I have a superb Sam Murray blackwood flute. Down here in Australia it's pretty dry. Over the years a couple of the silver rings have become loose and tend to fall off, due to shrinkage of the timber I assume.
What is the remedy for this? I am reluctant to glue them in place.
Loose silver rings
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kkrell
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Re: Loose silver rings
Put the flute in a case & humidify.
If that doesn't help, then on to the "handkerchief" trick.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=105605&p=1193901&hi ... k#p1193901
Read the entire thread for other tips.
If that doesn't help, then on to the "handkerchief" trick.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=105605&p=1193901&hi ... k#p1193901
Read the entire thread for other tips.
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Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
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Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
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Steampacket
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Re: Loose silver rings
Do not glue the rings in place. Your flute needs humidifying as krell says.
Hugh Brock wrote this on the session.org. 13 years ago:
"Wooden flutes can dry out, and when they do, they shrink. The metal ring doesn’t shrink, so it becomes loose. The loose ring is an important sign that your flute is way too dry. The danger is that a rapid change in temperature, or in hydration (ie playing the flute) will cause the flute to crack. One problem is that the rings are not just decorative-they reinforce the thin wood of the socket. The other problem is that the wood that surrounds the metal of the tuning slide (or the whole head) is also shrinking, but contacting immovable metal, so you can pick up a crack in the head or the barrel. While both problems can be fixed, they are best avoided.
Please find a lidded plastic box that will fit your flute. Put the disassembled flute inside, with the ring in place. Then add a plastic film canister (or similar) containing a damp (not wet) sponge inthe container as well, and put on the lid. This will raise the humidity slowly, causing the flute to swell again, and the ring to become fixed again.
If this has happened to you once, it is likely to happen again, so you should consider keeping your flute in this box at all times, remembering to remoisten the sponge from time to time. If you want to get fancier, you can buy a little hygrometer to put in the box. The ideal is in the range of 50-60% humidity. You don’t want the box so moist that you are growing mould."
Hugh Brock wrote this on the session.org. 13 years ago:
"Wooden flutes can dry out, and when they do, they shrink. The metal ring doesn’t shrink, so it becomes loose. The loose ring is an important sign that your flute is way too dry. The danger is that a rapid change in temperature, or in hydration (ie playing the flute) will cause the flute to crack. One problem is that the rings are not just decorative-they reinforce the thin wood of the socket. The other problem is that the wood that surrounds the metal of the tuning slide (or the whole head) is also shrinking, but contacting immovable metal, so you can pick up a crack in the head or the barrel. While both problems can be fixed, they are best avoided.
Please find a lidded plastic box that will fit your flute. Put the disassembled flute inside, with the ring in place. Then add a plastic film canister (or similar) containing a damp (not wet) sponge inthe container as well, and put on the lid. This will raise the humidity slowly, causing the flute to swell again, and the ring to become fixed again.
If this has happened to you once, it is likely to happen again, so you should consider keeping your flute in this box at all times, remembering to remoisten the sponge from time to time. If you want to get fancier, you can buy a little hygrometer to put in the box. The ideal is in the range of 50-60% humidity. You don’t want the box so moist that you are growing mould."
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kkrell
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Re: Loose silver rings
I use one of these in each of my cases to keep humidified. Newest model.
https://www.violinpros.com/products/hum ... on-in-case
https://www.violinpros.com/products/hum ... on-in-case
International Traditional Music Society, Inc.
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
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Terry McGee
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Re: Loose silver rings
Hi Andro
Yeah, supporting the Brock advice Steampacket posted above. If the timber has shrunk away from the rings around it, it has clearly shrunk onto the metal slides inside it. And that creates a real splitting risk in the lined sections (head and barrel). So I'd go with humidifying the flute until the rings tighten up. Stop if the slides come loose!
Being the depths of winter down in your miserable southern capital (we in New South Wales never miss the opportunity to diss Melbourne!), consider where you are keeping the flute. All forms of heating reduce the humidity. Perhaps it should live in the garage? Letterbox?
Yeah, supporting the Brock advice Steampacket posted above. If the timber has shrunk away from the rings around it, it has clearly shrunk onto the metal slides inside it. And that creates a real splitting risk in the lined sections (head and barrel). So I'd go with humidifying the flute until the rings tighten up. Stop if the slides come loose!
Being the depths of winter down in your miserable southern capital (we in New South Wales never miss the opportunity to diss Melbourne!), consider where you are keeping the flute. All forms of heating reduce the humidity. Perhaps it should live in the garage? Letterbox?
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Andro
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Re: Loose silver rings
Thanks all.
I have pulled my Stretto Humidfier and Hygrometer from my violin case and now the flute is in a plastic box with that. Will order another set for the violin. Suprisingly good device, the Stretto. Hygrometers are notoriously inaccuate but this one is consistently within about 4% of my best accuarte one. And the special gel moisture bags are very clever indeed.
All the guidance most appreciated.
I have pulled my Stretto Humidfier and Hygrometer from my violin case and now the flute is in a plastic box with that. Will order another set for the violin. Suprisingly good device, the Stretto. Hygrometers are notoriously inaccuate but this one is consistently within about 4% of my best accuarte one. And the special gel moisture bags are very clever indeed.
All the guidance most appreciated.