Dick Day wondered about constructing pipes from PVC tubing.

My wife's uncle is very much into playing the flute, and as a hobby
has started making flute prototypes out of PVC sprinkler pipe.

The advantages are the availability, low cost, and ease of working
the material.  He has made many such prototypes.  He recently acquired
a lathe to start making them out of rosewood and other woods, based,
I am sure, on lessons learned on building the PVC prototypes.

Harvey Chao

 [ A traditional material for flutes is granadilla wood.  The name
 [ comes from 'granada', the Spanish word for the pomegranate fruit.
 [ -- Robbie