I’m on holiday in Holland at the moment, and brought my (borrowed) 3 piece flute along.
The joints are wrapped with waxed thread and lately after playing two of the pieces wouldn’t come apart - after leaving it for an hour or so it would always get ‘unstuck’.
This time however I cannot possibly separate the head joint (with tuning slide) from the first part of the body…
I need to travel back with it on monday.
Any tips??
Thanks
Jeroen
the joints obviously are swelling because they’re soaking up water (or humidity).
Allow the flute to dry out (swab it well), then apply some oil to the end of the joint tenons and inside the bore. That should help reduce swelling somewhat by retarding absorbtion.
good luck
Thanks David for your comments.
I have left the flute for more that a day and cannot get the joints to more a single bit - I can hardly believe that it can be so solid. With all my strength I cannot twist it.
I suppose I will just wrap the two joined pieces in a towel and take them in my hand-luggage when I fly back on monday.
The only concern I have now is that the pressure will cause cracks in the long run…
I have a similar problem. I wonder if anyone can help especially if they have first hand experience of ceased joints.
I have a flute with the joint at the bottom end of the barrel / 1st joint ceased. This was the way it was when I got it.
The flute must have been left assembled when the joint was damp from playing. This causes the hemp to stick to the internal surface of the barrel. My local repairer had a go at releasing it but only got a small amount of rotation and approx. 1mm apart using white sprit. He said that if I worked at it patiently I might get it apart. I’ve had some excellent advice from a real expert who was able to describe exactly what the problem is. As well as the hemp sticking it can pucker up and bind on it self when trying to pull apart.
I have had a few goes using metholated sprit (as he advised) and got full rotation but only about 1mm apart. He also advised that I could try hot soapy water but warned that this might cause swelling.
Meths softens and unsticks the hemp and has a slight lubricant quality.
Rotation with the meths was initially very tight but is now a bit looser. I think the hemp may have come unstuck from the tenon. With no meths the joint is dead solid. While his advice was very useful he said he has never had to do this.
Before I try again can anyone advise:
On the last attempt I was only able to rotate anti-clockwise. Is it likely the hemp has broke and binds in c/w rotation, if this happen in the other direction I could be flumexed!. Or is it that counter c/w is tightening and c/w opening the lapping.
Any other suggestions or anyone to share their experience?
A chemist friend suggested silicon oil but said it would have to be a last attempt, as it would not be misable with solvents after.
Pixyy did you get it apart when it dried up?
Who’s stuck up ?!
All the best
Kevin
Kevin,
That sounds like a serious situation of stuckness!
The joints on my flute got unstuck (like W. the Pooh) just before my flight (see original post) - It just required the joints drying.
In your case it almost sounds like you need to slowly dry it below the humidity level in your area.
As a last option, I thought of these spray cans with fluid oil they use for frozen up nuts&bolts…
I do like to think of flutes as delicate intruments though!
Good luck.
Jeroen
Jeroen,
I live in England, fairly low humidity?
I had already tried drying the flute slowly, putting it in an airing cupboard.Firstly leaving it wraped in a cooler part, then uncovering,then moving to a slightly warmer part.This was over a few days.This was not a good move as it did not seem to loosen it and when I tried moving it I got a small crack in the barell.
Don’t try this at home!
Kevin