  1. Care for Wood Body Piccolos
Wooden piccolos are made of grenadilla wood, a material more susceptible than plastic to changes in climate. Sudden shifts in temperature and/or humidity cause subtle changes in wooden instruments, potentially causing the body to crack or joints to swell. The following care is recommended to extend the life and maintain the quality of your piccolo. Take extra care to prevent exposure to sudden changes in temperature and humidity. Avoid direct, extended exposure to: Sunlight, Heaters or Air Conditioners or Rain.
Remove ALL MOISTURE after you have finish playing. Refer to Section 4 on Care of the Interior for detailed instructions. 2. Assembling Your Flute or Piccolo
Assemble, tune, clean, and lubricate your instrument for the first time under the guidance of your teacher. Applying Cork Grease
A thin coat of cork grease on piccolo tenon corks just prior to assembly promotes an easy, proper fit of joints and extends cork life.  
Assembly
a. Taking care not to apply pressure to the main body keys, attach the foot to the body with a gentle twisting motion. b. Attach the headjoint in the same manner, using the marks on each joint as a guide. 
3. Tuning
Pitch is affected by temperature, so warm up the instrument before playing by blowing air through it. To tune, pull head joint slightly away from the body. The length you pull out depends on individual preference and method of playing. 
4. Care of the Interior of the Flute and Piccolo
Cleaning the Body and Pads a. Insert the corner of a clean cotton cloth through the small hole at the top of the cleaning rod. Wrap the cloth around the rod, making sure no metal parts are exposed. b. Insert gently into foot (for flute), body and head joint individually, and twist.   
c. When drying a pad, insert cleaning paper between it and the tone hole and press down lightly, carefully pulling the paper away. 
Oiling the Bore
Bore oil must be applied to the interior of wood piccolos. Bore oil prevents moisture from being absorbed into the wood, resulting in splitting, cracking, and warping. Apply a very small amount of oil on a separate cleaning swab and draw it through the body several times. Note: Too much bore oil results in sticky pads. Consult a qualified repair technician for proper oiling procedures. 5. Care Of the Exterior of the Flute and Piccolo
For daily care, wipe the entire length of the body with a polishing cloth, being careful not to apply pressure to the keys, Wipe down the keys, taking care not to scratch them or damage the pads. Dirt is easily removed with lacquer polish on instruments with a lacquer finish (alto and bass flutes). Silver-plated instruments should be polished using a specially treated silver polishing cloth. When using liquid silver polish, be careful not to get it on any moving parts. 
Note: Use silver polish only on silver-plated instruments. Lubricating the Key Posts
Key oil should be applied between the axles and the pillars (key posts) approximately every two months. Use only a very small amount and avoid getting any on the pads. If necessary, wipe off any excess with an absorbent cloth. Tone holes
Use tone hole cleaner to clean the space under and between the keys. 
6. Storing the Instrument
The case should always be used for storing the instrument after playing and for transporting. The case prevents dirt and dust from entering and protects the pads and keys from temperature and humidity changes. Do not put anything in the case that could place pressure on the instrument.
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