i`m looking for a website that has "do-it-yourself" maintenance. something like a guide to how the flute is made, just so i can fix minor things without killing my flute or having to take it in. it would be really neat if i had a diagram or something that shows how the springs work, and other stuff. if anyone can help, please do! thanx.

You can normally get help from forums for help with a SPECIFIC maintenance issue. I, personally am very active in forums in this area.

You must realise that even the most seemingly straight-forward tasks have a huge ranger of traps waiting for the novice `technician`. a book which covered these well would be pretty well unreadable for the novice, and would be several hundred pages. To my knowledge nothing of this type exists on the net. The comes a point when a live demonstration of a process is far more effective than attempting to put it in words without ambiguity.

To do work yourself on a flute, you either need some training live from an expert, or have have some very specific personal attributes. The process of doing ANY work on a flute for me involves something like this:

- Analyse what any given part is supposed to do
- Analyse what other parts it is related to, and understand fully the interaction of these parts.
- Analyse whether or not the relevant parts are doing their respective jobs adequately.
- If there is a fault, be able to analyse whether it is actually possible to do anything about it.
- Have the knowledge and experience to identify the various ways of doing something about an identified problem.
- Analyse how you are going to access the parts you need to work on.
- Analyse the pros and cons of each solution.- Be aware of the multitude of potential problems you may encounter, and possible damage you may do in the course of accessing and working on the problem.
- Have or acquire the equipment and materials that may be needed. KNow what is available and how to acquire it. Be aware of the materials and equipment that are well marketed, but which do their job poorly.
- Have a lot of experience in using the tools and materials, so that you are familiar with exactly how they behave. It is very easy to cause damage by using tools inappropriately.
- Carry out the correction, analysing and correcting the other problems you as an amateur (but professionals too) will almost certainly encounter or actually create along the way.

You DO get good value for your money from a good, experienced technician! It is NORMAL for DIY guys to produce several new problems for evey one they attempt to solve. Most DIY guys are not even aware of what they are damaging in the process.

By all means, go ahead. That is how I started on repairs. But be aware that this is often complicated work, and well-developed mechanical analytical skills are absolutely essential, especially if you have no formal training in instrument repair.

If you want to start doing this yourself, then acquire a condemned flute, and begin by taking it apart and putting it together again. If you cope with that, progress from there.

You asked how springs work. You should be able to undcerstand this by unhooking one and seeing how it behaves as you do so. Then hook it back. A very small crochet hook helps. If you cannot understand how a spring works from this, then you should probably keep well away from working on your own flute!

I stumbled across this in the Flute method section of a sheet music website just last night. It looked rather interesting. It`s also listed as music at Fluteworld.

Instrument Repair for the Music Teacher
http://windmusicplus.safeshopper.com/1949/5219.htm?863

These would probably be better value for money:

http://www.musicmedic.com/catalog/categories/cat_4.html

Another old industry-standard text is:

"Mr. Brand`s book, the "Band Instrument Repairing Manual", has since 1992, been faithfully reprinted by Ferree`s since 1993, to help newcomers get a solid start.

Get the free Ferrees catalogue as a start if you want to buy equipment.
http://www.ferreestools.com/

Be aware that texts date as methods and materials get upgraded.

Arak, do you work one instruments? You seem to be very knowledgeable/helpful with this subject? I`m not interested in touching my instrument myself.. i leave that to the people who know what they`re doing! but i do have a question.. I`ve heard from several people that you don`t want to just let anyone work on piccolos? i`ve heard they can come out of the shop sounding worse then they did when the went in? is there any truth to this one? also, how often should you get them (flutes and pics) looked at? even if they seem to be working just fine? i`ve had my flute for 7 years and it`s only had like 1 pad replaced. One final question and i`ll stop with the dumb questions.. hehe... I`ve also been told it`s bad to just let your instrument set for months without taking it out/playing it? is there any truth to this one?? Thanks in advance for your help! and sorry for the dumb qestions!!!

"Arak, do you work one instruments? "

Yes. That is my profession.

"You seem to be very knowledgeable/helpful with this subject?"

I can`t think of anybody else currently in the internet who is more active in providing repair knowledge for woodwind players in the internet. I am also as active as anybody else regarding technical issues in `the` repairer technicians` forum. I do know this area pretty well.

"I`ve heard from several people that you don`t want to just let anyone work on piccolos? i`ve heard they can come out of the shop sounding worse then they did when the went in?"

There are many mediocre to useless `technicians` around. Although they may be OK for panel beating brass instruments, you musgt be aware that woodwinds do need somebody who REALLY knows what they are doing. These instruments have compicated, precision mechanisms, which need EXPERT attention. So you should not let just ANY technician near ANY woodwind instrument. Research their reputation first! To do a good job on piccolos needs experience and skill. The same for all the other woodwinds.

"how often should you get them (flutes and pics) looked at?"

I give my customers a list of symptoms that suggest attention is required. After I have worked on an instrumnet I am unlikely to see the customer again for at least 2 years.

There is a big difference between making an instrumnet go, and making it remain reliable for a significant time.

However the mechanism SHOULD be regularly lubricated, to keep it quiet, to reduce wear, and to stop pivots from rusting, especially if you are playing in the rain, which people do not do in my country.

I used to recommend that the player do this, and provided instruction sheets. However some cutting-edge technology oils do their job well for at least a year. Some oils leave a gummy residue which makes pivots eventually sieze up. Others evaporate far too fast.

Many players use instrumnets which have NEVER been adjsuted to go really well. The player THINKS the instrumnet is going as well as it can, when it has never done so.

"I`ve also been told it`s bad to just let your instrument set for months without taking it out/playing it?"

If it is put away clean, is in a lubricated state, and not stored in a damp environment that encourages mould and corrosion, then no problems at all. That is the case for my own flute now. Some `shonky` technicians wil blame everything except themselves.

"sorry for the dumb qestions!!!"

No sincere questions are dumb!!!

But beware of the troll in this forum who is currently using all manner of means to mislead people.

Looks like some one has an ego. Lol!