Hello All,
I am trying to get an ember with sweet chestnut.
The tree is 800 (?) years old. Diameter 1.5m . Pollarded.
Whenever I try with the bow drill I get a very thick flakey tar forming. Very smoky and not pleasant.
It is from a dead branch. The pieces have been drying for over a week now. Bone dry. Still the same results.
I have been trying less pressure and more speed, as pressure just makes a gunky tar.
There are two types of branches. Horizontal from the main trunk, which I am using. And vertical smooth branches from the crown. I think it is these vertical ones that cord is made from. But these are all green, so no good for the bow drill.
Any advice?
I am trying to get an ember with sweet chestnut.
The tree is 800 (?) years old. Diameter 1.5m . Pollarded.
Whenever I try with the bow drill I get a very thick flakey tar forming. Very smoky and not pleasant.
It is from a dead branch. The pieces have been drying for over a week now. Bone dry. Still the same results.
I have been trying less pressure and more speed, as pressure just makes a gunky tar.
There are two types of branches. Horizontal from the main trunk, which I am using. And vertical smooth branches from the crown. I think it is these vertical ones that cord is made from. But these are all green, so no good for the bow drill.
Any advice?
