Shimming Pads

Shimming pads is something you may have heard about, but since most of us don't really take our flutes apart, it's sometimes hard to imagine exactly what is involved in the process.  Shimming is a technique that uses extremely thin materials like mylar to position and "seat" the pad properly. 

In the video below, we watch as flute finisher Matt Keller checks the pads on the footjoint of a flute he is padding:

In this next video, we watch as Matt shims a pad:

For more on shimming, click here to view the "Close-Up on Shimming" post from our Repair My Flute blog.

Building Bridges

Powell's pinless mechanism is found on the Handmade Custom and Handmade Conservatory flutes.  It is a mechanism that allows for different movement of multiple keys on one steel. As opposed to being pinned to the mechanism, keys on a pinless mechanism are connected by bridges.  You can read a previous post on the pinless mechanism, complete with links to video demonstrations by Powell's president, Steven Wasser, by following this link.

We stopped by the stringing department to visit with Stefania Iamandei as she was building bridged mechanisms for Conservatory flutes.  

The bridged mechanism is comprised of several different parts that vary depending on the specifications of the flute.  For instance, the left hand piece is different depending on whether the flute has an inline or offset G.  The right hand has an additional piece for flutes made with a split-E.  You will see the bridge components in the photo below.

Stefania was putting together the mechanism for a flute with an offset G and split-E when we stopped by.  We outlined the components in the photo below (left hand piece is red, right hand piece is yellow, split-E piece is light blue). The split-E section that is "upside down" on the bench does not have the long piece yet that is located between key cups, so we have that piece outlined in a darker blue on the mechanism in the photo below.

The two bridges are outlined with red boxes in the photo below.

The next photo shows a close-up of the bridges.  As Stefania builds them, she has to make sure that they have the correct fit and that they function properly.  She also has to check that the bridges (and the entire mechanism) open to the correct height, because once she is done, the flute goes to the finisher.  The finisher ads foam and cork adjustment pieces to the bridges to prevent metal-to-metal contact.

Below, we see a close-up of the left-hand bridge.  Once the mechanism meets the correct measurements and is functioning as it should, Stefania adds beveled edges -- purely for aesthetics.

The photo below shows the left-hand bridge as it will look when it is open.

In the photo below, we see another view of both bridges.  You can clearly see the tabs that function to create key motion.

Finally, we see a photo below of the bridges on a finished Handmade Conservatory Aurumite A9 flute.

Headjoint Finishing - The Tenon

Sometimes when you look at your instrument, it is hard to imagine what it may have looked like before it was completely finished.  This came to our attention when we were on the production floor the other day and saw several Signature headjoints in the finishing department.  The headjoints each had a piece of blue tape around them, and we were anxious to find out more...

We spoke with flute finisher Karl Kornfeld about the tape, and he told us that it is a marker for the tenon.  As you can see from the photo above, the headjoints were completely polished from top to bottom.  The next step would be to lightly sand the end section below the blue tape to make a visible, "matte" style tenon that will fit inside the flute barrel.

Powell Repair Technician, Rachel Baker, shed more light on this part of the finishing process with a bit of historical and technical information.  She said that flute heajoints did not always have this "matte" type of tenon.  In fact, many had nothing!  Several older flute headjoints, like Powell #20 in the photo below, had a ring that stopped the headjoint when it was fully in place inside the barrel.  This ring also served as a position marker for tuning.

Powell #20 is on the far right in this photo.

Rachel said the today's tenon style serves a few purposes: 

 

(1) It helps mark the position of the headjoint in the flute.  Flutists may have their headjoints all the way in, or may have to pull out or push in to tune.  The visible difference of the matte tenon helps with placement -- much like the older rings.

(2) It provides a smoother fit for the headjoint in the barrel.  She says that there is the friction of metal against metal when you put the headjoint in the barrel, and although it may seem like a polished section would slide better, the matte area actually moves more smoothly.

(3) Aesthetics.  With normal use, the headjoint tenon will get marks simply from the normal wear and tear of putting the headjoint in and taking it out.  Those marks seem to look better on the "matte" surface rather than they would on a shiny one.

In the headjoint fitting process, the tenon may need to be sanded if it is too big for the barrel.  However, Rachel told us that the amount used in the process of creating a visible tenon does not take off any substantial amount of material, so rest assured that headjoints are not harmed in the process of forming the visible tenon.

Sanding lightly while headjoint is spinning rapidly.

Done!

Building the White Gold Flute - Part 8

In the final part of our series, we watch as the white gold flute goes through the play testing process (we have a detailed, previous post on play testing which you can read by following this link).  Our play tester does a thorough visual inspection and play tests the instrument, making note of anything that may need to be adjusted.  As you will see in the video, she will also double-check any findings with gauges and make notes on assessment/evaluation paperwork.  After she is done, the flute goes back to the finisher for the adjustments to be made.  When the finisher is done, the flute goes back to the tester for another play test. 

