| "body"> | | | | together, you can rest assured that you can fix |
| Flute keys have to close exactly on the tone holes to | | | | anything. We have recovered flutes that have been |
| seal them from air leakage and then an exact tone | | | | stepped on, sat on, jammed in doors etc., etc. |
| can be produced. The only way this can happen is to | | | | Alright so we took out all dents and bends, which is a |
| insure the key is level and the tone hole is level and the | | | | science all on it's own. We made sure the springs are |
| pad has no holes or creases in them. | | | | all intact and of the correct tension. We have checked |
| This is achieved by seating the pads correctly and | | | | and replaced and seated all the necessary pads. |
| then bending the keys and testing them continually until | | | | Finally, we bent and leveled all the keys and their pads |
| you get the best seal possible. We test the seal in | | | | over the tone holes so that we get as close to a |
| several ways. One of the most common ways is to | | | | perfect seal as possible. |
| use a strip of cigarette paper. You place it between | | | | Then we clamp the keys shut, to make a deep imprint |
| the rim of the tone hole and the pad and then close | | | | in the pad, thus making a very air tight seal. We do this |
| the key to see if the paper is grabbed or slips out. If it | | | | by first using a small pad iron to iron out any wrinkles |
| slips out, that means that air can get out of that space | | | | from any new pads. Then you soak the pads with |
| and thus you will lose sound and volume etc. I use a | | | | alcohol (this is one method). Apply the individual key |
| jeweler's eye loop to examine the hole more than I | | | | clamps. Then you place the flute in a pad oven for a |
| use the cigarette paper because I can get a closer | | | | few hours. Pad ovens vary in size and shape. I use a |
| look through the magnification and I find it quicker. | | | | long narrow leak light, which I put in the flute and then I |
| Bending the keys to make them level was at first very | | | | put it in a wooden box. Some people don't use an |
| scary. You are working on a $300.00 and up | | | | oven. |
| instrument and you're taking a pair of flute pliers and | | | | After that, you'll get a great seal and the flute will play |
| bending the key to insure it is setting right over the hole. | | | | great. The volume will be great with no hissing or leaks. |
| Yes, you occasionally break the keys right off. At first | | | | After that if you give it regular hand cleaning and have |
| this is very unnerving but when you realize that you | | | | someone a tech give it a once over every 6 months |
| are suppose to be able to fix keys that are broken off, | | | | you get the best out of your flute and it will last a long |
| then it becomes no big deal. Once you realize that all | | | | time. |
| the pieces of the flute had to be made and soldered | | | | |