How to Hollow a Wooden Flute

There are typically 2 ways to hollow out a wooden flute. The first way is to simply create a blank and drill out the center of the flute to make the flute hollow. The other way uses 2 halves of wood that are joined together to make the wooden flute. A sound chamber is made on each side of the flute and then joined together.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Flute blank
• Drill
• Clamps
• Drill bits in several lengths
• Flute halves
• Pencil
• Hand carving tool

Drilling

1. Set up a clamp system that will hold the wooden flute in place without movement and will ensure that the flute is hollowed out by the drill in the middle of the flute.
2. Choose a drill bit that is a little less than half the diameter of your flute. You will also need several different lengths of drill bit to ensure that the flute is drilled in the exact center and from one end to almost the other.
3. Determine the exact center of the flute.
4. Begin drilling. Start with the shortest bit and move up lengths until you reach the end of the flute where the mouth piece is going to be.
5. Repeat steps 3 through 6 for the other half of the wooden flute.

Hand Carving

6. Choose the 2 pieces of wood that are going to form the 2 halves of the flute.
7. Determine the length and size of the flute.
8. Outline the bore, or the center, of the flute that needs to be carved out.
9. Clamp one half of the flute onto a surface to ensure that it doesn't move while you are working with it.
10. Begin at the bottom of the flute where the opening is going to be and move upwards toward the mouth piece with a hand carving tool and slowly begin carving out the bore. Remember to stay aware of where you marked the edges of the bore.
11. Make the bore as long, wide and deep as you need with the hand carving tool.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice makes perfect with these 2 techniques. These are only the basics on how to bore out the center of the flute. You will need to practice and perfect the way you make these flutes to perfect it.