I’ve done some hollowing using my wood lathe. There is a chuck that fits in the tail stock where you can attach a long drill bit. Getting the bit to travel straight can be a trick but it can be done.
phenomenal sound! great job! After training on the lathe this Thursday, I hollowed out a prototype on a lathe for practice. It was only 8 inches long so I don't know if it's playable. That's actually why I'm here today, searching for a video of a solid body mini flute, if it's possible. I used a 3/4" drill bit from both ends. OD is about 1"1/8 but it's just a practice anyway for my long oak piece I hope to turn into a flute just like this! or one from Blue Bear Flutes. I'm interested how you do it and how you choose the diameter of the hole as compared to the outer diameter of the flute, after you've lathed it.
Hi... Love your work. How did you know the exact length of the flute; and where to put the finger holes and their sizes...!? Thank you. Best ... William (Southampton UK)
Hello, well done! I think that the long hole was prepared in two parts of the wood? And what is your diameter of this hole? I saw that the tuning holes are made on places you surely know the thickness and places. Do you have a mal or what? It is difficult to understand that your flute, only through burning the holes , is tuned…..greetings Jan
Hi, Caleb Love your flutes; lesson and your work. I wonder if I could ask you a technical question!? Simply; if I have a flute that plays really well; and I cut the tube off the flute! So; all I know have is the sound part and about two inchs of pipe in front of where the sound is generated and comes out! If I now blow through the very shortened section (and, again, this is where the sound is generated) ... if I blow through this, will I get a sound ... !? The reason that I ask is that; I have built a 34'' Contrabas flute; the long tube is finished, but not connected to the sound part, but, for the life of me, I cannot get any sound out of the sound part! I would have thought you could create sound through the sound part with it disconnected from the tube part ... !? Hope you can help on this one, as I am now completely stuck ... ! Best wishes ... William (Hampshire UK)
Hi William, I'll answer your question as best as possible. It's hard to give you an exact answer without seeing the flute. As long as the mouthpiece is made to sound very nice, you could put almost any size tube on it and it will make a sound. However, when you get past around 22 in long, the sound starts to drop out. That's because the sound waves do not get enough air intake and the sound starts to suffocate. The way to fix that is to make the channel and true sound hole bigger. But that's tricky and takes a lot of practice to get right. So for my guess, your 34" tube is too long.
This is great! Why burn the holes rather than drill to size? Not a critique, just curious if there was a functional reason, or just for esthetics. Thanks!
I like to burn the holes to tune it in perfect pitch,. It's hard to sand out the little burs on the inside of the bore made from drilling. Using a hot iron burns the burs off. I also like the esthetics of the burned holes.
I will be posting a video soon about how to hollow out a lathe-turned flute! Stay tuned.
Looking forward to it!
Confirming, this hasn't come out yet right?? I've been looking all over for good methods of hollowing out.
I’ve done some hollowing using my wood lathe. There is a chuck that fits in the tail stock where you can attach a long drill bit. Getting the bit to travel straight can be a trick but it can be done.
I must have missed the part where he hollows out the flute... kind of an important part there...
The most difficult part nobody show properly
Awesome! Thanks for sharing some of your creative process. Pleasure meeting you today and I appreciate your help. Be well.
Thanks Doug! It was great meeting you too!
Just beautiful Kudos man
Excellent. Would live to buy one of your flutes
Great stuff. Would it be possible to make a nice piece of lithuainian pine into a flute? Also, any recommendations when it comes to flute music?
phenomenal sound! great job! After training on the lathe this Thursday, I hollowed out a prototype on a lathe for practice. It was only 8 inches long so I don't know if it's playable. That's actually why I'm here today, searching for a video of a solid body mini flute, if it's possible. I used a 3/4" drill bit from both ends. OD is about 1"1/8 but it's just a practice anyway for my long oak piece I hope to turn into a flute just like this! or one from Blue Bear Flutes.
I'm interested how you do it and how you choose the diameter of the hole as compared to the outer diameter of the flute, after you've lathed it.
How did you hallow out the inside?
It depends on how long the length of the flute is but for this one I used an 3/4" auger bit.
How do you know where to place the finger holes?
Hi...
Love your work.
How did you know the exact length of the flute; and where to put the finger holes and their sizes...!?
Thank you.
Best ...
William (Southampton UK)
Nice job man, what do you use for the finish coat or sealer
Nice video. Thank you.
what ointment do you use to polish it in the end? Signed up
🙏🏻💪❤️
thank you. I make my own mixture of Shellac for the finish.
Hello, well done! I think that the long hole was prepared in two parts of the wood? And what is your diameter of this hole? I saw that the tuning holes are made on places you surely know the thickness and places. Do you have a mal or what? It is difficult to understand that your flute, only through burning the holes , is tuned…..greetings Jan
Lovely video , but how did you hollow the flute ????
I just a 3/4" auger bit on the lathe or I route it out with a 3/4" router bit.
Cheers 👍
Hi, Caleb
Love your flutes; lesson and your work.
I wonder if I could ask you a technical question!?
Simply; if I have a flute that plays really well; and I cut the tube off the flute! So; all I know have is the sound part and about two inchs of pipe in front of where the sound is generated and comes out! If I now blow through the very shortened section (and, again, this is where the sound is generated) ... if I blow through this, will I get a sound ... !?
The reason that I ask is that; I have built a 34'' Contrabas flute; the long tube is finished, but not connected to the sound part, but, for the life of me, I cannot get any sound out of the sound part! I would have thought you could create sound through the sound part with it disconnected from the tube part ... !?
Hope you can help on this one, as I am now completely stuck ... !
Best wishes ...
William (Hampshire UK)
Hi William, I'll answer your question as best as possible. It's hard to give you an exact answer without seeing the flute. As long as the mouthpiece is made to sound very nice, you could put almost any size tube on it and it will make a sound. However, when you get past around 22 in long, the sound starts to drop out. That's because the sound waves do not get enough air intake and the sound starts to suffocate. The way to fix that is to make the channel and true sound hole bigger. But that's tricky and takes a lot of practice to get right. So for my guess, your 34" tube is too long.
Thank you, Caleb for that. It gives me much to think about.@@calebbyerly
Out of interest ... ua-cam.com/video/Yddjpv7eujk/v-deo.html
This is great! Why burn the holes rather than drill to size? Not a critique, just curious if there was a functional reason, or just for esthetics. Thanks!
I like to burn the holes to tune it in perfect pitch,. It's hard to sand out the little burs on the inside of the bore made from drilling. Using a hot iron burns the burs off. I also like the esthetics of the burned holes.
Sir, what lathe are you using?
Jet 1442
Cedar comes pre-hollowed out
Forgot to show all the important details?
Make it wooden with the help of the Woodglut instructions.