Secrets of the hand drill - revealed

[rich59]

I am back from a week of bear hunting in Maine and will try to get a video up for viewing. You will simply not believe how easy this is with a mullein spindle and basswood. Once the hearthboard has been burned-in you should expect to see smoke after the first pass and a coal by the fifth - and good blisters by the 7th...

I fully agree that these are good materials to work with. Basswood by the way = lime tree for the UK folks. But for beginners forget speed. If will defeat you. Take it easier. Get to smoking point slowly, keep it at smoking point for a while. Too fast too soon and there will still be moisture in the wood keeping it from turning to a coal.

If you want speed then keep your materials in a boiler house for a few days before use so they are really dry.

 

[Abbe Osram]

Has anyone of you had sucess with birch, Rowan,
Common Junipe or Garden Angelicar? The question is important to me because I have very few trees up here in the north to choose from. We have Willow here too but not very big, more like big bushes at the best.

cheers
Abbe

 

[rich59]

Has anyone of you had sucess with birch, Rowan,
Common Junipe or Garden Angelicar? The question is important to me because I have very few trees up here in the north to choose from.
Abbe

I have not tried any of those, although the first 3 are around. I have not tried them because I have never found a conveniently shaped bit of wood within reach. Do any of them naturally throw good straight wood that can be used to make a drill 18" to 2 foot long?

If finding a long straight bit is difficult you can always splice short piece on a longer piece of anything the right shape and size.

 

[Jeff Wagner]

If finding a long straight bit is difficult you can always splice short piece on a longer piece of anything the right shape and size.[/QUOTE]

This is precisely the premise behind the socket concept. Mate a suitable spindle with short plug of suitable fire making wood.

 

[scruff]

Maybe no one wants to cut down a piece of Rowan over here 'cos it supposed to be bad luck!? (well at least thats wot i've been told)

I'm currently having no fun with my first Elder hand dril

 

[leon-1]

I have never tried using rowan, but having said that It would probably be quite difficult as it is a member of the ash family. Next time I come across a bit I may try it with firebow first and possibly hand drill after depending

 

[rich59]

I have never tried using rowan, but having said that It would probably be quite difficult as it is a member of the ash family. Next time I come across a bit I may try it with firebow first and possibly hand drill after depending

I was going to say that I have recently found something new about drilling with ash - that if left to season for a year or so then it seems easier to drill with. Then I checked and I now think that rowan and ash may be not closely related - they are in different families and the fruits are so different.

On the subject of spit for friction - great stuff, but I mentioned using water instead as I was demonstrating hand drilling this year and realised that if everyone used that technique then the more squeamish might be put off by the thought of sharing a bit if they used my drills after me.

Hi Scruff. Do you want to say more about your troublesome elder setup?