I am really terrible at tying the bird thing( I imagine it has an official name) to the fute. I just can't seem to get a good seal. My flute maker makes it looks so easy and I try to copy, but the bird sort of shifts around with a little pressure.

Tricks please?

Hi, Try putting a rubber band around the flute and fettish before you tie it with the leather thong. I've heard this really helps.

Good luck,

Larry

The leather tie needs to be substantial enough to apply some pressure without breaking it. There is no other secret to it.

Some ties are up to 3/4 " wide, which are then split into two thong ties underneath, while the block portion remains solid.

PRACTICE-PRACTICE-PRACTICE.

The first time I removed a bird it took about an hour and a lot of cursing before I got it right. Now its pretty easy just from doing it fairly often.

Forgot to mention........sometimes a maker will put a tie on that doesn't have any elasticity. Such a tie will NEVER tighten. You have to replace it with buckskin, elk, or similar leather, that has an elasticity to it.

Hair scrunchies! My friend Bill Tucker has a daughter and he used one of those pony tail holder things and it worked great. He passed his secret along to me and I use them often, especially when practicing or trying to record. It makes for quick block removal and replacement.

I had to have 2 daughter so I would have an excuse to buy and use those same things

Mark

Hey Mark, You could always go to a "Steven Segall" type Hairstyle there Brother! Many Blessings...Robert

Mark,

What a great idea!! I'm going to try that!

And just for fun, you could get one with flowers or other things on it to spruce up your practice time!! Just don't get one with beads on it. Might scratch your flute.

But I assume you're talking about the rather plain looking scrunchies ...

I can hear your daughters now. DAD! Where's my hair scrunchie?! I'm going to be late for school!!

Mark, you had 2 daughters as penance, my friend.

Tootie
Funny that when we are new to the flute tying on the block is so hard. Still gives me fits at times. I can remember getting a flute from Stellar's with a carved whale block. They shipped the flute with the block off so it would not get broken. Bad idea......... I was so excited to get the flute and get the block on and play it .......... Well I dropped the block on the table and broke off a flipper. My hands were just trembling...........You think this might be a sign of flute addiction? Later Matt repaired it with a wire inserted to make it more stable.
I find if you don't take the block off you won't have a problem. Slide it back and air dry. IF you have trouble try putting on the leather tie on the block and tie a loose overhand knot slip the loop of the tie over the end of the flute and slide onto the nest. Works for me!

Absolutely. That plus those two zillion flutes you own are a good sign you are addicted!!

I wish more flutemakers would consider designing the nest with side rails. It makes it so much easier to get the block back on as the rails hold it in place. Two makers that I'm aware of that do this are Guillermo Martinez and Brent Haines.

Dave

Ya'll should try the scrunchie thing Mark suggested. It really works well.

And you can get some plain non-pink ones, guys! I purchased a 3 pack that had brown, white, and ecru in it.

Thanks, Mark!!

That truly is a good idea and works great. Now I just have to buy more so my hair doesn't fall into my eyes while my flute block is being held on by the one I took out of my hair.

At least you have hair...

Under the guise of buying hair bands for my daughters, I bought some really cool looking red and black scrunchies for some flutes I have whose blocks are just murder to get back on correctly. I thought they would look really cool and then noticed that these were different from the others my wife bought in that they had metal clasps holding them together. I am sure you ladies would have thought to look for this but as a clueless dude, I did not. I gave them to the girls and now am on the look out for cool colors that do not have any metal.

Incidently, Greg Jones made me two flutes that have the blocks held down by powerful magnets. I simply click them off when I want the flute to dry and pop them back on once they have dried. I have heard the one drawback to this is that these type magnets are used to adjust a pacemakers. I would hate for someone with a pacemaker to buy one of these flutes and have an adjustment while playing.

That would be known as maladjusted, I dare say.

I have one of Brent Haines flutes and while the rails do help when puting on the block, I find it hard to get all the moisture out of the inside crevices the rails create. Obviously the previous owner of my Brent Haines ebony F# did as well, as when I got the flute it had some moisture marks/damage in these crevices. I had to send the flute back to Brent to be refinished.

Kevin

Here's a tip for tying on the bird: Set the foot of the flute into the seam at the top of either your right or left thigh so that, in bending over, the flute is secured between your thigh and your belly, leaving your hands free to tie the lacing. Guys like me, who can't seem to keep their weight down to what it should be, won't have to bend as much.

Jon

You must have gotten the ones that look like big cloth covered rubber bands.

I bought the ones that look like a big ruffle!

I'll keep me eyes peeled for a red one!

A trick I play one of my flutes (which is about the easiest technique I've found for that particular little bugger), is to pass the thong under the flute, bring it up around the block and tie an overhand knot on the top, then continue back around the flute for one or two more wraps (continuing in the same directions) and then put a second overhand knot below the flute. The first knot holds the block without being overly tightened, and thus doesn't cause it to move around as much. I can then tighten the bottom knot as much as I like to get a good seal of the block.



WARNING: When trying this in conjunction with the above Sherman "belly scrunch" technique, I have been known to experience momentary dizziness or blackouts!









Harold

While it can be performed standing, the Sherman "belly scrunch" technique is best executed while sitting down.

Jon

...Tis hard to "Belly Scrunch" when there is a "Bunch in the Belly"!

Actually it should be easier. The hard part, it seems, is explaining how to do it without sounding silly. But it's what I do every time I need to tie one on. I mean... oh never mind!

Hey Jon, We know what ya mean Brother! as they say here in Ky. "Aw we're just Funnin Ya a Little!" Many Blessings...Robert

I was enjoying the funnin as well my friend.

Hmmm ... are you referring to the beer belly scrunch?!

Only at a block party!

...and how many blocks are in your Immediate Vicinity?