Flute build along

[stickbender]

     You can get stainless steel mesh, and Kevlar mesh (Fish cleaning) gloves at Wally - World.   Oh, by the way, just for general info, Wally - Worlds are owned by each individual franchise purchaser.  Only the advertised specials, are consistent with each store.  Other general merchandise, can vary in price from store to store.  My Girlfriend just found out tonight, after seeing a difference in price for Diet cola. She talked to the manager, and that is what she was told.  Anywho back to our program, I think the gloves are around ten bucks or so.  Somewhere in the range, maybe less, or more.  I bought a couple of steel mesh gloves.  Not sure what the heck I did with them.  I was going to get back into carving again, and well.......  anyway, This is a great build along.  Sort of like reading your favorite author, and finishing one book, and awaiting the next.    Mike, I didn't get your package shipped out today,   but I will be sure to get up early tomorrow, and run down to the Post Office, and get it on it's way to you.  Thanks for doing this build along.

                                                                                Wayne

[Michael C.]

As long as your not watching a netflix movie at the same time as you're carving you should be fine. I broke the Cub Scout/Webelos  rule and wasn't paying full attention to what I was doing.Oddly enough the movie I was watching was called "Tapped" which is exactly what I did It's good to have the protective gear but it's even better to pay full attention to what you are doing. I have been carving wood blocks for printing the last 3 years and never had an accident, what happened to my hand was completely my fault and preventable if you pay attention to what you are doing. Like I said I knew I was doing something stupid before I even cut myself, the only thing that went wrong is I didn't get away with it this time  Just remember that when you are cutting, blades are not forgiving and if you need to get something by all means please go by some full body mesh, but otherwise if you are careful and follow the rules you are good. It is worth buying the 60$ glove to avoid the 400$ er bill though to be sure.

[Lombard]

Michael, following along here with interest. Thanks for taking the time to post.

[Catahoula]

Hi Michael,

When I sliced myself I got my leg too...been looking for a piece of moose hide like one of my knappin friends has to put on my leg...I lucked out (I throw pots and bought a used raku kiln and got a kevlar sleve to that my wrist up to my elbow is covered too.  But if you are making routed flutes you won't need all the armor and if you are not doing a bunch of branch flutes gloves will be fine.  Will be interested in seeing how Michael does the flue on his flutes as there are several ways to do this.

Rand

[Cameroo]

Just an FYI - I've seen more than one person slice their hand open through a kevlar glove.  They don't stand a chance against a really sharp blade and a little bit of force.  Sure, it might help, but I wouldn't be any less careful wearing one.

[Michael C.]

Right I will keep that in mind when I'm cutting away, it's just a preventative not a solution doesn't mean I can be careless. I had to many things going on this weekend to really work on anything else, so I will just add the glued up halves so I don't start carving on it and forget to get a shot.

Some of the knots you see may present a problem but with some ca glue and maybe some rock or other filler it will turn out fine. If they fall out you can always take some of your sawdust you have from making your flute and put it through an old flour sifter if you have one get the fine dust and some ca glue will cure that.



These are the four sides of the flute after it has been glued up and the next few steps are going to be to shape it, then to get the root key adjusted before we put any finger holes in it.

I didn't get a chance to call Rand this weekend for the branch flute but I am also planning on getting in touch with him tonight and see if he has a few minutes to talk.

[Catahoula]

Hi Michael,

I nice filler is malachite...you can do it the hard way by crushing up the malachite or turquoise in a metal tube mortal and pestal style or do it the easy way and use an old electric coffee grinder and grind it in seconds...then you sprinkle the dust on the hole or crack and put ca over the dust and malachite pieces...after it dries sand it and you will have beautiful inlaid stone...a random orbital sander is great for doing the sanding on flutes...looking forward to your call.

Rand

I wanted to post a picture of inlay but can't figure out my Apple computer which I went with when my old Sony croaked...you can see inlay on a flute on my site called Holly branch flute with turquoise inlay.  I have seen some inlay on bows too...pretty neat looking.

[Cameroo]

Chatahoula - I had to google malachite just to find out what it was.  Sounds like you got a pretty good idea there.  Where do you get it?  Also, what's the link to your website?

[Lemos]

Just wanted to chime in and say I'm enjoying this build along greatly. And on a side note if I remember right malachite is toxic in some way shape or form if you inhale the dust. At least thats what a lapi??...lapida?? ..person who polishes rocks told me

[Michael C.]

Had a great convo with Rand and it gave me more confidence in how to work with this branch, he gave me insight on some other things as well. I enjoy talking flutes, so thanks for the knowledge and now that I'm not askeerd of my hand tools anymore, I will be working back and forth again. Great idea on the coffee grinder there.

[Catahoula]

Hi,

Anything is toxic and I recommend wearing a mask when messing with it...not a household dusk mask but a N95 and above which you can find at Lowes and such...but the coffee grinder keeps the dust inside it...once it settles it is easy to pick up and doesn't produce too much floating around dust...I get my malichite at Michaels or Hobby Lobby...look in the bead section and read the label of the bag to make sure it is malichite or turquoise and not colored glass...catlenite or pipestone is also nice for inlay...(my spelling on all those is probably off)...lots of guys save the bandsaw dust from purple heart and ebony or Africanblackwood and use it for inlay too...If you got a crack then filling it in with something cool really shows it off (not just with flutes but with other art work too).  If you live anywhere near Fort Walton Florida you can go to the Echoes Flute Festival or Melborne Fla the Native Rythyms festival and see lots of inlay in flutes...when I enter the flute makers contests at those festivals I enter branch flutes and have a hard time competing with some of the guys who inlay with jewels, gold, silver and such!  Back to toxic...the thing that gets me (strangely enough) is red cedar...have to soak the sinuses in salt baths after just being near the the dust!...each person seems to have his or her on bugaboo...

Hope that helps...
Rand
Catahoulaflutes.com is my site...(note I don't sell flutes via the site and am not trying to promote myself)

[stickbender]

     Rand when is the festival in Melbourne?


                                       Wayne

[Michael C.]

Here is the flue I put a bone inlay on the sound edge trying out an idea that Wayne (stickbender) gave me. I also put some turquoise inlay with the bottom of the triangles indicating where the block should marry up to.



The air channel should be 3/8" wide 7/8" long and about 1/32" deep, you can either use a small file or carve it out with some flat edge razor or chisel. You will need to find the sweet spot by testing it out with whatever block you have made, it will be about 1 7/8ths" L x 3/4" W. Be careful to keep your flue area flat for about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2" long depending on what sort of totem you plan on making or just preference. I get sloppy sometimes when I get to this step and have to do some clean up. Just remember the more cautious you are the less you have to clean up



This shows the flue from the side, you can see how it remains flat.

You also want to get your root note at this point, I am shooting for a Gm so I will trim off 1/2 to 1" portions until I get what I need from the foot of the flute. I typically use a Korg tuner I think it's a ca 40, I can't find it to make sure. I have an app on my ipod that works with tuning a guitar, but sometimes it's sketchy with flutes. I got my root note so the next bit is going to be on how to determine where your holes are going to drilled.

Thanks for all of the gratitude and I am glad that you are all enjoying this as much as I enjoy sharing what I can.

[Michael C.]

Here is a soundbyte of the root note at this point, it may shift a little as you're tuning your holes so keep that in mind. The first breath is the plain jane and the second breath is the all famous canyon reverb finegal.

http://www.sociallybroken.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/flute-root-note.mp3

[stickbender]

     Cool!  Sounds good. 

                    Wayne