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Welcome to our workshop tour

This page will show you a little about the way we make historical flutes and give you some facts and figures.

Since 1984, we have been making about 50 instruments a year for performers, collectors and students all over the world. We both trained as musicians, and developed an interest in making historical flutes independently before we began working together.

The ingredients for our instruments include boxwood from England, ebony from Sri Lanka, other exotic woods from other places, silver, brass, plastic imitation ivory, mineral and linseed oil, steel, and measurements of original instruments.

The boxwood is at least three centuries old before it grows big enough to be quartered for flute parts. Here's how long that is: the wood we use is as old as or even older than many of the original instruments we replicate. Those originals, in their turn, were made from wood that was growing in the late Middle Ages.

 

Our two-person workshop is conveniently located in our back garden, a short walk from our home and office. We refurbished the building with an eye to its special purpose: in winter a radiant-heat brick floor heats us and our machines and retains warmth from sunlight.

Workshop

Reamer

We make our own tools to reproduce as faithfully as possible the dimensions of original instruments. In the center of this photo is a reamer for cutting part of one model's bore. For the flute to play satisfactorily, the bore must be accurate to within 0.1mm--that's about 2 thousandths of an inch, or somewhat less than the thickness of a human hair. Since a new flute changes this much or more when it is being played-in, it's important to re-ream new flutes in the first half year of their life to keep them sounding well.

 

Continue the tour . . .


Text and images copyright © 1997,1999, 2001, 2008 FOLKERS & POWELL, Makers of Historical Flutes
PO Box 148, Hillsdale NY 12529-0148 USA
TEL: +1 518 828 9779