Well, I’ve now done my share of repair to antique flutes with cracks in their lined headjoints, and feel pretty familiar with the various tricks involved in getting a clean and stable repair. What I’m wondering about is: how do you fix a cracked headjoint that has both an internal lining and a full embochure sheet silver circumferential band (full lip band)? The flutes I’ve seen with these bands (whether ornamental, or added to accomodate cocus allergies) appear to have the banding flush with the surface of the headjoint. Are they typically hard soldered in place? I haven’t got one in to inspect as yet, so can’t look for a seam. In any event, if they are hard soldered right on the headjoint, does anyone have a procedure for cutting same away for a headjoint repair prior to reinstallation (or is the repair somehow made with the band still in place)?
Thanks in advance for any clarification.
If you think about how such a band could possibly be put in place without scorching the wood and fitting so perfectly tidily flush at the ends… you’ll realise the wood of the head tube has to be in two sections. All the ones I’ve dealt with had the shorter piece on the crown side. Some have the butted interface between the two sections recessed under the outer metal sleeve, some simply butt up at the upstream end of the sleeve. Some will disassemble with no more trouble than a plain lined head, but they can be very difficult. Here’s a photo album of the worst one I’ve yet encountered - and what had to be done to take it apart!
Here’s another relevant photo album of a less but still rather stubborn job. Do read the captions and album blurbs as there’s info in 'em…
Both the above flutes are of the simple butted sections type. Until you try to disassemble them, you really cannot see that there’s a join there. I’ve worked on two or three others (no working photos), at least one of which (an anon Metzler-ish English one, disassembled but not yet repaired) had the butt join hidden within the sleeve halfway from top end of sleeve to top edge of embouchure. The latter design is probably neater and mechanically stronger (not that there’s much serious stress involved, and the liner tube can take it all), but involves extra work and more potential for mistakes.
Jem,
Thanks so much for the guidance on this style of repair. Makes so much more sense now. I couldn’t really see how anyone would have been able to solder the band in place, much less disaasemble it and repair without destroying the flute.
I have been planning on turning something rather similar to allow me to force out a stuck headjoint slide in my currently uncracked G. French flute headjoint. Why remove the slide if the headjoint isn’t cracked you ask? The tuning slide extension for the barrel was not only frozen on the headjoint portion of the slide it had also degenerated to the point where it was literally falling apart. Unfortunately the one section that didn’t disintegrate on disassembly was the small portion of the barrel tuning slide that projects inside the headjoint as the slide is closed. This section is frozen solidly inside the headjoint and onto the headjoint portion of the slide. I initially turned it off flush with the end of the headjoint and planned on replacing the barrel section of the slide with one that ends flush with the end of the barrel. Still may do that as this flute is already missing the C and C# foot keys, so will never be perfect, but am flirting with the possibility of turning down some arbors and using my drill press to force out the headjoint slide and make the repair properly.
Thanks again for all your help and inspiration regarding antique flute repair. (Just what I needed, another hobby)