I am trying to make a flute out of mountain ash. It is all hollowed out and maybe a foot and a half or 16". it is approx. pinky or ring finger size in diameter. My question is how to drill and get the notes for an A- minor scale when the inside or the hollow part will always be different sizes, pending on the size or the branch?
also, if I wanted the mouthpeice to Not be beaked at the top or bottom, but in the middle of the end, should I then try to direct the air flow upwards aiming it at the edge?
does metal on the fipple help?
if the sound hole is round on top should the sharpened edge also be rounded?
sorrry, but haven’t experimented much with making wooden whistles and flutes, but want to and have oodles of questions. would love to run into somebody who could answer these nagging questions.
going home to experiment and I should learn a thing or two tonite.
flute… mouthpiece… fipple… a foot and a half (= 18") or 16 inches
my questions are
what are you trying to make - flute or whistle
you have hollowed it out - to what diameter, cylindrical or conical
if it all ‘pends’ on the size of the branch maybe you should let that also determine the key and scale.
Otherwise I would suggest hollowing out the branch to a known diameter (are you cutting the branch in half, hollowing and glueing back together?) and then use a spreadsheet (search for speadsheets by Peter Hoekje or Daniel Bingamon) to find the hole positions start from the bottom, drill small and enlarge until in tune, move to next hole. Or don’t bother with the spreadsheet and just do the rest.
