Here’s a quick tip concerning polymer flutes like the Seery, M&E, and Dixon, from the Voice of Experience:
If you are going to have a polymer flute in your car or some other hot location during the summer, remove the crown from the headjoint.
If you leave the crown in place, the air trapped between the crown and cork will expand from the heat, and will force the cork far out of position downwards.
Also beware of grabbing a hot flute straight out of your car and putting it to your lips. Remember how hot your streering wheel can get? It’s polymer too…ouch!!! Let the flute cool down a bit first.
James do you know if the cork in an Aulos would behave in the same way as the M&E? I’ve never had need to remove or adjust the cork on the Aulos . The traverso is made so differently from the M&E is there anything adjustable to worry about?I just paid attention to the endcap for the first time and while it spins without any real difficulty it resisted a two finger pull.
Best
Bruce
James, so you think a delrin stopper would have the same problem?
I made a delrin stopper, with a “o” ring for my dixon, it seemed to improve the sound.
Jon
Well, I have experienced this with both my Seery and my M&E R&R flutes, both of which have cork stoppers.
I would think if the flute gets hot enough, something has to move. Whether it would be the cork move, the crown pop out, or some of both would depend on which would give way and start moving first.
By the way, I actually don’t recommend you routinely bake your polymer flute in a broiling hot car–heat can break down certain plastics given time, also sunlight itself can as well. So I would think it’s ok to do occasionally, but not every day.
That said, I don’t think a wooden flute would survive spending one of our hottest summer days in a car, when it can be 110 outside and maybe 165 in the car if it’s parked in the sun. A polymer will survive it…but I don’t know how many times, so do take care.
peeplj…as to the survival in a hot temp., my cane whistle cracked before my eyes…and it was only 18 C or so. I wonder what may happen to my Sunreed (though not cane, but bamboo) if I do take it outside…
Delrin (an acetal resin) is stable from -60 to 320 F. The cork might dry out, and any grease at the tenons or slide might liquify and run amok. I wouldn’t leave flutes in a hot car anyway. I make sure my Hammy undergoes gentler conditions than I do.
