Flute Making Process

I start out with a blank that is 2 in. x 2 in. x 24 inches and then using a planer I make it smooth and even on all sides and planed down to a 1 3/4" size.

The flute blank is then sawed in half so that it may be routed out and each sawed side must be perfectly flat and smooth so it can be glued back together after routing.

This is the routed out insides of the Flute Blank, note a small routed out part , it is called the Fast Air Chamber...also referred to as the FAS.
The Larger routed out area is called the Sound Chamber.

This is one of the finished Flutes with a Carved Eagle Head (carved out of Cedar) for channeling the air from the FAS over the dam and over the cut out and shaped sounding edge just about 1/2 inch away from the FAS to create the sound. Next holes are drilled in the top portion of the flute for fingering the notes and tuned by shaping the holes to different sizes to make the proper note (6 Holes). I also cut and inlaid a diamond shaped piece of turquoise into each side and ground and sanded down flush with the flute wood surface and polished to a bright shine.

The Flute is then shaped into the round shape by sanding and carving and sanded very smooth.

The Flute is then sealed with Tongue Oil , both inside and outside allowed to dry overnight and another coat put on after using 0000 steel wool to create a velvety smooth surface and feel, and finally after that coat dries,again steel wooled to a velvet finish, then coated with one to two coats of fine paste wax and buffed.

Top view of this Flute.



The next Finished Flute with a Carved Bear with an Inlaid Turquoise Heart Line and also a matching Heart Line of Turquoise inlaid on each side .

Close up view of the Carved Bear (Cedar) with inlaid Turquoise Heart Line.

Top View of the Bear Flute.