How to Make a Flute Cleaning Rod
Why pay for a flute cleaning rod when you can just make one yourself? A flute cleaning rod is essentially just a stick with a loop at the end. So long as you are careful to remove any sharp edges that could damage your flute, you can make something equally serviceable with an ordinary dowel and a few simple tools.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Dowel Flute Flute case Ruler Saw Drill File Sandpaper Cloth Flute cleaning cloth
Instructions
-
-
1
Pick out a dowel. You should find a dowel small enough to fit through your flute without rubbing against the edges. The best way to select one is to take your flute to the store and stick dowels inside of it until you find one that fits perfectly. Go slow, or you could scrape the inside of your flute.
-
2
Saw your cleaning rod to the right length. Use a ruler to determine how much room you have for it in your flute case, then take off a couple of inches.
-
-
3
Make a hole about 3/4 inch from one end of the cleaning rod. Use the largest bit that will still leave walls that are at least 1/4-inch thick. Once you have drilled through, elongate the hole away from the end so that it is oval shaped. This will make it easier to thread the cleaning cloth.
-
4
Round the edge of the flute cleaning rod with the hole in it. Use a wood file to shape it into a gentle curve, then use sandpaper to smooth it out and remove any burrs or dust. Sand the inside of the hole to remove any splinters.
-
5
Make sure the rest of the flute cleaning rod is clear of burrs or dust. Sand any rough parts and rub the whole thing with a cloth.
-
6
Thread your flute cleaning cloth into the hole. See Resources below for information on how to clean a flute.
-
1
