On the prowl...

One of the few things consistent in my life for decades now is my love of flute making. That means I'm constantly scouting out sources of suitable bamboo and reed. Bamboo is tricky because the species I prefer to work with for larger flutes does not grow in the U.S. It's always interesting tracking that stuff down!

But there is another type of reed that I love working with. It's readily available in many parts of the States and it's the species that I am most comfortable with. It's called Arundo Donax and it's the traditional material for ney, gasba and kawala flutes. This species of reed was brought over by the Spanish and quickly took root along the southern U.S. and can be found throughout the Gulf Coast and all the way across the Southwest into California.

It's a very aggressive plant and is hated in many areas because it takes over riparian systems with nothing to stand in its way. It's referred to as 'Devil's Reed' in some parts and I can't help but find that amusing considering the fact that many cultures use Arundo Donax to make the flutes for their most sacred music traditions.

Not discounting all of the troubles this plant may cause, I still love the stuff! I have worked with it for the past 20 years and it produces beautiful flutes. Arundo Donax grows all over Texas, my home state, and harvesting it is simple and straight forward. Finding patches of Arundo Donax out here in Nevada has proven challenging because, though it definitely grows out here, the dimensions are completely different because of the dryer climate and harsher conditions.

Now I'm happy to report that I have finally found a great reed patch here in Vegas! This is a big deal for me because I have been patiently scouring the landscape for a few years now and was getting quite frustrated. In fact, the day before I found this patch I literally prayed for it. No joke! I had gone to a little patch I noticed on the side of the road (with minor trespassing involved) the day before and as I left in disappointment I lifted my head to the sky and said:

"Please, Universe...I want to find the perfect reed patch...one that is conveniently located with total (free) access...one that has plenty of reed suited to the designs I need...one that delivers like Domino's!"

The next day my wife Missy and I were driving to yoga class and my head snapped around as I caught sight of the perfect reed patch! It was exactly what I had asked for!



It's interesting to note that as I begin drifting away from the specs of the traditional ney I am finding myself needing reed that has a very different node placement. As I fuse together elements of the kaval, bansuri, shakuhachi and ney, the reed I'm working with is more from the root end. Here the bore gets much thinner while the walls get much thicker. Aside from the freaky math this throws at the air column, it also means that the appearance of the flute will lean towards that of a shakuhachi - stout at the bottom and tapering towards the top. It also means that as I rework the bore for this new design I am freed from the normal restraints of the node constrictions found in traditional ney design. This is giving me a warmer, throatier sound...and I like that! I'm still playing with the tuning, though - haven't decided for sure where I want to take it.

I'll keep you posted...



Peace,
J


PS - Stay tuned for photos and clips of the new design; I'm pretty stoked about it!

Are PVC flutes Safe..?

I've been getting a lot of questions regarding the safety of PVC flutes lately and wanted to address some of them here. I also wanted to include a few links to
more resources for those who may want to investigate further.

I sat down to research the topic of PVC toxicity and was immediately overwhelmed with articles ranting about the evils of plastics in general and PVC in particular. Although I've never had any personal issues or problems working with PVC, a lot of these articles could scare the piss out of anybody!

But, I kept digging. I knew there had to be more information that addressed the particular concerns I and many others have regarding the use of PVC for flutes.

Then I found a thread and followed it for a bit. It seemed to hit the nail right on the head! There are additives to PVC that make it more flexible for toys (thus the concern for kid's safety) and others that make it more shatter resistant (baby bottles, etc.).

And it is these very additives that the fuss is all about.

PVC pipe does NOT have these additives and thus sidesteps many of the concerns that spook a lot of people. I have never had a single negative issue with PVC, but I also treat it with respect and common sense (don't burn it, wear a mask when sanding, etc.).

I decided to post some articles here in their entirety and let you draw your own conclusions. Below is information by a few experts regarding the different characteristics of certain PVC plastics.

