So I’ve got a nice Maple 2 Piece Flute. It sounds quite nice, but I wonder how it would sound if I was able to adjust the headpiece Cork some. The problem is the Cork is wedged in there very tight and I wonder if there is any way of loosening it without doing any damage?
This might answer some questions:
I’ve had a few flutes with stuck corks. I’ve used a dowel. Find one a bit smaller than the ID of the flute – say 5/8, a half inch would work if it’s not too tightly stuck. Cut the dowel so that it sticks a few inches out of the end of the head. Hold the head in one hand, the dowel in the other and pound it so that the dowel hits a table or something else solid. Start out very gently and pound a little harder till it comes loose. It’s a good idea to rub a little cork grease/chapstick on the bore above the cork so that when it does come loose it will slide easier and will be less likely to get stuck again.
I do the same thing with a dowel, but I put a coin between the dowel and the cork to spread the force more evenly.
I checked with the Maker and di what he said to remove the Cork ,which was a wide dowel and then Tap it with a Rubber Mallet. Did this and the Cork came right out. I put a Mark on the dowel at 19mm and reinserted the Cork. it sounds excellent, that said though that may have been what it was set at to begin with 