My circa 1830 small holed, four key cocus flute developed a crack-repair leak. The restorer soaked it for a few days in orange peel and water. Now the crack repair has merged into the wood and the sweet toned flute sings like an angel again. Cost? Canadian$42. She threw in an old but sturdy professional leather covered case with dehydration packets, for free. Life is good.
Best wishes,
Keith.
An old “orange” flute, eh? Better be careful where you play it. 
Paul
Old Orange Flute
David
Lorenzo, Maybe the other posts are being tongue in cheek, pointing out the irony of an ‘IrIsh’ flute being associated with an anti southern Ireland (EIRE), northern Ireland Protestant movement, The Orangemen, and a politically provocative Irish folk tune. But I’m not wholly sure. Maybe you have to be Irish to get it?
In the meantime, I am British born, now Canadian, playing a Cuban cocus wood Yankee made flute probably influenced by Rudall and Rose in England. (Brits still innocently refer to Americans as ‘Yankees’ - don’t ask).
Best wishes,
Keith.
However, in Red Sox territory, they do have a Green Monster
Bob
I have no idea what you guys are on about. However, it might just be worth saying that I don’t remember any Brit of my acquaintance calling Americans “Yankees”. “Yanks” yes, but not “Yankees”. And the term “yanks” seems fair enough to me, considering that the term was routinely used by Americans to describe themselves up to at least the start of the 20c (see the popular song “Over There”).
Honestly, there’s me, piling on into the thread-drift … 
“Yanks” yes, but not “Yankees”.
Yes, ditto in Ireland. ‘Yanks’ is the standard term.
Back to the OP:
From your story it appears that the original crack, crack repair and second crack are all related to low humidity conditions. Please be aware that you can get low humidity in summer as well as winter if the space you keep your flute in is heavily air conditioned. Dehydration packs don’t sound like a good idea to me, but YMMV. If crack was in a socket/tennon joint be sure to keep flute separated when not in use.
Good luck.
Thanks, Latticino. The humidity is in the 45 to 55 range, no central heating, year round. The restorer is thinking it might be temperature variations as the cracks (on two antique cocus flutes) appeared on my return from six months in Mexico where humidity is the same as here, Vancouver Island, but the temperature here is on average 15F to 20F lower. The leaks in the repaired cracks start within days of getting back here. Consequently I think I need a non wood, small holed Rudall type to take to Mexico every year …
Best wishes,
Keith.
How does Relative Humidity work in wood. I know that for air, the amount of water that can be held in air as vapour is a function of pressure and temperature and relative humidity is what percentage of that capacity is actually being used by the water currently in the air. So, the relative humidity can change without the amount of water carried by the air changing. As indeed happens when air cools and RH reaches 100% forming dew…
Now the water in a stably hydrated flute is in balance with that in the atmosphere, but what effect does the temperature of the flute have on the water holding properties of the wood? e.g. a flute in equilibrium with air at 50% and temperature X is moved to air with temperature Y (=X-18degrees C), also at 50% humidity. Will the flute wood gain, lose or maintain hydration?
Chris.
If you could manage a medium-hole Rudall, Gary Somers keyless Delrin models can be recommended.
Shouldn’t your cracked flute get a proper repair, not just a soaking?
My evidence as related above is anecdotal of course but indicates loss of hydration. A four hour plane ride with the flutes carried on board with me might also have something to do with it.
Best wishes,
Ke ith.
Thanks, Krell: The restorer thinks soaking is the way to go. It certainly looks tight. It’s been pressure tested too. Time will tell.
Best wishes,
Keith.
I grew up right on the Munson-Nixon line (I’m a Sawx fan). Years of living in Virginia (America’s biggest Confederate theme park!) got me used to being called a Yankee.
OK, Ill have a go. Unlike air, the moisture in wood is a liquid, not a gas, so its not clear that the temperature of the wood makes much difference at all. When you think of it, a piece of wood drying in a kiln and a piece being bent in a steamer can be at the same temp, but will have vastly differing moisture content.
So, summing up, there seems to be no way I can avoid cracks in my wooden flutes if I travel with them to warm climes, which I try to do every year?
If that’s the case I think I have another solution - I’ve bought one of M&E’s early R&R reproductions of the original in Edinburgh Museum.
This M&E is made of solid, thick, plastic rod stock that Michael Cronnolly bores through as he would a wooden flute.
This means it’s impervious to most damages, from slight to drastic, suffered by silver or wooden flutes, whatever the weather. I might even take it in the shower for an inner and outer soapdown with a gently warming blow dry.
No, it has no keys, and no cork or thread because its tenons fit precisely, without wobble. Its sliding stainless steel tuner provides a full lining throughout the head joint and barrel.
So being of plastic, with no condensation, it has all the benefits of the full metal lining without the perennial threat of cracking the headjoint.
Not only that, its tone, tuning and volume challenges my Blackwood Pratten and Olwell boxwood RandR flutes.
The tone hole spacings are different but serendipitously suit my hands perfectly. Though heavier, the M&E nestles right into place. Its large almost round, dry embouchure plays right out of the box … This flute delivers all I ask of it without any reluctance whatsoever - much like the Olwells. Except, I wonder if a new headjoint would produce the spinetingling “sweetness” of my small- holed wooden antiques? Any ideas?
Otherwise, after more than 10 years and 11 flutes, have I found my new, CRACKLESS “go-to” remedy?
It’s always joined up and ready to go too, (though I shall keep my white, early- original, amazingly deep low D, high voIume Tipples as my secondary, always-ready “go-to’s” ).
Best wishes,
Keith.
