, it might just be worth saying that I don't remember any Brit of my acquaintance calling Americans "Yankees". "Yanks" yes, but not "Yankees". And the term "yanks" seems fair enough to me, considering that the term was routinely used by Americans to describe themselves up to at least the start of the 20c (see the popular song "Over There").

Honestly, there's me, piling on into the thread-drift ...

[Mr.Gumby]

"Yanks" yes, but not "Yankees".

Yes, ditto in Ireland. 'Yanks' is the standard term.

[Latticino]

Back to the OP:

From your story it appears that the original crack, crack repair and second crack are all related to low humidity conditions. Please be aware that you can get low humidity in summer as well as winter if the space you keep your flute in is heavily air conditioned. Dehydration packs don't sound like a good idea to me, but YMMV. If crack was in a socket/tennon joint be sure to keep flute separated when not in use.

Good luck.

[keithsandra]

Thanks, Latticino. The humidity is in the 45 to 55 range, no central heating, year round. The restorer is thinking it might be temperature variations as the cracks (on two antique cocus flutes) appeared on my return from six months in Mexico where humidity is the same as here, Vancouver Island, but the temperature here is on average 15F to 20F lower. The leaks in the repaired cracks start within days of getting back here. Consequently I think I need a non wood, small holed Rudall type to take to Mexico every year ...

Best wishes,

Keith.

[ChrisCracknell]

How does Relative Humidity work in wood. I know that for air, the amount of water that can be held in air as vapour is a function of pressure and temperature and relative humidity is what percentage of that capacity is actually being used by the water currently in the air. So, the relative humidity can change without the amount of water carried by the air changing. As indeed happens when air cools and RH reaches 100% forming dew...

Now the water in a stably hydrated flute is in balance with that in the atmosphere, but what effect does the temperature of the flute have on the water holding properties of the wood? e.g. a flute in equilibrium with air at 50% and temperature X is moved to air with temperature Y (=X-18degrees C), also at 50% humidity. Will the flute wood gain, lose or maintain hydration?

Chris.

[kkrell]

The restorer is thinking it might be temperature variations as the cracks (on two antique cocus flutes) appeared on my return from six months in Mexico where humidity is the same as here, Vancouver Island, but the temperature here is on average 15F to 20F lower. The leaks in the repaired cracks start within days of getting back here. Consequently I think I need a non wood, small holed Rudall type to take to Mexico every year ...

If you could manage a medium-hole Rudall, Gary Somers keyless Delrin models can be recommended.

Shouldn't your cracked flute get a proper repair, not just a soaking?

[keithsandra]

My evidence as related above is anecdotal of course but indicates loss of hydration. A four hour plane ride with the flutes carried on board with me might also have something to do with it.

Best wishes,

Ke ith.

[keithsandra]

Thanks, Krell: The restorer thinks soaking is the way to go. It certainly looks tight. It's been pressure tested too. Time will tell.

Best wishes,

Keith.