I personally love PVC and the flutes they make. They offer tremendous benefits ranging from durability to predictability to affordability. I am confident that the PVC flutes I make are a safe and worthy investment for anyone looking for a great instrument.

Peace,
J


The article below is by Brooks Owen from The PVC Workshop.

Is Working with PVC Pipe Safe?

First thing. I'm not a scientist, environmentalist, engineer or anyone that's all that smart. I'm just a guy who's made stuff with PVC pipe for nearly 30 years. In my opinion, working with PVC is not harmful when using common sense. But that's me. You'll have to form your own opinion and work with PVC only on your own volition.
     You can read pros and cons about PVC most anywhere. Some articles are serious and thoughtful, while others border on the hysterical and absurd. But everything I've read indicates to me that working with common PVC pipe can be as safe as working with other kinds of craft and building-type materials. Nothing has convinced me otherwise.
     There's been a lot of negative talk in the media and online lately about the effects of PVC in consumer products. Don't confuse the added-to plastic found in those products with "furniture" and "plumbing" grades PVC pipe and fittings. They are not the same thing.
     In many plastic products a couple of additives, called plasticizers, may have been added that make PVC change properties.
1. Phthalates are chemical substances that make PVC flexible and soft. These additives are used in products like toys, baby products, cosmetics, food wrapping materials, shower curtains and so on.
2. Bisphenol-A is used to make products shatter resistant and for high-heat resistance. You'll may find this additive in such items as baby bottles, eating utensils, microwave ware, water bottles and the like. 
     Both these chemical additives are "suspected" by some to cause cancer and, possibly, developmental problems. The concern is with these plasticizers, not the PVC itself. 
     Phthalates and Bisphenol-A are not added to common PVC pipe. 
     Scientific reports are mixed on the safety of those two additives. If you're interested, you can read more at  http://www.factsonplastic.com/?gclid=CMbdztDS6pMCFRZZiAodvRnPVg and www.phthalates.org/whatare/index.asp. There are many other sites as well that contain information, both pro and con. Also, you can read how PVC is made here.
     Before heating PVC pipe at very high heat, know that there's a potential of discharging dioxins along with other toxic and potentially cancer causing gasses.
     The greatest risk comes from vinyl chloride, a primary component of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and an odorless gas which could be released with very high heat. Vinyl Chloride is a toxic carcinogen, which can cause a deadly primary liver cancer.
     Therefore, when heating PVC pipe, make sure the room in which you're working is well ventilated and you take common sense precautions . In my research, I've found no evidence that the temperature needed to bend pipe will release dioxins. But I always encourage people to err on the side of caution. 
     And in case you want to make and use PVC projects for your kitchen, read this from Robert L. Wolke, The Washington Post...
     "At the other end of the PVC hardness spectrum is PVC pipe. It is made of hard, rigid PVC that contains no plasticizer. What isn't there cannot leach out into food. So clean, room-temperature PVC pipe can be used as a perfectly safe food utensil. And that's a fact."
     Some toys made with PVC may contain a plasticizer (as mentioned above), which by some accounts, can be harmful to children when put into their mouths. However, an independent panel of scientific experts commissioned by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission dispute this. Either way, since PVC pipe and fittings do not contain a plasticizer, I've found no evidence that it's harmful.
     Following are quotes from the Plastic Industry Pipe Association...
     "In 1998 and 2001, the Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) extensively reviewed recent scientific literature on PVC and concluded 'the balance of available evidence indicates that PVC in its building and construction applications has no more effect on the environment than its alternatives.'
     In 2004 the U.S. Green Building Council PVC Task Group issued a draft report on PVC related materials. This report was based on an analysis of over 2,400 scientific papers, submissions from green groups, the building industry and PVC industries. The report concludes 'the available evidence does not support a conclusion that PVC is consistently worse than alternative materials on a life cycle environmental and health basis.'
     Furthermore, in 2004 the European Parliament commissioned a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) study on PVC - 'Life Cycle Assessment of PVC & of Competing Materials.' This report found no evidence to support a bias against PVC and as a result has placed no restrictions on its use."
     Also, since PVC is a thermoplastic material it is readily recycled.
     And this from the Roanoke (VA) Times...
Agencies have found vinyl is safe to use
     "Gregg Lewis' commentary ("Pick your poison, or demand change," Oct. 4) contained misinformation about polyvinyl chloride (PVC or "vinyl") that should be corrected so readers get a more accurate view of a material that has been used safely for years in household, health care and building applications.
     According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, vinyl manufacturing accounts for a tiny percentage of U.S. dioxin emissions. More is generated by forest fires, backyard trash burning and internal combustion engines.
     Total dioxin emissions have dropped 90 percent since 1987. During the same period, vinyl production in the U.S. increased to more than 15 billion pounds.
     As for phthalates, substances added to vinyl to make flexible products such as toys and shower curtains, there is no scientific evidence of which we are aware that phthalates have caused harm from use in a vinyl product. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission did a study of phthalates in toys before ruling that they were safe for use.
     The effects of vinyl products on health and the environment have been investigated at every stage from manufacture through use and final disposal, and have been shown to be safe and environmentally sound.
     For more information, readers can visit http://www.vinylnewsservice.net."
     And this from the Canada Newswire...
Scientifically baseless attack on PVC could hurt consumers,
resulting in use of riskier and less affordable materials

