Well for my flutes I measure where the center is between the sound edge and the foot, now the foot just means where you have either drilled a hole in your flute, where the flute was cut off to reach your root note or where the carving at the foot of the flute is going to be. For this one I will be carving something on the flute foot, this is why it doesn't look like the holes are measured from the center, so I measure from that point back to the sound edge and divide that by 2 in order to find my center. Once I have my center I will measure from that point 9/16ths back make a mark and 9/16ths forward and make a mark, I like to keep my holes about 1 1/8" just because any farther apart and it gets a bit uncomfortable for most people to play. These two spots are going to represent the 3rd and 4th holes in a 6 hole flute. Now all you have to do is use these two points to make 2 more measurements from the 4th hole 1 1/8" apart and from the 3rd hole down 1 1/8" apart, remember to drill on the center of your mark not above or below it. You can also draw a center line if it's important for you to get it specifically straight, I usually just eyeball it. This is sort of hit or miss sometimes depending on how well you've bored out your flute and how thick your walls are. You're just going to have to experiment and figure it out mostly for yourself
A bit like making a bow eh? This is one reason I gave the disclaimer of me not having any sort of formula except what I've sort of figured out over the years doing these. One rule of thumb I have noticed though is the closer to the sound edge you make the holes the smaller you have to make the holes to get them in tune and the closer to the foot you make the holes the larger your holes will be, so if you want bigger or smaller holes keep that in mind. The last two pics I have for you are the before and after shots of the finger holes, it doesn't take very long to tune one once you get the hang of it and the hardest parts are over with. If you have a flute that plays then you are doing better than most people, even if it's not exactly in tune.
I've also put a photo sequence in how I was taught to measure using your own hand. These types of tunings don't always turn out being in tune with anything but themselves. They do have a voice unique to the person's measurements you use though which is pleasing to some people.
Before tuning
After tuning
hand measurement sequenceAnd another sound byte of the tuned flute, turns out it wanted to be a G# not a Gm. Rand I have these on my blog site and just link it from there with some techno wizardry
http://www.sociallybroken.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/tuned-G.mp3It will take a few more days to finish off the carving and I will try and get it finished and posted before I take off to Arizona, if not it may be a few weeks, so sorry to leave you hanging and thanks for sticking around to read the whole thread. I hope I have been able to help some of you out with getting a better idea on how to start exploring another hobby and maybe you will have some to show off when I get back. Until then thanks for being patient and I hope all the photos/links didn't kill your computer, if they did or if they are causing a problem on the board let me know and I will remove the links.
P.S. Thanks to all the other folks who have taken the time to do a build along and thanks for the thanks you've given me, I have a brand new appreciation for what you went through to make your own build alongs
To anyone who hasn't tried it don't be scared I encourage you to give it a go and share whatever you can.
