Embouchure problem

Irish Flute
1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90539060@N04/8550668445/
My new Fentum, although lovely, has a very nasty problem with the embouchure, as seen in the photograph…
The wood underneath the silver oval lip plate and above the lining is very rough all round and causes lots of hiss, I tried filling it in with some beeswax but this has not been successful. Has anyone had a similar problem, and, if so , how did you remedy it?
All suggestions welcome!

2

Um. Right, to fix this properly the lip-plate needs to come off (probably shellacked on, so heat will free it), everything cleaned up, the lip-plate refitted snugly, and then any remaining cavity filled with wood-dust/superglue proud of the cavity, then very carefully filed away to restore the embouchure walls. At least, that’s how I’d do it. Don’t waste time and effort on it without removing the lip-plate - one can see it has lifted. If you try to fill it as-is, you’ll just make matters worse and complicate the eventual full repair. The alternative would be, having removed the lip-plate, to bush the (enlarged) hole with a plug of fresh wood and remake the embouchure entirely. I’d guess that would be what Chris Wilkes might be most inclined to do. Since you’re near him, get the flute to him at least for advice before you do anything!

I know you’re desperate to try the flute out as best may be before restoration, but mucking about with it too much short of a proper repair just isn’t wise. I suppose you could try a harder wax such as paraffin candle wax like you did the beeswax- it should hold up better against warm breath; but don’t use anything really adhesive - that lip-plate just has to come off!

3

Thanks Jem for that sound advice, It’s too nice a flute to go mucking around with it meself, so I’ll contact CW asap!!
Harry

4

BTW,

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5

Let’s see the rest of it… :wink:

6

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90539060@N04/8552876192/
New picture

7

Ahem!

8

Thanks Jem, how does one do that?
I’m not very up to speed with this kinda thing clearly!!

9

Flickr isn’t the most helpful on this, but… on the photo’s page on Flickr, click the “share” tab. In the drop down, click on “grab the HTML/BBCode” and choose BBCode. Then choose the image size in the option bar - not wider than 700 pixels for C&F - then click on the code in the box above and copy it to your clipboard. Then come to C&F and, in your post, paste in the code. It includes several different formats between codes in square brackets. Delete all save the info/code between the [img] bracket sets plus those bracket sets themselves. Preview your post to check it’s working, then post it. Simples, though some other hosting services are easier (in that they’ll give you/let you choose just the img code on its own…). If you click on “quote” on my posting of your photo, you’ll be able to see what I actually posted - then cancel it, of course.

10

Or just let Jem do it…

Best wishes.

Steve

11

Ha! :poke:
There are limits… (to even my helpfulness…)

12

Lovely flute :thumbsup:

What about replacing the chimney with silver as well (a question, not a suggestion)?

13

Very fiddly (if not impossible - how’re you going to solder the proposed silver chimney to both the brass liner tube and the lip-plate with the wood there, and how could you get the wood out of the way and then back in place?..), highly skilled, expensive, a major departure from the original and rather (totally) pointless, IMO… In fact, I’d go so far as to say it is impossible as an adaptation of the existing head. Easier to make an all-metal substitute headjoint!

14

I believe you if you say it’s a silly idea and probably not worth the bother. I’ll leave my own guesses as to how it would be done away as they are based only on my experience making jewelry.

I never thought the silver would be soldered either to the brass liner or while the lip plate was still attached to the flute. I was simply curious as i have seen photographs of simple system flutes with silver lip plates and also silver bands going around the entire head joint and, having never held one, was wondering if the chimneys were sometimes silver as well and if modern simple system flute makers ever fitted silver lip plates with silver chimneys.

15

The Fentum looks first class!
Keep in mind, the lip plate is probably leaking too. Sometimes the lip plates are riveted onto the flute to secure them, keep this in mind when removing it.

16

Those keys again, they look just the same as my Wylde.

17

I think the keys on my George and Manby are the same too

18

This thread (and the other regarding this flute) has made me take my Fentum out again. It’s an absolute belter (even with me playing it!). :smiley: Very easy blower too. It’s relatively small-holed compared with my other flutes, but huge volume. I don’t really know how that’s achieved, but it does have quite a large, roundish embouchure hole.

To Thalatta (if you’re listening): all three body sections, but not the head, of mine, are stamped:

H · FENTUM
78 · STRAND
LONDON

And yes, those dots are “interpuncts”, halfway up the letters. The stamps are very clear. There seems to be a letter beneath the uppermost of the stamps, but that isn’t all that clear. It might be a small letter j

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Any photos?

20

Jem took some at some point, and while he was restoring it. And don’t go thinking he’ll do yours quick :wink: - he’s got one of mine, supposedly “at the front of the queue”. :poke: