Glauber...you still around???
Have been playing/enjoying a Ralph Sweet 4 key open hole D in rosewood for some time now. The problem is this...a number of my 4 keys (especially G#) leak air. This kills my power, especially low D and E. I have increased spring tension, moistened and secured pads firmly shut for days at a time to assure a hole "footprint" and have finally resorted to using a few very stiff elastics to secure the pads firmly shut (which makes it a real pain to use them as you might imagine). Even now, my flute is just a bear unless at crazy level of humidity (tenon swelling levels) and I am now using a segmental in-flute humidifier. I have contacted Mr Sweet, and he has kindly offered to replace the pads. I would have to part with my flute for some period of time and even then to a questionable end. Does anyone know of any high quality pads I might try to install myself (or have a local shop do the work) that they would reccomend? Thanks all for your anticiapted assistance.
You can re-pad the keys with silicone gel.
Comes in a tube, ( used for sealing tiles etc.. )
Remove the old pad
Put a blob of silicone on the key
Wet your finger and smooth the silicone ( water will prevent it sticking to your finger )
Let it form a skin, 2-4 hours maybe?
Mount the key in place and leave overnight to mate onto the hole.
Next day trim the excess, round the edges and the "sag" down into the hole.
All you need is for the silicone to completely seal the rim of the hole, it does not need to be neat or flat else-where.
Works well for me, after a few tries you get a good rim seal.
Another option is mouse-pad rubber ? but I have not tried that yet.
Pat,
Excellent tip! We need more sensible and interesting stuff like this on this board. Admittedly, as a flute player, I'm biased.
What happens if you want to replace the silicon? Is it easy to get out again?
I use clarinet pads fixed with shellac.
If your pads are fixed with shellac, you have to heat the key (remove it from the flute first) using a lighter or a spirit burner or a soldering iron with a clean tip. If in doubt, get it done professionally.
To test if a key is leaking do this:
Take the flute apart and for each segment;
cover all the holes with your fingers, put one of the open ends of the segment on your thigh and suck on the other end. You should feel a fair degree of resistance as a vacuum forms. Continue to suck and without opening any of the other holes, open the key you're testing. If it's airtight, it will open with a pop as the air rushes in to the vacuum.
And before anyone else says flute players suck, yes they do occasionally!
I used the silicon solution based on the boards recommendations a few months back -- works great. My flute has not been as sealed and solid in many a moon --
i'm not around much anymore, but i would have recommended the sylicone pads too. I haven't made any yet, but it seems straightforward. I used to have a keyed M&E flute that had sillicone (sp?) pads, and they were perfect. They'll probably last forever too.
Leaky Flute pads...help
Leaky Flute pads...help
Glauber...you still around???
Have been playing/enjoying a Ralph Sweet 4 key open hole D in rosewood for some time now. The problem is this...a number of my 4 keys (especially G#) leak air. This kills my power, especially low D and E. I have increased spring tension, moistened and secured pads firmly shut for days at a time to assure a hole "footprint" and have finally resorted to using a few very stiff elastics to secure the pads firmly shut (which makes it a real pain to use them as you might imagine). Even now, my flute is just a bear unless at crazy level of humidity (tenon swelling levels) and I am now using a segmental in-flute humidifier. I have contacted Mr Sweet, and he has kindly offered to replace the pads. I would have to part with my flute for some period of time and even then to a questionable end. Does anyone know of any high quality pads I might try to install myself (or have a local shop do the work) that they would reccomend? Thanks all for your anticiapted assistance.
# Posted on August 3rd 2003 by farquharson whistler
Re: Leaky Flute pads...help
Farkuharson,
You can re-pad the keys with silicone gel.
Comes in a tube, ( used for sealing tiles etc.. )
Remove the old pad
Put a blob of silicone on the key
Wet your finger and smooth the silicone ( water will prevent it sticking to your finger )
Let it form a skin, 2-4 hours maybe?
Mount the key in place and leave overnight to mate onto the hole.
Next day trim the excess, round the edges and the "sag" down into the hole.
All you need is for the silicone to completely seal the rim of the hole, it does not need to be neat or flat else-where.
Works well for me, after a few tries you get a good rim seal.
Another option is mouse-pad rubber ? but I have not tried that yet.
Good Luck
Pat Higgins
# Posted on August 3rd 2003 by Pat Higgins
Re: Leaky Flute pads...help
Hi,
I would have given the same answer as Pat did ! Silicon is great, does not leak, resists to moisturised air, beer, etc ...
Rob
# Posted on August 3rd 2003 by Robinson
Re: Leaky Flute pads...help
Pat,
Excellent tip! We need more sensible and interesting stuff like this on this board. Admittedly, as a flute player, I'm biased.
What happens if you want to replace the silicon? Is it easy to get out again?
I use clarinet pads fixed with shellac.
If your pads are fixed with shellac, you have to heat the key (remove it from the flute first) using a lighter or a spirit burner or a soldering iron with a clean tip. If in doubt, get it done professionally.
To test if a key is leaking do this:
Take the flute apart and for each segment;
cover all the holes with your fingers, put one of the open ends of the segment on your thigh and suck on the other end. You should feel a fair degree of resistance as a vacuum forms. Continue to suck and without opening any of the other holes, open the key you're testing. If it's airtight, it will open with a pop as the air rushes in to the vacuum.
And before anyone else says flute players suck, yes they do occasionally!
Chris
# Posted on August 4th 2003 by milesnagopaleen
Re: Leaky Flute pads...help
I used the silicon solution based on the boards recommendations a few months back -- works great. My flute has not been as sealed and solid in many a moon --
--Eliot
# Posted on August 4th 2003 by Eliot
Re: Leaky Flute pads...help --------One more thing.....
Another tip....
First, isolate which/if/any of the pads are in fact leaking, to do this, replace'em all with blue-tack over the holes.
( Make sure none of it is drooping down into the bore, That'll kill your sound..... )
Now, check how it plays, then reinstall the keys one at a time untill the problem returns.
You might have a leak in the bottom tenon ?
( You mentioned the E and D especially , )
You can use teflon tape to test this, it might not be the keys at all ?
Good Luck
PjH
# Posted on August 4th 2003 by Pat Higgins
Re: Leaky Flute pads...help
Pat,
You weren't a plumber in a previous life , by any chance?
Chris
# Posted on August 4th 2003 by milesnagopaleen
Re: Leaky Flute pads...help
Hello, farquharson,
i'm not around much anymore, but i would have recommended the sylicone pads too. I haven't made any yet, but it seems straightforward. I used to have a keyed M&E flute that had sillicone (sp?) pads, and they were perfect. They'll probably last forever too.
# Posted on August 5th 2003 by glauber
Re: Leaky Flute pads...help
thanks everyone!
fw
# Posted on August 9th 2003 by farquharson whistler