Turning a wooden flute- What aussie woods?

Posted in wood turning too but thought someone here might know something.:cool:

I found an old fine woodworking artical about turning a wooden flute. Says its kinda tricky. Always one to rush in where fools fear to tread, what aussie woods do you think would be good? http://cdn.woodworkforums.com/images...ions/think.gif Being an American artical it doesn't really give any hints. Got some Jarrah off cuts this morning. Do you think that would be good? http://cdn.woodworkforums.com/images...py/biggrin.gif Maybe Merbu would be able to with stand the dribble factor quite well, but apparently you have to get the balance between hardness and tone. 9It tends to turn everything black too doesn't it :doh: Maybe not so good. ) Hard means a brittle sound. Suck and see I guess. (Or should that be blow? http://cdn.woodworkforums.com/images...ctions/hmm.gif )

I wish you luck.
I suspect you will be making a few different types; and become an expert. :2tsup:

Hi Anne-Maria,

Here is Terry McGee's list Materials used in my Irish flutes but he uses a metal workers lathe not a wood lathe like the rest of us. I think merbau would be OK if the instrument was not going to be subjected to a lot of use. Jarrah should be OK as well. The dense grained timbers have been traditionally used for a reason, they dont soak up the condensation and tend to be more dimensionally stable. It leads to the age old question of "do I do it in nice (expensive) timber and risk botching it or in something cheap and nasty and make a bunch of them till I get my techniques worked out". BTW there is nothing in the literature to support the notion that the timber used affects the sound of the instrument. I can go into great detail but basically there is little energy absorbed and emitted by the body that affects the tone of any flute. Basic physics, build two flutes to exactly the same dimensions and you will get the same sound. Instrument makers can make better margins with more expensive timbers.

Fruit timbers were very commonly used for flutes in Medieval to Classical Europe. Yup, Apple, Cherry, Pear and Almond etc...

A lot of commercial flutes and recorders are impregnated with wax or oil. Luc Verhoven shows his method here Luc Verhoeven - Traversos The flute he shows is Cocobolo and is treated with Tung Oil, obviously a very allergen tolerant client!

Ive been messing with this for years but have retreated to PVC, metal pipe and bamboo. The long boring process has always frustrated me. (And before the flurry comes in I have tried the kits for drilling holes for lampshades, they dont work for Aussie hardwoods).

I would love to see a copy of this article. Does it use a tapered bore? I have dozens of plans for Baroque flutes if you get the bug.

Thanks Subastion. I think I will just make the first few in something easy. Who knows if it will actually become a "string to my bow" cos as I say, I've got enough strings already. But curiosity always gets me. I like the combination of art and science. ThZt's what got me into pottery I think.:cool:

The artical I found was in Fine Woodworking January/February 1984 No 44. (Page 64.:U )

Im assuming your talking about a conventional transverse flute.

I would assume a heavy open grained timber like jarrah would in fact be difficult to seal, if your going to use pads, open hole not to much of an issue, Maybe start with a nice single piece flute, light weight bamboo comes to mind and then progress from there.

Yell out if you need help or info, We make and repair woodwind and brass instruments for a living

Hi TL,
are you looking at the article "How to Make a Wooden Flute" by Whittaker Freegard? That should give you a fairly reasonable flute in G (as I recall), they speak easily and the finger stretch is very easy. The location and size of the fingerholes is something you need to be cautious about though, make two at the same time and learn from your mistakes on the first one. There was a similar article in FWW in 1977, and reprinted later in a book called something like "Things to Make", entitled "The Flageolet", don't be tempted to attempt that, it's a shocker, there are much easier ways to make a whistle than what is suggested there.
As for wood, anything will work, but make it easier on yourself in the first instance and use something that works nicely. I really recommend Cotoneaster as a suitable starting point, Manchurian Pear is good too and any of the fruit woods are relatively easy to work and give a good result.
Hole boring on a wood lathe isn't too bad for small diameter bores but gets harder as the bore increases, I bought an old metal lathe and haven't looked back!

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Originally Posted by simso

Im assuming your talking about a conventional transverse flute.Yes! Its a transverse flute rather than a fipple flute. (Does that make me sound like I know something? :rolleyes: )


Yell out if you need help or info, We make and repair woodwind and brass instruments for a living

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Thanks. Might take you up on help when I stuff u[p the first one (or three:rolleyes: )

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Originally Posted by burraboy

Hi TL,
are you looking at the article "How to Make a Wooden Flute" by Whittaker Freegard?:2tsup:That's the one. That should give you a fairly reasonable flute in G (as I recall), they speak easily and the finger stretch is very easy. The location and size of the fingerholes is something you need to be cautious about though, make two at the same time and learn from your mistakes on the first one. There was a similar article in FWW in 1977, and reprinted later in a book called something like "Things to Make", entitled "The Flageolet", don't be tempted to attempt that, it's a shocker, there are much easier ways to make a whistle than what is suggested there.:D OK! I'll stay away from that one.
As for wood, anything will work, but make it easier on yourself in the first instance and use something that works nicely. I really recommend Cotoneaster as a suitable starting point, Manchurian Pear is good too and any of the fruit woods are relatively easy to work and give a good result.
Hole boring on a wood lathe isn't too bad for small diameter bores but gets harder as the bore increases, I bought an old metal lathe and haven't looked back!

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Catoniastor? :think: There was some of that at Knox woodworkers. It was labeled funny. Caton-easter. Had me confused everytime I looked at it.:rolleyes: I bet someone has thrown it out by now.:doh:

Cotoneaster is also great for Netsuke. It resembles Boxwood which is a traditional timber for wind instruments. Pity its such an invasive weed. Terry McGee used to list Cooktown Ironwood but has stopped using it. Dunno why....

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Originally Posted by Sebastiaan56

Terry McGee used to list Cooktown Ironwood but has stopped using it. Dunno why....

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In my experience, it tends to be a bit unstable with moisture.

I have read that a lot of people make their first flutes out of maple - cheaper and easier to work than a lot of flute woods, but still will give a reasonable flute.

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Originally Posted by Sebastiaan56

Cotoneaster is also great for Netsuke. It resembles Boxwood which is a traditional timber for wind instruments. ....

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Indeed. I religiously saved a 2m long bough about 50mm diametre for that purpose. What I am finding now though is that even if I have 20 years carving left, I have enough timber for 10 lifetimes...:C And I got stuck with the tagua nuts. :- Must do more turning. :D

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Originally Posted by Frank&Earnest

Indeed. I religiously saved a 2m long bough about 50mm diametre for that purpose. What I am finding now though is that even if I have 20 years carving left, I have enough timber for 10 lifetimes...:C And I got stuck with the tagua nuts. :- Must do more turning. :D

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I can help you use the tagua nut up if you like.:cool: Not for flutes of course.:rolleyes: Although they might be good for that little plug at the end. :think:

Tagua has been used to make the rings on the joints of recorders and baroque flutes to replace ivory. The cork is best made from cork in a transverse flute. It would make a reasonable plug for recorder or wooden whistle. Anecdotally it appears stable.

Much better for an Ocarina though...