Woodwinds, flutes, deep boring, outsourcing service #2

[type3secretion]

Hi,

I tried this in the Musical Instrument forum, but got no replies, so I wanted to try here and make sure I'm not missing anyone who might have good recommendations.

In pursuing my hobby of making wooden flutes with very limited resources, I have come to wonder about outsourcing design and fabrication of flute "blanks" that I would then fine tune (almost literally) with the tools I have in my small NYC apartment.

Therefore, please excuse the ignorance etc. Google searches usually yield what I need to know about things (that is how I came to learn how to make flutes), but there are bits and pieces of things about what is needed for this idea out there, but I haven't found a unified source, and turned to this message board.

Background:
I make so-called Native American style flutes. These are fipple/duct flutes with two chambers patterned after the unique woodwind design of the North American plains tribes. Basically, there is the standard flute hollowed out cylinder, with the introduction of a plug completely separating the bore into two airtight chambers. One chamber has a smaller mouth opening at the end of the flute, and an exit hole right before the top of the flute. a second hole opens to the longer, second resonating chamber with finger "tone" holes. The splitting edge is located at the far end of this hole. The air from the first hole is compressed into a ribbon with a flat block tied over the top of the sound holes and block (not the tone holes), making it strike the splitting edge, and thereby generate sound. A diagram of the basic design can be found at these links:

http://fallenbranch.com/myPictures/Flute-parts.gif
http://www.woodsounds.com/images/flu...ss_section.jpg
http://www.secondvoiceflutes.co.uk/i...ensions442.jpg
http://www.clintgoss.com/flutopedia....xray_flute.jpg
http://fluteblanks.com/images/blankCloseUp.jpg
http://www.whirlwindstudios.com/flut...orn_Flute_.jpg

What I'm looking for:
I don't have access to large equipment, and even small power tools running in my apartment tend to make my wife and teens a bit cranky. Joining a woodshop in Brooklyn etc is costly and a hassle for a hobby.

So, I am currently doing two things: (1) using air dry clay, which requires little in the way of tools etc, but has some draw backs (2) ordering wood flute blanks

In fact, #2 is a pretty good way to go, as there are places that sell pre-bored and shaped blanks, so that I then carve the sound mechanism and tone holes, and tune it and finish it. I continue to use this route, costing me between 15-30 bucks a blank depending on wood and source.

However, I was interested in doing two things: (1) play with the design parameters of the flute, which the pre-made blanks won't allow, and (2) use CNC to produce detailed carvings on the surface of the flute (an artist with wood, I am not, but I've seen amazing work done with CNC).

So, I'd like to find a outside source that could take a 2x2x24-2x2x36 piece of lumber and do the following:

1. Solid deep bore it from each end with diameters between 5/8" and 1.5" (bell curve maxing at 7/8" for the popular F# flutes), leaving an ~1-2" plug between the bores, with the long bore length on the order of 11"-25".
2. shape the remainder into a cylinder of wall thickness ~3/8" with a very flat region on the surface, however, over the plug where the sound mechanism will go
3. Carve two holes on either side of the plug to specifications
4. Drill 6 holes in specific places with specified, small diameters (~0.2")
5. Ultimately carve intricate artistic patterns (as those CNC patterns seen on decorative furniture etc) on the flute body

I would then do the fine work on the sound mechanism and the tone holes to voice the flute and tune it, and the finishing.

If this could fall into the less than ~$30 range in the end, it would be a boon, but I have no idea how realistic this is. I do know the folks who send me my solid bore blanks can bore them, round them, and ship to me for about $20 a blank.

So it would need to combine solid deep boring, lath-like rounding to a cylinder, and decorative-woodcarving on a cylindrical surface.

I couldn't find anything online that clearly spelled out having these capabilities as a service. Also, as mentioned, the ability to work with CNC programmers to alter design parameters on the flute would be important.

Whew. Sorry for the length! Any advice or pointers to places/people in the know would be very much appreciated!

- t3s

[bostosh]

Read your post, (former flute player to CNC)

It appears that you can't beat the prices on the blanks.
Custom will cost more $$,
talk to the suppliers.

[type3secretion]

Originally Posted by bostosh Read your post, (former flute player to CNC) It appears that you can't beat the prices on the blanks. Custom will cost more $$, talk to the suppliers.

Hi bostosh,

I wouldn't mind paying more for decorative work etc. The blank providers I have been using are mum on how they generate the blanks (I tried getting details). I'll have another go. Thanks.

[bostosh]

Buy the blanks and learn the engraving / customizing on them,
The gun stock guys do some incredible art on the stocks
you probably can't do blanks as cheap as someone already set-up in production until you get a volume to do. Go for the customizing part of the job.