Beyond Normal User Maintenance

[jmdewey60]

I did not get around to making a firm decision on what to do, having a feeling of loathing about taking the flute all apart after getting it put back together, which was not the easiest thing to do.
Lately I have been working a lot with spring clamps that you can get through hardware or crafts stores, and a week ago, hit on the idea of using those to solve this sealing problem with this flute I re-padded.
So I took one clamp of the appropriete size and clamped the key's pad cup down against the main tube, to compress the pad contact point on the rim of the hole tube that sticks up from the main tube.
I know from reading that there is a similar type process commonly used by technitions who do re-padding, where they take a set of metal clips to press down the keys, then stick the whole thing in an oven for a certain amount of time to set the contact area to match the holes.
There are some people who feel this method damages some of the natural resiliancy of the pad. I thought if I just clamped the keys and instead of heating it, left the clamp in place for a week, it would have the same sort of effect but without the damage.
I just a little while ago removed the clamp and sure enough, there is a nice circular imprint on the sealing surface of the pad, which I think will solve the problem I found months ago, that had caused me to stop my project to give it further reflection.

Now, with what looks to be a successful pad seating, I am proceeding on by clamping one key at a time to where after so many weeks I will have them all done. It should be readily apparent that there is a reason why this is not a standard practice, taking a rediculously long time to complete. I do have the advantage of having collected several flutes back when I went on my buying spree on eBay, after being told my old and worn flute of so many years was not worth fixing. I have three fully functional flutes I can use while getting this old Armstrong back to working condition. Maybe a long-term project but one I feel is worthwhile, being what I consider it a flute which was well crafted for its time, with the entire body of the flute made from silver. The next best thing to that which I own is my Artly with an all silver head.

[pied_piper]

Clamping pads is a bit obsolete, especially on today's flutes. Years ago, pads were commonly made with soft felt, but now, firmer felt is more common and clamping is used far less often. Those who still use soft felt pads and clamping, do so because it is easier and quicker, not because it is better. As you noted, clamping puts an impression in the felt to allow the soft pad to seal better. Firmer pads require very flat tone holes and require a lot more work shimming the pads to get good coverage. The advantage is that the firmer pads provide a crisper, less "mushy" feel to the key action and it is more likely to retain a good seal, whereas the soft felt impression has a tendency to disappear over time. When that happens, leaks start to appear.

On older flutes with soft pads, clamping for an impression can result in a good seal on all the pads, but it may require periodic reclamping to retain a good seal. I suggest though, that the clamps you are using are far too strong and that will result in too deep an impression. If the pad impression is too deep, it can cause pads to stick to the tone hole more easily. Also, if the pad protrudes a bit into the tone hole, it can affect intonation. The clamps used by flute technicians apply a much lighter pressure than those available in hardware stores. Ideally, the clamping pressure should be only slightly greater than the normal, light finger pressure used while playing. Also, pads should all be clamped at the same time by using multiple clamps. If pads are individually clamped, the pads with deeper impressions will close more than those with a light or no impression. When the impressions are not consistent, that will throw off the key regulation which means that some notes may not play correctly even though individually, the pads all seal.

[jmdewey60]

The flute is a mid-60's Armstrong model 80.
I on-purpose bought the old style natural pads that would have been originally installed on a flute of this era.
They are a little hard to come by and are made in one plant in Italy.
I think you have a point in not pressing them so far in, and should monitor the progress of the grooves so as to not allow them to get too deep.

[jmdewey60]

To quote pied_piper from his last post on this thread:
"The clamps used by flute technicians apply a much lighter pressure than those available in hardware stores."
I am using the smallest clamp I have that will fit, which does not exert too much pressure, I hope.
I took a picture of the actual set-up, where the earlier photo was a generic catalog pic.

This is nominally a 3 1/2 inch clamp, measured by it's length including the handles. I put self-adhesive foam pads on the swivel-feet contact surfaces to both prevent scratching on the flute, and to keep the clamp from slipping since it is not really designed to hold round pieces.
I should repeat that I am not actually recommending that anyone else repeat what I am doing exactly, where my intent is more to just show what I am doing. Also I am a veteran of technical type things that are unrelated but does lend me some practical skills.
I feel like this flute is a rescue in that I ever got the thing in the first place, where it belonged to someone who was not a player, and just inherited it somehow and let it sit around in a sort of neglected state, where the owner did not even know if it worked. I bought it on e-bay for what I think is the lowest possible price you could buy a flute for of this type, and had decided I would do something to get it working.

[pied_piper]

Here are some examples of the type of clamps/clips used by repair techs if they clamp keys:
http://www.ferreestools.com/index_files/Page85.htm
http://www.votawtool.com/zcom.asp?pg=pr ... c=jopmgpi4

As you can see, these are much lighter than what you are using. If you put any of these on your finger, you'll barely feel it. If you put your clamp on your finger, you will feel the pressure and it may be uncomfortable or perhaps even painful. The pads should be clamped with only slightly more pressure than is needed to close the key. But, hey, it's your flute...



or



or

Key clamps for flute and clarinet.
Made from spring steel and vinyl coated to protect instrument finish.
Light clamping action.

[JButky]

And don't forget another tried an true method of using ribbon to close the keys. Tie a ribbon onto one of the posts and then "wrap" the ribbon around the flute over the keys. The only hard part is the tying it off when you get to the end. This also works well..

There's always another way...

[flutego12]

Yes, the book FG18 is talking about is The Complete Guide to the Flute and Piccolo by
James Phelan and Lillian Burkart

I have the second edition, but there might be a newer version out?

The one available on amazon.com is the 2nd edition under Bukhardt (January 1, 2005). I got mine last year.

Originally published under Verne Q. Powell Flutes Inc. by Mitchell D. Brody James Phelan (Author) in 1980.