Modern Flute Making

I would like to congratulate Stephen Wessel on his Modern flute making articles. It is most informative and Stephen details many clever techniques.

Alan

I'll second that Alan, it is really quite refreshing to read about very different work of obviously top quality coming from an enthusiast with particular skills that lie right outside those we see more frequently, all described lucidly with nicely presented photographs.

​I took the trouble to look him up and found he makes his flutes as a business for supply to top flight musicians around the world. This is quite apart from being a very good musician himself to be able to make them in the first place.

​What really surprised me is the demanding exactitude of the work, in particular the number of cycles some of the keys will make in a year of concert performances around the world---it ran into millions. The flute mechanisms are expected to remain quiet and operate without hesitation under these demanding conditions so as not to detract from the performances. I'm looking forward to part three.

​Brian

+1

I'd like to see more articles from clockmakers, gunsmiths, instrument makers, spinners and jewelers etc. They all have interesting metalworking techniques. For example, how on earth do they engrave pairs of elaborate curvy decoratve scrollwork on clock faces, one of which is a mirror image of the other?

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 16/07/2017 15:21:47

+1

Fascinating article

Stuart

Second all that, one of the most interesting articles yet in MEW. I don't pretend to understand the musical side, thrown out of the triangle group aged 6, been bought drink to stop singing etc. Very interesting and useful techniques.

I would be delighted to receive articles from those working metals in different crafts as suggested above. We can all learn from their techniques, but also their approach to different problems.

Neil