:roll: This question is posed, because I currently have 4 very nice wooden flutes which I keep ASSEMBLED and READY FOR ACTION! I keep them well oiled and always swab them out. I play each of these flutes several times a week.
AM I PUTTING THEM IN JEOPARDY????
Thanks for your consideration!
Jordan
Do I Need A Derlin Flute?
well you will find out at the end.......but I won't do that to wooden sticks.....just to be on the safe side.-
greenspiderweb
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Jordan,
If your flutes haven't warped, cracked, or shrunk consider yourself lucky. It's good you care for them by swabbing and oiling, but generally flutes need about 60% to 70% humidity, or as close as you can keep it to that year round, so the wood doesn't contract and expand too much; you want to keep it as stable as possible. By humidifying them, you will keep them stable. And it's not good to leave them assembled after play either, for the health of the wooden tenons and cork that wrap around the tenons(if they have it).
A delrin flute would be better to leave out, ready to play, providing it doesn't have cork tenons, then it's still good to take down. Or you can just plan on replacing the cork more often if you leave it assembled. The cork will become compressed and lose its springiness.
I'm new to the flute, having come to it from the low whistle, but I've been reading about the care, mostly here on Chiff. It can be a heartbreaker if you don't take care of them! A good solution is to get a tupperware container or two (I have a rectangular cake container by them) and put a small humidifier (I use a Guardfather-clay in a small plastic tub) or a wet sponge in something with holes drilled in it, that doesn't touch the flute. Then, all you need is a small hygrometer to keep track of the humidity. It sounds like it's harder than it is. It's worth it though, they're your flutes, after all!
If your flutes haven't warped, cracked, or shrunk consider yourself lucky. It's good you care for them by swabbing and oiling, but generally flutes need about 60% to 70% humidity, or as close as you can keep it to that year round, so the wood doesn't contract and expand too much; you want to keep it as stable as possible. By humidifying them, you will keep them stable. And it's not good to leave them assembled after play either, for the health of the wooden tenons and cork that wrap around the tenons(if they have it).
A delrin flute would be better to leave out, ready to play, providing it doesn't have cork tenons, then it's still good to take down. Or you can just plan on replacing the cork more often if you leave it assembled. The cork will become compressed and lose its springiness.
I'm new to the flute, having come to it from the low whistle, but I've been reading about the care, mostly here on Chiff. It can be a heartbreaker if you don't take care of them! A good solution is to get a tupperware container or two (I have a rectangular cake container by them) and put a small humidifier (I use a Guardfather-clay in a small plastic tub) or a wet sponge in something with holes drilled in it, that doesn't touch the flute. Then, all you need is a small hygrometer to keep track of the humidity. It sounds like it's harder than it is. It's worth it though, they're your flutes, after all!
~~~~
Barry
Barry
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David Levine
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Delrin flute-- nobody 'needs' one
IMHO too much has been made about flute care. I have three flutes that I keep going. They are dissembled and the parts are kept upright on flute stands made from dowels inserted into a flat board. The humidity varies from 40% - 50% here, with occasional days of 60%. I do get nervous when the humidity approaches 40%. But there's no need to keep a flute at 60% humidity.
The only flute I ever had crack was back in the States, in the days when I would leave the flute assembled even in the winter, when the relative humidity in the house dropped to about 20%. The barrel of an old Rudall cracked. I learned my lesson: buy a digital hygrometer for $20 and keep a close eye on it.
I wouldn't keep the flute assembled. But I don't keep the flute in its case except when I am travelling with it or when the humidity is dropping below about 40%. If you keep the flute in a tupperware container with a damp sponge inside, you're making a mildew generator. The bacteria from your wet flute love to multiply in the wet, warm, and dark case. Yech! Who would want to play it with those slimy things crawling over and doing their nasty stuff in your flute.
The only flute I ever had crack was back in the States, in the days when I would leave the flute assembled even in the winter, when the relative humidity in the house dropped to about 20%. The barrel of an old Rudall cracked. I learned my lesson: buy a digital hygrometer for $20 and keep a close eye on it.
I wouldn't keep the flute assembled. But I don't keep the flute in its case except when I am travelling with it or when the humidity is dropping below about 40%. If you keep the flute in a tupperware container with a damp sponge inside, you're making a mildew generator. The bacteria from your wet flute love to multiply in the wet, warm, and dark case. Yech! Who would want to play it with those slimy things crawling over and doing their nasty stuff in your flute.
Time will tell who has fell and who's been left behind,
Most likely you'll go your way, I'll go mine.
Most likely you'll go your way, I'll go mine.
"It might be a bit better to tune to one of my fiddle's open strings, like A, rather than asking me for an F#." - Martin Milner-
scooter587
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Contrary to David's concerns about mildew, keeping my wooden flute in its case, and inside a plastic box with a tight-sealing lid, is the only way I can protect it from drying out in the 10% to 20% humidity ranges typical of the intermountain west, USA. I use a sponge in an empty plastic spice jar for a humidifier. Mildew is not a problem in my climate.
I keep my Seery out and assembled most of the time. And it goes with me on kayak trips, leaving the Copley safe at home.