VANCOUVER - Recent activist attacks on PVC, one of the most sustainable, useful and affordable plastics available, are without any basis in scientific fact and could hurt consumers by forcing retailers to adopt the use of riskier, less affordable materials, Greenpeace co-founder and former leader Dr. Patrick Moore says.

     "Environmental Defense and other anti-PVC activists are engaged in a fear-mongering campaign that's attempting to convince retailers like Sears to de-select PVC without a shred of scientific evidence," said Moore, a Greenpeace co-founder and Chairman and Chief Scientist, Greenspirit Strategies Ltd. PVC is commonly known as vinyl or polyvinyl chloride. It has recently come under attack by Environmental Defence Canada.

     "It's completely unacceptable for these activists to call PVC 'toxic' when PVC's effects on health and the environment have been investigated at every stage from manufacture through use and on to final disposal - in all cases vinyl has been shown to be safe and environmentally sound," said Moore.

     "The most rigorous risk assessment ever undertaken by the European Union on plasticizers used to make PVC flexible was conducted over 10 years, and concluded these widely used additives should not be classified as hazardous and pose no risks to either human health or the environment from their current use," said Moore.

     "Anti-PVC activists are pushing retailers toward untested, less affordable and potentially riskier materials and that's bad news for Canadian consumers," said Moore.

     "PVC is one of the most thoroughly tested plastics available. Because it is easily cleaned, affordable, durable and safe, PVC has many important applications," said Moore.

     "The best way to deliver affordable, safe drinking water is through a PVC pipe. The best way to insulate electrical wiring is with a PVC coating. In hospitals, floors and wall coverings use PVC widely. PVC is a durable, cost-effective siding for buildings because of its low maintenance and long life. Building with PVC saves on energy and material costs," said Moore.

     "Alternatives simply don't match the safety, affordability and flexibility of PVC," said Moore. "That's why PVC continues to be a very popular choice in many applications," he said.
* * * * * * * * * *
     Of course, always carefully read, understand and follow the label instructions on PVC pipe glue containers before gluing. And always read, understand and follow PVC manufacturer's labels or ask a manufacturer's knowledgeable representative.
NOTE: If you cut pipe with power equipment, wear a proper dust mask or respirator to protect against particulate dust. Just like you would when cutting metal, wood or other materials.
     Making things with PVC is loads of fun, but, as in all things when you use tools and materials, it's wise to exercise common sense.