Recently I acquired a Ralph Cook low D from a very generous forum member (THANKS!!!) and I’m really enjoying it. Having played a buddy’s Overton, I know this Cook is not the last low D I will ever own, but it’s great fun to play.
It’s #003 (really the third one he ever made I wonder?) and it has a wooden fipple block. I’ve messaged the previous owner to find out whether it has had any recent “treatment” (I ask that not knowing whether it would need any, or what it would be.) And I guess that’s my question to you all as well–is it necessary to treat a wooden block, to prevent expansion etc.? And if so, what would that treatment be? It has a screw holding the head together, so I reckon I can get it apart and perform “open block surgery” if I need to.
One other note–looking into the foot end you can see that the block is split in a plus sign pattern. I don’t believe it’s just cracked, because it looks too intentional and perfect. But you never know. Is this how Mr. Cook made them, do you know?
I wonder if I might do well to replace the wood with a cast polymer block. not sure how I’d make that happen though, I’d need the same tube, and I don’t know if I’d ever find it.
Probably is the third one that he numbered any way.
Depends on the type of wood and if it has been treated. Some wood blocks like cedar should not need treating. You just replace it if it gets nasty.
Dense or oily timbers are not likely to need much care either.
Open grained woods you would want to seal. There are lots of ways to do that. A simple thin layer of CA glue can do the job as can other poly sealers. Wax would help too. Sealing using a vacuum or pressure treatment might be the most effective. But really replacing a nasty plug is probably the easiest way to go if it needs to be repaired.
It is possible Mr Cook turned the plug to size using a spur drive. The cross pattern is a tell-tale leftover. They can look something like this…
…or not.
Sure or have a PVC rod turned to size. You know what you need to cast a plug. I thought Ralph Cook used 3/4" Sched 40 PVC pipe to make his low D. Haven’t seen one in a while though.
it might be schedule 40, at that. I’ll check, as I have some at work. Seems awfully light, though, but I dunno.
Not sure if it was that spur drive thing. Unless some of them don’t leave a massive hole in the middle of the ‘x’. Looks like it could have been something like that, though. Kinda doesn’t matter–just curious.
I should ask Mr. Cook what he used for the block and the body, if I can.
Conventional wisdom in the other fipple flute community (recorders) is do not treat the block in any way. Most recorder blocks seem to be cedar. When oiling a wooden recorder, you must take care not to get the oil on the block. I don’t know if this applies exactly to a PVC tube and a wooden block but offer it as a data point. Bottom line of course is to follow the maker’s recommendations.
Right. thanks for that. Now if I could just figure out how to contact Mr. Cook. Anyone have any ideas?
In my search for him, I ran across the following review of his whistles. In fact, the reviewer had the very same whistle I now have in my possession to review! Neat! Nothing about the fipple block, except that it’s “hardwood.”