I keep my Seery out and assembled most of the time. And it goes with me on kayak trips, leaving the Copley safe at home.
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Jayhawk
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Personally, I like having a delrin flute always assembled to play a quick tune or two, but it's not essential. Delrin flutes are great for travel, playing in the pool/tub, and for camping though.
I'm with David when it comes to the belief that we worry too much about humidifying and keeping our wooden flutes perfectly humidified, but he's in the perfect climate now to allow him to keep his flutes out.
I do what Dave Migoya recently said he did - keep his flute in it's case with only the damp rag he cleans his flute out with. Then again, I only have one wooden flute I play regularly so it's getting significant humidification daily...
If I had multiple cases, I'd get a damp-it or another small instrument humidifier, keep the flutes in their cases, and that would be that (other than making sure the damp-it or sponge was always damp.
I do think leaving them assembled increases the chance of cracking in the tennon section because the end grains of the tennon are a natural place for moisture to congregate after playing which would increase the chance of cracking.
Eric
I'm with David when it comes to the belief that we worry too much about humidifying and keeping our wooden flutes perfectly humidified, but he's in the perfect climate now to allow him to keep his flutes out.
I do what Dave Migoya recently said he did - keep his flute in it's case with only the damp rag he cleans his flute out with. Then again, I only have one wooden flute I play regularly so it's getting significant humidification daily...
If I had multiple cases, I'd get a damp-it or another small instrument humidifier, keep the flutes in their cases, and that would be that (other than making sure the damp-it or sponge was always damp.
I do think leaving them assembled increases the chance of cracking in the tennon section because the end grains of the tennon are a natural place for moisture to congregate after playing which would increase the chance of cracking.
Eric
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Doc Jones
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Hey Jordan,
Looks like you and Jayhawk are in the same area.
Wow, two flute players in the same state. What would that be like?! :roll:
Doc
Looks like you and Jayhawk are in the same area.
Wow, two flute players in the same state. What would that be like?! :roll:
Doc
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chas
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I'm with Jayhawk. I'm getting a Delrin flute for travel. I often take driving vacations in the summer, and it's either leave the flute at the campsite, carry it all the time, or leave it in the car, which might get up to 180 degrees sitting in the sun for a couple of hours. Or take a Delrin flute.
I used to be hyper about keeping my flutes humidified, but have relaxed quite a bit. If I don't have plans to play one for a couple of weeks, or there's a protracted cold snap in the winter, leading to <40% indoor RH, I'll put them in a tupperware with a humidifier. I do take them apart, though.
I used to be hyper about keeping my flutes humidified, but have relaxed quite a bit. If I don't have plans to play one for a couple of weeks, or there's a protracted cold snap in the winter, leading to <40% indoor RH, I'll put them in a tupperware with a humidifier. I do take them apart, though.
Charlie
Whorfin Woods
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Whorfin Woods
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I live very close to the Gulf of Mexico and the humidity is so high sometimes that the mosquitoes wear swimm fins and goggles. I am buying a M&E and when I buy a wood flute I will look at what the maker recommends. Then go from there. The information here is good and you do have the experience.
''Whistles of Wood'', cpvc and brass. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69086
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greenspiderweb
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I live in the humid East Coast, but in the winter, with heating, humidity can drop to 20-30% humidity. Even now, in the Spring, it's been in the 30-35% range indoors, because it's still cool out, and the heat is still running occasionally.
Of course, in the Summer, things are different here, humidity is much higher, and the danger to any wooden instrument lessens from dryness, unless you have central air conditioning, or run a dehumidifier.
But, with any wooden instrument, you will have less problems with warping, cracking, shrinkage, etc. if you keep the wood as stable humidity wise, as you are able to throughout the year. I think the main problem with the flute is that you are always wetting it from the inside, and unless you have higher humidity for the outside of the flute, like 60% or so, it probably tends to keep the wood moving more from the imbalance of moisture between inside and outside of the flute.
Some people like David Levine in Ireland or people in the Pacific Northwest are "lucky" to have higher humidity levels most of the year and can probably relax some about care, but I wouldn't bet my flute on it!
Of course, in the Summer, things are different here, humidity is much higher, and the danger to any wooden instrument lessens from dryness, unless you have central air conditioning, or run a dehumidifier.
But, with any wooden instrument, you will have less problems with warping, cracking, shrinkage, etc. if you keep the wood as stable humidity wise, as you are able to throughout the year. I think the main problem with the flute is that you are always wetting it from the inside, and unless you have higher humidity for the outside of the flute, like 60% or so, it probably tends to keep the wood moving more from the imbalance of moisture between inside and outside of the flute.
Some people like David Levine in Ireland or people in the Pacific Northwest are "lucky" to have higher humidity levels most of the year and can probably relax some about care, but I wouldn't bet my flute on it!
~~~~
Barry
Barry
Me too!greenspiderweb wrote:Some people like David Levine in Ireland or people in the Pacific Northwest are "lucky" to have higher humidity levels most of the year and can probably relax some about care, but I wouldn't bet my flute on it!
The Tipple is always out, the Burns is only out when I'm playing it.
Denny
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Jon C.
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