Native American Flute Calculator
Free download

Flute Calculator gadget for VCarve and Aspire

Paste the design code from the calculator and the gadget draws both halves of your flute, split down the middle and laid out as side views, then makes every toolpath with sensible default bits.

Download the gadget (.vgadget) Download as .zip

Version 1.0. For VCarve Pro and Aspire. Free for anyone to use.

The Flute Calculator gadget dialog with a pasted design code, the bit settings and the options
The gadget's window: paste the code, check the bits, click Draw flute.

Install

  1. In VCarve or Aspire, choose Gadgets › Install Gadget and pick the .vgadget file. (With the .zip, copy the "Flute Calculator Layout" folder into your Vectric Gadgets folder and restart.)
  2. It now appears in the Gadgets menu.

Use

  1. Design your flute in the calculator and click Copy code for VCarve.
  2. Make a new job. Set the material thickness to the thickness of one half (the calculator lists it under "Wood and cutting"), and Z zero on the material surface.
  3. Run Flute Calculator Layout, paste the code, check the bits and feeds, and click Draw flute.
  4. Preview the toolpaths, then save them for your machine.

The full walkthrough, with glue-up and tuning, is in Cutting a flute with VCarve.

What it makes

CutDefault bitHow
Bore (both chambers)1/4" ball noseSide-by-side passes, each just touching the true half circle. Any ball nose up to the bore size works.
Breath hole1/4" ball noseSame way, smaller circle.
Finger and thumb holes1/8" ball noseHalf-round grooves at the starting size. Glued up, they make round holes you open up to tune.
Air path1/8" end millOne pocket: exit hole, ramp, flue, sound hole and splitting edge, with the angles from your design.
Alignment pins1/8" end millThree short holes per half for 1/8" pins.
Direction holes1/8" end millThrough each half, one per side.
Outline1/4" end millCut through, last.

Feeds and speeds are starting values; set them for your machine and wood. The gadget remembers your bits for next time. Uncheck "Create the toolpaths" to get the vectors only.

Not using VCarve?

The calculator also downloads both halves as SVG and DXF, full size, on named layers, for any CAD or CAM program.