"So my assumption is that there must be at least SOME flute players out there who have similar capability, given a little guidance."

Agreed, but I wouldn`t recommend it. I have seen far too many flutes messed up worst because of students trying to fix the flutes themselves. They like to mess with those adjustment screws! So I just caution for good reason,

These posts have really helped a lot. The more I think about it, and read these replies, the more I realize that the culprit behind my series of flute problems is...key oil. My band director told me it was alright to use key oil on my flute, and that I should do so once a month. This super premium oil seeped through onto the pads where joints hit, and some have come loose. That is probably how that screw came loose. I`m sure I`ll be able to find a tool to adjust it from the sides, that should be no problem.

You really should take it in to a GOOD repair tech and have all that excess oil removed.

You know...that is what give band directors a bad rep! I will never forget what one band director said to me one time.
"Flutist that double tongue are just lazy because they can`t single tongue fast enough."

He was an old ignorant Ba$tard that I never got along with!

Education is power! That includes power over inappropriate advice, such as over-lubricating flutes.

Fiery Fairy, seeing you seem interested, these silencers eventually NORMALLY fall off Pearl flutes anyway, irrespective of the oil, although oil on them greatly increases with speed with which they release.

Part of the problem is glue that does not hold well enough in this situation and with this material.

Part of the problem is that Pearl is using a semi-rigid, semi-squishy material, possibly Teflon. When the screw presses down with quite high pressure in the centre of the silencer - actually it is often well to the side, because of poor alignment at design/manufacture! - it crushes the material, making it stretch wider under the screw. This tends to make the material `dish`, so that the sides lift.

These silencers can exist precariously for quite a long time, released form the surface to which they should be attached, and sitting precariously on the end of the adjusting screw. Often it is turning the screw that can finally release them from the vicinity altogether.

If I replace them, I use contact adhesive with a very thin, extremely tough, synthetic leather. Many technicians use very thin leather under regulating screws, but the screw very quickly cuts through it and contacts the metal surface underneath.

Sometimes paper is used.

Not ANY contact glue will work on such small surfaces. Many of them do not set firm enough, allowing the material to `migrate` off the surface.

Of course, for any glue to be successful, the surface must be scrupulously clean and free of oil.

Most players would barely notice the extra noise from the mechanism if the silencers are left off, and adjustments made accordingly.

Properly installed silencers, of appropriate material, last very well, as proven by Murumatsu and other makers.

Maybe EdGe should start a forum where he teaches repairs over the internet.

If an inexperienced flutist is going to start taking all of EdGe`s wonderful suggestions on how to repair, I highly recommend that you don`t practice them on your good current flute that you are using.

When it comes to doing my own repairs or even adjustments (except very minor), I am a definite wimp. Even though I don`t have a high money flute, it`s still the one I play on.
I just know that if I tried to do anything to it, I`d end up carrying the "carnage" to my tech in a brown paper bag! I`d be a mess.
I have, however, done a bit of dissecting on an old Bundy I got from a pawn shop. It was not pretty.

Kara, all I am suggesting doing is turning adjusting screws, and how it can be done with that hidden Pearl screw on the F key. That is nowhere near the complicated end of instrument repair! The rest of what I have written is just general knowledge for greater awareness of the situation.

A guided, mechanically-astute person can often do a lot less harm with their instrument than you and I have seen done by so-called technicians.

And BTW, in the sax forum there is indeed a section where I and a few other technicians are effectively running a forum where we teach repairs over the internet for those who ask. It works. Hundreds of people are extremely grateful.

I am conscious that some people are far, far more mechanically astute than others, and SOME of these are definitely flute players. They do not need to be totally scared off very basic repairs, especially if they have been made aware of related issues, and things to be cautious about.

If it comes to levelling of tone holes, and correcting sloppiness of pivots, then almost all players would be well out of their depth, in both knowledge and equipment. I hope I did not give the impression I was suggesting they do this work.

I hope you do not resent me supplying information from my tiny area of expertise here. As Fiery Fairy wrote, "These posts have really helped a lot."

"I hope you do not resent me supplying information from my tiny area of expertise here. As Fiery Fairy wrote, "These posts have really helped a lot."

That is a rather silly question. Now I feel a bit like I am being goaded.

Adjusting screws is one thing, but getting out excess oil is another. He would have to take apart the whole flute to do that. Do you really recommend he do that? It is better to practice repairs AND adjusting screws on another flute and not your good one. Kippsix had the right idea in getting a Bundy at a pawn shop.

Every flutist should learn how to regulate there flute when those pesky adjustment screws make their way loose, so I was not arguing that.

That is great that you teach repairs on the sax forum. Good for you! I love the net!

"..Adjusting screws is one thing, but getting out excess oil is another...."

True! It really needs a solvent, and for most student flutes these days, there is a good chance that it will remove all the corks and felts!

Also, it involves removing the keys. An inexperienced person trying to get the stack keys (Bb/A, & F#/F/E/D) off, is very likely to do additional damage, such as bending something out of adjustment, or stabbing a pad with a spring.

I think we`re in general agreement here.

There are a couple of similar traps (involving only a few keys) on clarinet, and fewer traps on sax.

"...or stabbing a pad with a spring."

Or stabbing themselves with one which can really hurt!

Glad to see that you got my point.

I was wondering how common it is, among those of you who are flute teachers, to teach the minor maintenance/repair skills to your students. I know that I never had someone show/teach me, and in fact, never even had an instructor work on my flute at all!

I think I am relatively mechanically astute as I often have done watch repairs etc., but I`ve come to realize after reading EdGer`s posts, that I seem to need "hands on teaching". I feel overwhelmed translating what I`m reading into action!
I think it`s just a mental block I have because it is MY flute (and I know I don`t have the budget to replace it if I screw up!)

My beginner flute was an old Bundy, and I keep it for that very reason. I have taken it apart many times. Never ever would I ever consider even turning out a screw unless it aided in maintenance. Double sided tape is working wonders for the silencers I`ve managed to save, but some are gone forever. All I did was take a Q-tip and some alcohol to that particular spot if there was any oil there, and use tweezers to set it in place. I`ve managed to work the screw into place with a 1mm screwdriver, no problems, it was just a little tedious. These posts really have helped me a lot, and I appreciate everyone that contributed.