WOOD RECORDEE CRACK
There is less danger of a windway crack in the instrument n° 1. Most old instruments were made like the recorder n° 1 in the drawing, as are the majority of hand made recorders today.įor technical reasons, industrial recorders are often made like the recorder n° 2. Moisture absorption is also better this way, since condensation formed while blowing can penetrate between the fibres this way. This reduces the risk of cracks near the windway, since these are more prone to happen across the rings, as shown in the drawing opposite. When making the head joint the the wood's growth rings are generally set vertically.
After the initial boring they are again put aside to ensure maximum stability The instrument blanks are left to rest for some time after having been turned into cylinders, and straightened again on the lathe if there has been any warping. To ensure this, boxwood logs can be split rather than sawn. To reduce the risk of deformation the pieces are cut up so that the wood fibres are as close as possible along the length of the instrument. Maple and fruitwoods are normally sawn into planks or squares which are laid down horizontally, separated by strips of dry wood to ensure good ventilation. Boxwood is often dried in logs, stacked vertically against the walls. Seasoning requires a cool, dry and shady place. Some modern instrument makers take this into account, and observe the best times for cutting. This observation was the result of many years' experience. Then are less prone to rotting and attacks by insects and fungus. Old woodworkers used to cut their trees, in winter, when they are at rest, and in the last quarter of the moon, when its tidal effect attracts the remaining sap towards the roots. Sawing logs into planks or squares can accelerate the process.Īs a rule of thumb one year is allowed per centimetre. This takes several years when done naturally, but the duration can vary with the thickness of each piece. In deformation or cracking, after which it becomes more stable. During seasoning, tensions appear which usually result The wood can only be used when this is over.
WOOD RECORDEE FULL
When a tree is felled it is full of sap, which needs a fairly long time to disappear. Its use for making such precise objects as musical instruments requires careful preparation, beginning with seasoning. Unlike metal or plastic, wood is living material. Some, like cocobolo, can cause allergic reactions.
Here are some woods commonly used for making recorders: (Once on the web site, select Alphabec, then Épisode 13 : B comme Buis) There is an interesting audio document on boxwood (in French) at "" To ensure maximum stability, the pieces of wood are air-dried for 10 to 20 years before being used. They are more stable than boxwood and less prone to cracking than ebony. Other tropical woods like palisander (rosewood) and grenadilla were introduced during the 19th century for making woodwind instruments. Because of its tendency to crack, the fragile parts were reinforced with ivory rings. Amongst the 43 renaissance recorders in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna at least 21 are made from boxwood, including 10 tenors and 3 bassets.Įbony was the only tropical wood that was in common use during the baroque era. During the renaissance period recorders were often made from softer woods like maple and some fruit woods but boxwood was also common. For this is the reason it was widely used during the baroque era, because it could give a powerful and brilliant sound well suited to solo instruments. Boxwood is very hard and gives extremely smooth surfaces.