Cut the Bamboo and Mark the Holes

• To make a bamboo flute, you need a bamboo piece that is at least 18 to 20 inches long and has a diameter of about ¾ to 1 inch. When cutting the bamboo, make sure to keep one end blocked with the fibrous material that separates the bamboo into sections.
  
  After cutting the bamboo, mark seven holes on the cut piece. The first hole, the one where you will blow in air, must be an inch from the blocked end of the bamboo. This first hole is called the sound or mouth hole. The second hole has to be six inches away from the first, and the remaining five holes are spaced one inch apart each. The second through seventh holes are called the finger holes.
  
  

Make the Sound and Mouth Holes

• Once you have marked the holes, clean the inside of the flute by removing the fibrous material that separates it into sections. Remember to leave the partition closest to the sound hole untouched. Remove the other partitions by heating up a piece of metal rod. Use a propane torch or your stove burner to heat the metal. Remember to use a pot holder to protect your hands from the hot metal rod. When the metal is red hot, insert it into the open end of the flute. Apply enough force to burn out the partitions with the heat.
  
  To make the sound holes, heat up a ¼ inch drill bit. Burning the sound holes is better than drilling, because drilling can cause the bamboo to crack. Use sandpaper to clean up the burned edges of the holes you have made. Make the sound holes larger if you want higher notes from the flute.
  
  If desired, give the bamboo flute a finished look by applying a coat of linseed oil. Now savor the relaxing feeling of playing your very own bamboo flute.