David; you will post the photos here on the board of course? Just making sure you aren't just mailing them..
Another question: If left assembled, won't moisture gather in the joints, get in between the tenon and socket and risk making the joint jam? Do you dissasemble the flute after every playing and dry it out, do you dry it out assembled or do you just put it at the flute stand and leave it to dry by itself? Are your joints thread or cork lapped?
i swab the flutes out when I'm out playing, disassemble and case them.
At home, i stand them. Occassionally I'll disassemble.
The flattened cork takes a very very long time to happen. And cork grease should do the trick. Besides, if your cork is THAT tight, that's bad. A quick solution to the "flat" cork: flame/heat directly to the cork. Carefully, of course. It's flammable cork. Even if it scorches a little, it will actually raise up the cork and it's now tight again. Cork grease helps.
Nope, moisture does not wick into the joints (which by the way are also wrapped in teflon tape.....to prevent any swelling of the joints that are either cork or lapping) as the flute stands upright.
Also, before standing it, cover all the holes (including the bottom keys if you have them) and give a good hard blow through the embochure (covering it with your mouth, not as if you're playing it). That forces out any that's puddled in the tube and disperses it evenly.
Too.....corked joints need to be "tweeked" every so often -- as do the tuning slides. That is to say, turn them once in a while (every couple days) if your instrument is standing and assembled. Otherwise they will indeed begin to stick. If you have teflon wrap, this isn't an issue; but don't forget the slide. Moisture does indeed settle there and it needs to be turned/loosened.
I understand how many people prefer to do otherwise.
I will say this: play your flute, let it stand overnight to dry.....then play it in the morning. You'll be amazed at the better tone almost immediately.
Question regarding room temperature: I don't have any humidifiers or any kind of machine like that in any of my rooms. I live in a place with snow in the winter and hot sun in the summer, but have central heating. The apartment is never too hot, never stifling. Now, would that be alright for the flute, or would you say "don't leave your flute out unless you have the humidifiers and machines necessray to keep the air proper"?
Thanks!
Question regarding room temperature: I don't have any humidifiers or any kind of machine like that in any of my rooms. I live in a place with snow in the winter and hot sun in the summer, but have central heating. The apartment is never too hot, never stifling. Now, would that be alright for the flute, or would you say "don't leave your flute out unless you have the humidifiers and machines necessray to keep the air proper"?
Thanks!
I wouldn't do it. Not with an expensive wood flute. Central heating on a cold winter day can drop the humidity into the 20% range, and that is not good for wood instruments.
Listen to the weather reports (or check the Internet) for the humidity readings. If the reported humidity drops to 40s or below, that could be trouble for wood. In the winter, 20% humidity might be common in snowy climates on a clear day.
I keep mine on a stand I made, just different sized dowels set in a chunk of wood. UK so no problem with humidity.
I was told to keep my flutes upright to dry after playing, so I just swab and put them back. The other thing with a stand is they are harder to ignore so you play them... doesn't always work but there's the hope.
At the moment though I'm just jealous of those boxwood tooters in the previous post...
