Hand Made Native American Style Six Hole Concert Flutes
How my flutes are made
I have been a cabinet maker owning my own business
since 1986.
I started my flute-making journey in 1997. Things
usually come easy for me when it comes to working with my hands
and I am a skilled artist with wood. I never thought making flutes
that play with good volume and on key could be so hard. Well I
finally got it right, and man are they good. They were so good
in fact that the first nine flutes I made were given away. I figured
I owed it to Great Spirit for showing me the light.
Before I even go to my workshop and pick up a piece of wood I
have the intention in my mind to have Spirit create through me
one of the finest and sweetest sounding spiritual tools any one
has ever seen or heard. I take flute making to heart. That's why
I smudge my shop and my tools before I start building. Then if
something in the shop goes wrong, I do something else until the
natural flow of spirit and harmony comes back to me. I re-smudge
and start again. This way every flute I make is made with great
care and harmony.
I read somewhere that lightning struck trees
are better to use, I happen to have lightning struck ash, if this
is your thing, but I see or hear no difference and I don't charge
more for it. I start with only kiln dried lumber. All of the finger
holes are burned to the proper shape and size. The flute is completely
shaped and sanded ready for finish before it is first played.
The fun part, for me, is creating the totem and block. I can also
custom make totems if you want something that's not seen on this
site. I like to give the totems smooth curves, because in nature
everything is round and flowing. This gives the flute a more flowing
look and feel.
Then the flute is tuned with a chromatic tuner.
I keep a steady air flow so that all the notes are right on key,
steady and strong. After that they are numbered and branded with
my turtle symbol. The flute is then finished inside and out with
four coats of clear polyurethane on the outside and two on the
inside. The flutes are sanded between each coat, and then dried
in the sun. My flutes MUST be of the highest quality sound. I
also strive to make them look beautiful as Spirit intended them.
Peace
Don Eagle Turtle who hugs trees