I was lucky to find a machining shop nearby my office to make me an aluminium tube flute based on dimensions supplied by me using Pete Kosel’s Flutomat. For a photo of my flute, please click the link below…
The above was the best combo I could find to give me reasonable finger hole spacings. Testing it with my IPhone Tuner App, it appears to be tuned to D. But when I tried to play it…somehow I could only manage to sound out the scales of B, A, G and F…for some reason I could not get a proper sound of E and D.
I am wondering if there’s anyone who has made their own aluminium flute and can comment on what I may have done wrong here, is it to do with the embouchure hole or finger holes etc??..and perhaps can share with me the optimum dimensions for hole sizes and positions on the tube..
The flute looks much longer than it should be (extending unusually far beyond the C# and C holes), which probably messes up the venting on the low notes. The bottom two holes also seem small, which would also affect venting. You’ll probably have better success if the tube terminates at a (the first of the bottom holes).
In theory yes, but I’m not qualified to offer practical advice (keep the hacksaw holstered until more experienced folk weigh in!). At any rate, it looks like there’s too much tubing beyond the vent holes. Try this: seal all the holes (use tape on the vent holes)–it should play a C (one step below the six-finger note). My guess is you’ll be playing something lower.
Hello NLR,
I have used the Koselll flute calculator with good success using pvc pipe of a similar wall thickness. Here a just a few comments that I have to get you started on your next flute.
I think that your embouchure size of 5mm is OK.
3mm for a wall thickness is good, although it may make the aluminum flute a little heavy. If you use thinner pipe, you will need to use a lip plate to provide enough wall thickness to cut an adequate embouchure. Keep in mind that the average wooden embouchure chimney is 4-5 mm on an Irish flute.
When using the calculator, make sure that all of the numbers that you enter into the program are in the same number system (metric or English).
As others have said, I would start with the calculator for a simple 6-hole flute rather than having the two exhaust ports. Your flute most likely is heavy.
10mm is too great of an offset for L3. I would try 5mm.
You don’t want an offset for R2. R2 should be inline with R1. It’s OK to let your longer middle finger extend way over the hole.
If you are going to use an offset for L3, it would make good sense to have a similar offset (towards the player) for R3.
6 mm may be a little small for R3 if you want the E note to sound good. It’s OK to have a stretch between R2 and R3. It’s a good trade-off.
Pete’s embouchure calculations are just an approximation for the pitch that you will hear when you blow the instrument. I suggest making the flute in a two stage process. First, cut the flute body a little longer than what you will actually need. Drill the embouchure hole at +10-20 millimeters greater than given by the calculator. Finish the cutting of the embouchure hole, but don’t drill the finger holes at this point. When you blow the fundamental note, you should hear Db. Shorten the flute little by little until you blow an exact D with your tuner. You may need to take your tuner with you to the machine shop. Once you have the prototype flute made, you won’t need to do this. Now, drill the finger holes and smooth the bottom edge of the finger holes. I use a curved riffle file to do this.
The first octave should be in tune, if you did everything correctly. You probably will need to undercut the embouchure side of the tone holes to bring the second octave notes up to pitch, especially on the smaller holes.
Thank you very much for the many pointers you have given me.
Just a question-I am not sure what you mean by the need to undercut the embouchure side of the tone holes to bring the second octave notes up to pitch…what is undercutting?
Once all the holes are drilled on a flute, you need to “voice” the flute. Voicing means fine-tuning the intonation of the flute. Making the tone hole larger in area will sharpen the note at that hole. Making the tone hole smaller (using wax or putty) will make the note flatter. Like I said before, the first octave should be easy to get in tune if you have calculated the tone holes correctly. The second octave, however, may be more of a challenge, especially with a cylindrical-bore flute made from pipe. I use a Tipple-Fajardo wedge to improve the intonation. Please see my website for a discussion of the wedge. The bottom edges of the finger hole will need to be rounded somewhat to allow for the smooth passage of air through the hole. The bottom edge of the tone hole toward the embouchure will need to be undercut. You will need to use needle files or a rotary tool to do this. Removing material on the bottom side of the finger hole will not affect the intonation of first octave, but it will raise the pitch of the second octave note at that hole, which is what you are trying to do in the “voicing” process. The procedure is to remove some material and test with a tuner, little by little until you have an acceptable second octave note.