Axianov Irish Flute

This is a fully playable open-hole "Irish" flute in the key of D. It has no keys.

Intonation is good, staying in tune with other flutes videos I found on the Internet.

To me, it sounds like a wood flute. I was able to play D and G major scales after a day, and am now learning some tunes. I think that was worth $5 of PLA and a few hours of printing.

The model was designed by Marat Axianoff, a Russian-based flute maker with experience repairing antique flutes. Marat's goal was an instrument based on historical flutes, and requiring no post-processing other than winding the joints.

Printing

I printed mine with PrintedSolid Jesse PLA, 100% infill, 0.2mm steps. The density of PLA is good, and it prints with low stringing. Nylon or PETG are more dense, and could work if you're willing to clean up the inner bores, but if you're not sure, use PLA.

No supports are needed with this design when printed with the orientation of the source files! You should probably add a brim, for stability. 

Channels are included to guide seam placement, but do check where seams are going, before printing. In particular, check the hand cutouts on the middle and foot: you may want to paint seams in a different place for aesthetics.

I added color changes for the “ring” areas, included in the 3mf files I uploaded. I feel this improves the look of the instrument.

Left-Handed

It should be trivial to make a left-handed instrument by mirroring every part across the Y axis.

Assembly

The order of assembly is: head, barrel, tenon+middle, then foot.

Glue the tenon into the middle with cyanoacrylate ("super glue"): it does not need adjustment and is only separated to make the instrument printable without supports.

Clean any stringy bits out, being careful not to change the shape of the print (low heat, if any).

Sealing the joints

Air leaks will kill your ability to play this (or any) flute. Traditionally, joints have been wound with thread to create some compressible material that seals the joints, and this is an easy way to seal the joints using materials you probably already have. 

Thread

0.55mm waxed thread will work on this flute: this type of thread is usually sold for leather work or bead making. You may need to apply additional wax to the thread you get: I used an old beeswax candle to add wax to the threads before winding.

Because this is such a common and historical method for sealing flute joints, there are many guides on the Internet for wrapping thread around a flute.

You may find you need a little bit more material to make a good seal. I've had the best success measuring out bits of additional thread to make up the difference, then unwinding the joint, placing the additional thread against the print, and rewinding. This places the additional thread beneath the wound thread, making it more difficult to accidentally remove while assembling the instrument.

I've had some success with PTFE tape around the thread, but it seems to mash into the threads over time, reducing the width it added, and making the joint loose again. I'm currently using cork grease over the thread, instead, as many wood flutists do.

Cork

Cork is a superior material for this purpose, but requires more work and special materials. Clarinet tenon cork will provide a better seal, but it will need to be about 0.6mm thick: good luck finding that! Use contact cement, not cyanoacrylate, since you'll want to remove and replace the cork at some point.

It's worth noting that none of the comments on either this model or the original Thingiverse model have actually tried cork! But cork is a preferred material by some of the best flute makers around, so if you're up for the challenge, please let us know how it went in the comments.

Playing The Instrument

Blayne Chastain's Foundational Flute Course has a nice introduction to this instrument, beginning with just making a tone on the head joint. You can print this piece first and start working through the content while the rest of the flute prints!

Common Questions

What is that hole above the embouchure hole?

Axionoff states in the Thingiverse print thread that this is a resonance chamber. If the hole bothers you, you could try taping over it. It's your flute!

Why are there channels on the inside and outside?

These are to guide the placement of seams! The outside channels ensure the slicer places seams in a location that looks deliberate, to give the outside of the instrument a uniform look. The inside channels help slicers print even tone holes that do not require any post-processing.

Why are the tone holes a strange shape?

This shape allows for printing without supports, and help the slicer create a good opening that does not require post-processing (sanding or filing). I think they look cool, too!

Can I remove the “Nicholson” cutouts?

This model has cutouts for the left index finger and right thumb, advocated by Charles Nicholson in 1836. If you'd like to remove these, you may have success by duplicating the object in the slicer, cutting off the top and bottom, cutting off half of the flute, and then rotating your cut object until it covers the cutout.

Troubleshooting

Lower notes (F♯, E, D) difficult to play

This may be because the joint is leaking. Axianoff suggests dunking the flute in water, clearing the finger holes, and playing that way. If it plays better, you have a leak that is being temporarily sealed by the water. Try adding more material to the joint to seal it.

Head joint leaking water

This is another seal problem! The water is probably escaping at the joint between the barrel and the middle section. I haven't been able to fix it yet, but the general strategy needs to be adding enough material to the joint that water cannot enter. Beeswax will probably help here, but properly greased cork is probably the best solution.

For the time being, I'm just drying it on my clothes. This moisture is mostly condensate. If you're spitting into your flute, you have spit all over the table in front of you anyway: may as well put some on your leg, too.

Difficulty playing Low D

A number of things must be correct for a low D to sound: your embouchure must be correct, the flute must have no leaks, and your fingers must be completely sealing the holes. I recommend not worrying about it until you have gained some competency on the instrument, then spend some time focusing on these three items to work out a nice robust low D.

Related Models

Some other models you may find useful:

• Cleaning Rod - to dag a bit of cloth or a cotton knitting gauge swatch through and absorb moisture
• Irish Flute Stand - for resting your flute on the ground
• Irish Flute Wall Stand - what I use for storage in my small house
• If anyone designs a case for this, please leave a comment!

Credit

Design by Marat Axianoff and Marina Tiik. The designers accept donations at https://boosty.to/axianoff/donate