Sticky Timber..

weedie · Post by **weedie** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:11 pm

G'day all,
Its Summer here in Australia and those of us who live on the East Coast have copped over six weeks of rainy, humid weather....leather boot etc. have gone mouldy....mosses and lichens are on all the trees and a bloke feels 'clammy' and 'sticky' all the time......YUK !!
I left my flute unplayed for two days,on the kitchen table,and spots of mould appeared on it. Its a 3 piece Timber flute made from Gidgee,a species of Wattle and I use Almond Oil on it...
I also have a 1/2 set of Uilleann Pipes made from the same timber and when I pulled them out of the case,there was a film of sticky, oil like 'glug' all over the Chanter and stocks and a bit on the flute as well..
I'd like to get rid of this stuff but it's proving a bit stubborn..I tried some Methylated Spirits and also a timber polishing fluid and it hasnt moved it..
I've oiled the Chanter once with Almond Oil and the stocks etc. have been oiled maybe 3 or 4 times...
Would anyone have any tips on how to clean off the glug ???
Thanks...........weedie..........
I'll post this on the Flute section as well

sturob · Post by **sturob** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:43 pm

Almond oil can definitely behave the way you're describing. I actually am not a huge fan of it; I have had it gum up keywork to the point that I have to take all the keys off (a flute), clean them with strong ethanol, and put the instrument back together. This behavior seems worse when it's very humid.

Why . . . if I might ask . . . did you oil your uilleann pipes?

Stuart

weedie · Post by **weedie** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:04 pm

Thanks for your interest Stuart,
I supppose I oiled the timber on the pipes because I dont like untreated timber....I made this set about 7 years ago (all except the Chanter) and as the pieces came off the wood lathe they were treated with the Almond Oil,and have had a little 'rejuvinating' application once or twice over the years...I applied it once to the Chanter in the thought that it may stop any cracking...
I have similar obsession (!) with 'dry' metal.....just have to press that oil can into service mate.......

sturob · Post by **sturob** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:28 pm

Ahhhhhhhhhh.

Far be it from me to criticize someone who's made his own pipes!

I don't think you need to worry about the chanter/drones/stocks cracking in your UP. My opinion is that most the cracking we see in woodwinds has to do with blowing 100%RH breath by dry wood. The other cracking, I bet, has to do with poorly-seasoned timber, for which there is no fix.

And it doesn't sound to me like you're being excessive with the almond oil; the gunk might just reflect the high humidity you're experiencing.

Eh, I'm no expert: I'm just incredibly chatty right now.

Stuart

weedie · Post by **weedie** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:34 pm

Good man yerself....I'm feeling a bit like that too...

Don Roberts · Post by **Don Roberts** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:32 am

Weedie, just wanted to say that is a beautiful Bonnie, I had a 66 model in white way back when. Those old Triumphs are true classics.

weedie · Post by **weedie** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 6:48 pm

Thanks for the nice words about my old friend Don...
It's actually a Trophy (650 cc..Single carby) a 1969 Model and is an ex-Police bike.This was the last year the Police had them.....1970 saw them on Kawasaki's....faster....but with much less charisma....
bye for now.......