barrel crack, possibly from overuse.

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:48 pm

Hi folks,

I'm a bit weepy. My selfmade plumwood/art.ivory flute developed a crack in the barrel, and I'm pretty sure that the reason for this was overuse. It already had a very small hairline crack, but it seemed that the crack was only on the wood surface, so I did not pay much attention to it (probably a big fault).

Now the crack has widened while I tooted around on the flute this evening:

I immediately stopped playing and dried out the flute. I have no humidifier or something, so it's just lying on my desktop for now...

What do you advise me to do now? Any hints what a fix of this might cost? I don't have the tools for turning a new barrel, if I had, I would...

Many many thanks for every hint!

Gabriel

PS: Now I know that choosing Delrin for my new Jon C. flute was right...

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 3:12 pm

How long did you season the wood before making the flute? I'd suspect unseasoned wood before "over use.

Your most cost effective repair at this point will be a glue repair. Do it at home for next to nothing (but it'll look lousy) or pay a pro around $50 to do it right, although matching the wood color exactly on that flute isn't likely.

Loren

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 3:19 pm

The wood was seasoned for years since it was the same wood Andreas Rogge uses for his flutes and pipes, and in whose workshop I made the flute.

It could be that the wood was not oiled well enough, but that still should have been okay...hmm. No idea.

I think I will phone Andreas tomorrow and ask him what he'd suggest. It's his general design, so he should know what to do.

Thanks anyway!

greenspiderweb · Post by **greenspiderweb** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 3:31 pm

Since you say you have no humidifier, I would think the relative humidity in your home got too dry and widened the already existing crack. Most people either humidify their rooms, or keep their wooden flute in some sort of container, with a humidifier in it during the heating season to prevent things like this.

Now, it would still be wise to humidify it, so the crack closes as much as possible, and doesn't get worse. You will need it as closed as possible to have the repair done, anyway, whether you or someone else does it. Andreas would be the likely candidate for the job.

Sorry to hear it, but it can be fixed, almost as good as new.

Jonathan · Post by **Jonathan** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 3:42 pm

you can fix it pretty easily w/ some liquid super glue.
I've done this before on a cracked barrel and it worked like a charm. Sand the excess from the surface and it shouldn't be too noticeable.
I'd keep it in a humidified case to keep other cracks from forming due to the flute drying out too much.

Lotta · Post by **Lotta** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:04 pm

Does it have a tuning slide consisting of metal inside the head and barrel section?

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:05 pm

Ah, yes, forgot to mention that. The headpiece is completely and the barrel partly lined. The crack is located on the tube-less side of the barrel.

Any recommendations for an air humidifier?

George · Post by **George** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:25 pm

Be careful of quick glue fixes! Superglue doesn't bond wood together, as well as being brittle; it will crack open when the wood moves again. That part of the flute is also being constantly stressed while playing from the tenon beneath it. If you just throw some glue in there it's going to be a pain (if not impossible) to get out for a more heavy duty repair. Take it to a knowledgeable woodwind repair person.

Sincerely,
-George

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:27 pm

I should have been more precise in my wording: How long did the wood season after it was bored out? Then how long did it season between the first and final reaming? If the time period was relatively short, the it's not surprising the barrel cracked when the humidity dropped.

Loren

Jonathan · Post by **Jonathan** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:46 pm

It worked fine for me as I'm sure it has for others, yes even in an area that's stressed by a tenon. A maker recommended this fix to me. It will cost you $2 max as opposed to 50+. Obviously you'd want to wait until the wood has dried somewhat and the crack has closed up some before you do it. The fix will be virtually invisible. I'd say that bonding wood together is exactly what superglue does.

I dunno. If this crack was in a more critical place such as the head joint or mid sections (or foot), I'd definitely take it to a qualified repairperson. But this is a barrel we're talking about. Just my opinion!

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 6:46 pm

When there was a small crack in my Flute (even though it was in a tennon I wanted to stop it from spreading) I asked my engineer Uncle who said he fixed a cracked Clarinet with super glue. I did it on my Fltue and it worked perfectly fine. Of course you made this Flute so it is not like you are ruing someone elses work.

greenspiderweb · Post by **greenspiderweb** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 6:56 pm

Gabriel wrote:Ah, yes, forgot to mention that. The headpiece is completely and the barrel partly lined. The crack is located on the tube-less side of the barrel.

Any recommendations for an air humidifier?

This has been discussed many times here, and also cracks and repair. If you do a search with the word humidifying, and select the flute forum, you will get many responses. This thread had 252 responses:

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... umidifying

Something as simple as a plastic bag, and a piece of wet sponge kept in a container of some sort (even another small plastic bag with holes in it) so it doesn't touch the wood will work to temporarily re-humidify your flute and close the crack. Read the post above, and it will explain in more detail.

Steampacket · Post by **Steampacket** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 4:05 am

I had this happen to a headjoint during a dry winter a couple of years ago here in Sweden and the maker suggested as a temporary fix putting the headjoint in a sealed container together with a damp sponge for a couple of days. This I did and the crack (on the backside of the head joint) closed completely up and became invisible to the eye. I ordered a new headjoint anyway just so that the flute would be as new. I use the original head joint all the time and just keep an eye on the humidity during the winter months and keep the flute in it's box inside a plastic bag with a hygrometer and damp sponge. Prehaps over the top as I play just about every day. The crack hasn't posed any problem at all.

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 4:22 am

Thanks for all those replies!

For now, I placed bowls of water in my entire flat (1-room) to rise the humidity a bit. My father is going to order an air humidifier for me for testing, and when it's good, I'll keep it.

Additionally, I ordered a new (gun) case for my flute and pipes - might be perfect for humidified storage of my instruments.

By the way, the crack closed a bit overnight, so all has not been said and done.

Thanks again!

Gabriel

George · Post by **George** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 4:40 am

I was under the impression that super glue didn't make the same bond on wood that it did with plastics and such ... apparently I'm mistaken. Best of luck with everything.

-George