....The Making of a StoryTeller American Flute....

Roy's workshop nestled in the woods
of the native land of the Oneidas

"new humble beginnings for an ancient craft...."

"....watch & listen as Roy transforms wood into music...."

"it currently takes from 6-8 weeks to craft a flute, so please be patient...."

the making of the flutes

here is a brief description of how Story Teller Flutes are made..... mostly i use kiln dried lumber to make all my flutes....however i always have some unique tree limbs in my shop drying...but for the most part...i go to a hardwood lumber mill and spend many hours selecting only the best or most unique woods to work with. Or someone gives me a piece of wood . . .or I find some rather unique tree on the farm ( many of my flutes of late are in fact "Farm Wood")

i do not use many power tools in the construction of my flutes....however i do use modern woodworking tools to make my version of a very old flute....
after the wood is cut to size....i rough out the flute halves...i design the interior and glue the halves together using the finest of glues....they are clamped and dried for a week before i do any more work to them....each flute is hand carved using finger planes, palm planes, draw knives and special woodcarving knives....and hand sanded to finish...then it is fine sanded...now i decide where to put the playing holes...the holes are brought to final size by burning ...a better way for me to tune each hole....a chromatic tuner is used...being deaf in one ear i can not always tell where i am at... so the tuner is used...it is very precise...although many times i tune a little high or low on purpose... because it sounds good....now the flute is ready for interior sealing...i use a combination of oils and wax...unless i use a hard finish ....which consists of an oil and shellac finish...final sanding and close inspection of interior bore...the flute is

finished and put away to dry for a minimum of one week...oh yes

my symbol is placed behind the bird on each flute...each flute is numbered and documented.....and comes with a life time of support...i stand by my work....i play my flutes proudly on my cd's ...and at many ,many public events

people ask me....what makes a good flute....that is actually a harder question than you realize...if you over analyze it....but simply put....if it sounds magnificent to you... if it Is good to look at (although, beware of neat looking flutes that do not play well at all...i would rather own a plain flute that plays to the wind than a fireplace mantle piece)....and you can feel the power of the maker (pride of craftsmanship) when you hold it....if it speaks to you when you hear it....and play it....and you see and or sense the integrity of the maker....chances are you are holding a well made flute....

there are many flute makers.... in fact i own and play some of their flutes...i believe there is no one best flute or no one best way of making them...as long as the maker does an honest job of making a Native American style Flute that satisfies the basic playing requirements...and does it well...and the player is satisfied with the finished product....

in the past...as far as i can ascertain...flutes were made individually...with no knowledge of scales..keys..modes...and octaves. . . a man just made a flute using his own.. or verbally handed down measurements....hardly a science...but rather a joy....if it made him happy...i am sure he played it with his heart and soul.....as do i with the flutes i make...it all has to do with heart....listen, think and talk with yours and you will know the good flutes when you see and hear (feel) them....

N'yah-way

Roy