Breaking down/swabbing my wooden flute

[Cork]

...I have always used a simple piece of 1/4" dowel...A sure case where the plain, simple, low-tech solution is best.

Mind you, I once had a Rudall Carte Boehm flute that still had its original cocuswood rod with an eye (I didn't use the eye!) in the top end and a screwdriver in the butt end which was revealed by unscrewing the bottom part from a silver band in the middle. Lovely artefact, but it had to go with the flute when I parted with it.

Small world, indeed.

Twenty-something years ago I made a similar dowel cleaning rod, of 1/4" wood, and then hand fabricated an eye, about 1" long, using a drill, a jeweler's saw, and a file to finish it, and it is long enough to swab an assembled flute. In fact, that same rod is now within my reach. I treated it with the same artist grade linseed oil which I use for my wood flutes.

Smaller still, my Wm. S Haynes flute, of 1915, has a metal cleaning rod, which also has a screwdriver in the butt end.

[Terry McGee]

You should have a parallel effort going with a "quick release, hinged stopper". Just flip it down and swab out the head joint.
...john

Heh heh, I did have one "middle of the night" feverishly-imagined scenario along similar lines.

You're sitting in the pub, playing brilliantly in the session. That pretty fiddle player has slid quite close up beside you on the bench. The tune is Kiss the Maid behind the Barrel and you've just reached the repeat of the second part. You become aware that your flute is drowning in condensate and you are at risk of it dripping on her fiddle. You deftly remove the head, being careful to keep it horizontal. You reach for a convenient receptacle, your glass recently drained of Guinness. Tilting the head to the vertical over the glass, your thumb lifts a security flap on the cap of the flute, and presses a button revealed underneath. A lazy tongs arrangement sends the stopper screaming down the head, stopping a few mm beyond the end of the slide, half-filling your pint glass. Releasing the button allows the stopper to slam back into its regular position. You quickly slide the head back into the barrel, where an indent and a Scruggs Peg arrangement assure perfect alignment and extension. You resume playing, in time for the stunning third part with its high C. Your flute sings out clearly above the rest of the instruments; the pretty fiddleplayer slides a little closer, her eyes whispering "Thank You". The tune ends, the pub audience bursts into thundering applause, you realise all eyes are on you. Nonchalently you reach for your drink and drain the liquid from the glass ....

Terry

[Cork]

...You're sitting in the pub, playing brilliantly in the session. That pretty fiddle player has slid quite close up beside you on the bench. The tune is Kiss the Maid behind the Barrel and you've just reached the repeat of the second part. You become aware that your flute is drowning in condensate and you are at risk of it dripping on her fiddle. You deftly remove the head, being careful to keep it horizontal. You reach for a convenient receptacle, your glass recently drained of Guinness. Tilting the head to the vertical over the glass, your thumb lifts a security flap on the cap of the flute, and presses a button revealed underneath. A lazy tongs arrangement sends the stopper screaming down the head, stopping a few mm beyond the end of the slide, half-filling your pint glass. Releasing the button allows the stopper to slam back into its regular position. You quickly slide the head back into the barrel, where an indent and a Scruggs Peg arrangement assure perfect alignment and extension. You resume playing, in time for the stunning third part with its high C. Your flute sings out clearly above the rest of the instruments; the pretty fiddleplayer slides a little closer, her eyes whispering "Thank You". The tune ends, the pub audience bursts into thundering applause, you realise all eyes are on you. Nonchalently you reach for your drink and drain the liquid from the glass ....

Terry

Bravo, great post!!!

[sbhikes]

This page has some advice on how to use the cleaning rod properly. As you will see, the cloth is wound so that it extends above the end of the rod, and so that the rod itself won't come in contact with the flute.

http://www.zacharymusic.com/Zachary_Mus ... rePics.htm

This one here has a clever method of threading a hanky through the flute. Not sure how you can clean the head joint without a stick, but this is some other kind of flute. This page also suggests ways to keep you flute hydrated, even though Terry McGee seems not to have a problem with flute hydration.

http://www.japanshakuhachi.com/flutecare.html

[jemtheflute]

Twenty-something years ago I made a similar dowel cleaning rod, of 1/4" wood, and then hand fabricated an eye, about 1" long, using a drill, a jeweler's saw, and a file to finish it, and it is long enough to swab an assembled flute. In fact, that same rod is now within my reach. I treated it with the same artist grade linseed oil which I use for my wood flutes.

Yep, one advantage is you can have it as long as you like, if you aren't going to keep it in the flute case. But my main point was, why bother with the eye? As far as I can see (pun semi-intentional - it would be, from me.....!) there is absolutely no point in having one! Plain stick is quite adequate, less fiddly and less likely to break.

I fear none of mine have lasted twenty years - they tend to get used for other purposes and mangled, or just get lost or snapped or whatever. But it doesn't matter! Just cut another bit!