Once the flute has gone through the final testing and adjustment process, the blue protective tape is removed.  The flute is cleaned once more, placed in its case, and sent to the customer. In the photos below, you will see the white gold flute completed and ready to be sent to its new owner.

Music Credits:
Powell Artist Paul Edmund-Davies
Georg Friedrich Handel  - Sonata in E min, HWV 379: IV.Allegro

Pinning Keys

You may have read about the pinless mechanism on Powell Custom and Conservatory flutes.  It is a type of mechanism that uses small "bridges" to allow the keys to move independently, as opposed to a pinned mechanism, which uses pins that run through the key, tubing, and steel to allow for this independent motion.  We have a series of posts on the pinless mechanism that you can visit to read more.  Click the numbered sections the right to follow the link to those posts: Part I, Part II, Part III.

However, all flutes (pinned or pinless) will have pinned trill keys.  We caught up with flute finisher Lindsey McChord as she was pinning the trill keys on a Conservatory -- as you will see in the photos below.

The trill key pin is very small and can be difficult to see, so we circled it in red in the photo below.

From the outside of the key, you can see a very small hole at the end of the key arm where it attaches to the mechanism tubing.

The pin will go through the outside of the key through the inner steel (hole in steel circled below in red) and back out of the mechanism tubing.

Much like making springs, Lindsey cuts a pin that is just a bit longer than she needs and places it through to mark where it should be cut.

Pin is all the way through now.

 She uses a blue Sharpie to mark the correct length.

 Cuts the pin

 Oils the mechanism tubing

Runs the steel through the tubing

Attaches the keys and positions the pin in place.

She then pushes the pin just a bit forward.

The pin needs to go in further -- but this cannot be done by hand alone.

So, Lindsey uses a small device that will help hold it and push the pin through.

She puts a piece of velvet under the key to protect it and positions the key in place.

Then, she uses a small mallet to very gently tap the pin into place -- and then it is done!

In the photo below, you can see a pinned trill key in place on a 14k Custom.

The Spot Check

We stopped by the finishing department and met with Lindsey McChord just as she was preparing to buff some extremely small spots on keys.  In fact, the spots were so small that they were pin-pointed with a Sharpie.  You see, every inch of the flute is evaluated for function and aesthetics.  Even the smallest imperfection will be corrected before the final steps of the process.

Although the keys had been polished, buffed, and padded, a "spot shine" was required for any tiny imperfection on the keys.  We caught up with Lindsey as she was preparing to buff out a very, very small spot on the thumb key.  To begin, Lindsey removed the pad and shims from the key cup.  She then began smoothing out the mark with a small buffing wheel.  Although the wheel looks hard, it is actually made of a rubber material and quite flexible.  The wheel is used with the bench motor, spinning very rapidly to smooth out the mark.  Smoothing out the mark creates a matte finish, so another buffing wheel that is even softer is used next.  Finally, Lindsey took a small cloth wheel and applied some polishing rouge directly to the wheel to polish the key.  That is basically all!  Take a look at the photos below to see the process.

Buffing and polishing wheels in center of this photo.

Pad and shims must be removed first.

Pad removed -- ready to go.

Smoothing out the mark with a firm rubber wheel.

Initial smoothing leaves a matte finish.

Polishing with a softer rubber wheel.

Rouge for cloth wheel.

Cloth wheel for final polishing and buffing.

Final polishing and buffing.

Done!

The Finish "Shine"

We recently caught up with flute finisher Karl Kornfeld as he was in the final stretch of finishing a Powell Conservatory.  All adjustments had been made, it had been played in, play tested, and it was ready to go.  But there was one more step -- the final "shine."  Before a flute goes out to its new owner, it gets one final round of polishing.  The polish that is used also contains an anti-tarnish "shield," so the flute is being protected from tarnishing while it is being shined!

The keys are polished and protected from tarnishing even before the flute comes to the finishers.  However, the flute goes through several testing steps, so the final polish really helps to give the flute that extra layer of protection and shine before it is sent to its new owner.  The polish is applied to the flute keys, body, and headjoint.  It is not applied to the tone holes, because there is a possibility that it would get on the pads -- which you certainly do not want.  Karl applies the polish to the keys with a dry Q-tip and uses a toothpick to remove any excess polish from the rings in the keys.  The keys are then polished by wiping them with a cotton pad.  Karl also uses a cotton pad to apply polish to the flute body and headjoint and to polish the body and headjoint as well.  The polish can dry to powdery finish, so Karl gives the flute a quick "dusting" of pressurized air from an air hose before and after it is placed in the case.  Finally, it is all shined up and ready to go!

A bit of polish in a small cup and a Q-tip -- ready to polish the keys.

Applying the polish to the keys.

Removing excess polish from ring.

Polishing keys with cotton pad.

Applying polish to body with a cotton pad.

Wiping off polish from body.

Body is polished and shiny!

Wiping off any excess polish from body with a Q-tip.

Polish is applied to headjoint.

Wiping off polish with a cotton pad.

"Dusting" with a burst of pressurized air.

Flute is ready to go!