If I had to say which ones were the "must haves" it would be the Robinson book and the Edfors and Goembel articles.

I've also skipped books such as Fletcher's "The Physics of Musical Instruments" since the math is on the graduate engineer level.

Harry A. Alden, Hardwoods of North America
1995, United States Department of Agriculture.

Lists just about every North American hardwood, and has Sycamore and Maple info that even europeans might find useful. Availiable free as a PDF file at the US Forsetry Service web site http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts.htm Osage Orange is on p. 70 (hint, hint)

Harry Brown, Making the American Indian Flute
The Woodwind Quarterly, Issue 7, November 1994, pp. 32-49

This is a great beginner's article, including plans and pictures. It covers the native American flute, often called the "plains flute" or "love flute" which is built very, very differently from the European designs. The woods are soft, woods (ceder, redwood, walnut) and the wood is split, the bore carved or routed, and then glued back together. If you want instant gratification, you can go from raw wood to playable flute in a day with this technique.

Gary Cook, Hand Tools for Recorder Making

Good overview of the basics of reamer design. I would watch the instructions on making reamers from old files, this always struck me as a dangerously brittle source of tool steel. Then again, I'm in Detroit, and have about 100 sources of tool steel at my disposal.

John Edfors, Shop Notes on the Baroque Flute
The Woodwind Quarterly, Issue 14, pp. 32-46

This is an excellent article. Not for beginners, but has lots of hints and tricks. Nine pages of detailed text (with photos) on the making of the flute, divided into 62 numbered steps, and seven pages of plans. If you build this one, you will need a reamer (the article includes 2 pages of reamer plans) which means metal shop work or having one made up for you.

Luke Goembel, Making a Recorder
The Woodwind Quarterly, Issue 8, February 1995, pp. 58-83

Definatly a "can't live without" article. Beginner level, it will get you through a lot of details like sockets and tenons, tone holes, boring, reaming, and finishing. Even of you're not out to make a recorder, most of the info is applicable to any woodwind. No plans here, I'm afraid.

Luke Goembel, Reaming Tapered Bores and Making Joint Mortises for the Recorder
The Woodwind Quarterly, Issue 6, August 1994, pp. 66-70

A bit of reamer how-to. This is nitty-gritty metal shop work, but it's also something you can show to your local machine shop as a sort of "how-to" if you don't want to cut your own.

Scott Hirsch, Engraving With Rod Cameron
The Woodwind Quarterly, Issue 6, August 1994, pp. 78-85

Well, if you believe that every metal flute (or metal ring on a wooden flute) should be engraved, here's a quick guide.

Scott Hirsch, Gundrills - A Buyers Guide
The Woodwind Quarterly, Issue 8, February 1995, pp. 46-51

Quite a bit on how to buy and use a gundrill, a great drill for straight bores, or so I'm told. Personally, I wouldn't track down this issue just for this article, but it's in the same issue as Goembel's recorder article.

Scott Hirsch, Making a Renaissance Style Flute
The Woodwind Quarterly, Issue 7, November 1994, pp. 99-103

Very simple article, with a simple plan. The Renaissance flute is a good step for people who have already made a few plastic tubing (PVC flutes). This flute has a straight bore, and can be done with an inexpensive lamp drill (shell auger) and a spade bit, no tapered reamers are required, there are no tenons to cut, just bore and turn a wooden tube. Scott also posted the text of this to rec.music.makers.builders so you can get a taste from Deja News.

Peter Hoekje, Basic Calculations for Flute Making

Some flute making calculations that are not for the faint of heart.

Alec V. Loretto, Recorder Bore Measuring
The Woodwind Quarterly, Issue 9 May 1995, pp. 38-43

This one is for beginners or experts, and it is just as applicable to baroque, renisance, or folk flutes as it is to recorders. A good basic article on the measurements you need to make to analyze or duplicate an existing instrument.

The Musicians and Instrument Makers Forum

The best online musical instrument making discussion board.

Dan Noonan, A Homemade Gundrill
The Woodwind Quarterly, Issue 9 May 1995, pp. 86-88

This one requires metal shop skills, but can be used as a starting point for making drills for straight holes.

Lew Paxton Price Secrets of the Flute: The Physics, Math and Design of the Non-Mechanical Folk Flute 1991.

This is a good one. The math never gets nasty, if you survived trig, you'll get through this book. This covers fipple flutes and sideblown flutes, including calculations that will work for a rennisance flute.

Lew Paxton Price The Oldest Magic

Over 200 pages of folk flute history, measurements, and construction techniques. Like most Price books, the math doesn't get in the way. This one also covers a wide range of flutes, including fipple, sideblown, and end-blown flutes.

Lew Paxton Price Creating & Using the North American Love Flute

A nice how-to for making a native American fipple flute. You can do this one with minimal power tools or hand tools.

Trevor Robinson, The Amateur Wind Instrument Maker
University of Massachusetts Press

It's the bible for beginners. Indespensible. The one book I wouldn't do without.

Windsor Woods, World of Fine and Exotic Woods

A searchable database which includes extensive information on most of the worlds hardwoods. Much of the info comes from US Forestry Services publications.

Woodwind Quarterly
Lars Kirmser, Editor
26911 Maple Valley - Black Diamond Hwy.
Maple Valley, WA 98038
Phone: (425) 413-4343
Fax: (425) 413-4338
email: musictrader@musictrader.com
Woodwind Quarterly Index

I'm only going to put one "avoid this source" item in here. There's an article in "Fine Woodworking on Spindle Turning" (Taunton Press) on the making of a "baroque" flute. In my opinion, this is purely a craft item. Follow these instructions and you will make a baroque looking flute, untuned, in a minimal amount of time, using easy to work woods such as cherry. Great item for the craft shows, but I wouldn't want to play one. I mention this here because it's the only article and plans availiable through conventional woodworking shops

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