Terry, I just love your flights of fancy!!!!!! Surely, with your ingenuity, couldn't you just fit some kind of air-proof non-return valve in place of the cork? Just tip the flute headwards in mid play, press a secret extra key for L thumb to open the drain valve and drain into the head end cavity (usually ample volume there). Further drain tap on end cap for emptying reservoir discretely when convenient (i.e. not into own drink or on pretty fiddler's lap/instrument/bosom....). On the other hand, wouldn't we miss having the projectile spray effect for strategic use on bodhrans/banjos/squeeze boxes (delete to taste!)?

[tin tin]

Speaking of Terry (whose ingenuity is not only to be found in humorous flights of fancy), here's the type of swab stick I use and like best: http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/rod.html

[fluti31415]

The oboe has long been assigned the reference note

Indeed. I believe that particular orchestral usage evolved in part because the oboe is particularly awkward to get in tune, not least because the (notoriously cantankerous) reed has to be moistened up first etc.

Well, I know I'm getting way off topic here, but the oboe tunes the orchestra because the oboe's pitch *cannot* be adjusted after the reed is made. If the reed is pulled out to make the instrument longer, then there's a gap between the bottom of the reed, and the top of the well that holds the reed, which changes the shape of the bore, and introduces tone and pitch problems throughout the instrument. That means, as the orchestra goes up and down in pitch, the oboist has only his/her embouchure to use to adjust the instrument, and that can be painful after a while (trust me on that!)

Good oboists make their reeds so that the instrument plays in tune after it's been warmed up, so this isn't much of an issue now, but I imagine that before we had electronic tuners to help ensure that the reeds were in tune, that there was some variabity in pitch, depending on the particular reed the oboist was using. (not to mention the variability in pitch that was found throughout Europe back in the olden days!)

(If this is too far off topic, then I completely understand if my post gets deleted, and I won't post any more of this kind of stuff in the future. )

[sbhikes]

I think this stuff about the oboe is interesting. Pardon my ignorance, but what if there are two oboes?

I can't help but picture my dad being the one to tune the whole Adult Education orchestra. That makes me laugh as I recall all those painfully awful practice sessions we all had to listen to when I was a kid. But he chose the oboe because no matter how bad he was, he always got first chair because he was the only one.

[Cork]

...Well, I know I'm getting way off topic here, but the oboe tunes the orchestra because the oboe's pitch *cannot* be adjusted after the reed is made. If the reed is pulled out to make the instrument longer, then there's a gap between the bottom of the reed, and the top of the well that holds the reed, which changes the shape of the bore, and introduces tone and pitch problems throughout the instrument. That means, as the orchestra goes up and down in pitch, the oboist has only his/her embouchure to use to adjust the instrument, and that can be painful after a while (trust me on that!)

Good oboists make their reeds so that the instrument plays in tune after it's been warmed up, so this isn't much of an issue now, but I imagine that before we had electronic tuners to help ensure that the reeds were in tune, that there was some variabity in pitch, depending on the particular reed the oboist was using. (not to mention the variability in pitch that was found throughout Europe back in the olden days!)

(If this is too far off topic, then I completely understand if my post gets deleted, and I won't post any more of this kind of stuff in the future. )

Please, allow me to thank you for such an in depth explanation, in regard to the oboe. Your insight has now given me some new insight, my thanks.

OK, so, do oboes leak, too, as do flutes? I can only imagine that being pointed downwards could only be an advantage, in that regard.

[Denny]

all wind instruments leek

at least the oboe is straight...ya gotta pour out a sax

[fluti31415]

OK, so, do oboes leak, too, as do flutes? I can only imagine that being pointed downwards could only be an advantage, in that regard.

Yes -- if you are an oboist, you need to wear close toed shoes.

[fluti31415]

I think this stuff about the oboe is interesting. Pardon my ignorance, but what if there are two oboes?

Well, these days, with electronic tuners, it's a lot easier to make reeds that play in tune. Back before then, I imagine that the second oboist either really had to have a lot of reeds, to match the first oboist's pitch, or had a really tired mouth by the end of the concert, or - well, there is always that old joke:

How do you get two oboists to play in tune?

Shoot one.

[fluti31415]

I think this stuff about the oboe is interesting. Pardon my ignorance, but what if there are two oboes?

Well, these days, with electronic tuners, it's a lot easier to make reeds that play in tune. Back before then, I imagine that the second oboist either really had to have a lot of reeds, to improve the chance that one will match the first oboist's pitch, or had a really tired mouth by the end of the concert by adjusting to play in tune, or - well, there is always that old joke:

How do you get two oboists to play in tune?

Shoot one.

[Cork]

...ya gotta pour out a sax

Trumpets usually have a pair of spit valves, down front, so why not on a sax? That's a big bucket!

[Denny]

the bend is reinforced and not a good place for an extra hole