Show us your bow drill sets!

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Clouston98

Woodsman & Beekeeper
Aug 19, 2013
4,364
2
25
Cumbria
Well I thought I'd sated a thread just to see what other people use and what combinations, it's really interesting and I'm keen to find out!

Quite chuffed today, it chucked it down yesterday but it was scorching today, so I went and made some more hearth boards and drills and gathered some dead grass, then I blew it into flame! I was mainly pleased as the tinder hadn't been dried and I felt all smiley inside! :)


Here's mine:


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All willow, bar the bearing blocks which are alder. It'd be great to hear what your using!

So post them up! It'll be great too see! :)
 
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Clouston98

Woodsman & Beekeeper
Aug 19, 2013
4,364
2
25
Cumbria
What about hand drill sets.:D

Show us them mate! I'm gonna give it a bash but I reckon I should brush up on my technique now so I'm better on what to do when it comes to it!

We should maybe do a show us your friction fire sets :D.
 

Joonsy

Native
Jul 24, 2008
1,483
3
UK
bow is rowan 28'' long, cord is chainsaw pull-cord tied at both ends with a sailors gripping hitch (sometimes use an icicle hitch), these two hitches are very easy to adjust for tension in cord even on a completely straight length of wood as shown in photo, ivy hearth, hazel drill, limpet shell bearing (hardly used oak bearing also shown but i don't use it now and use the limpet shell instead), i don't put the limpet shell inside a block of wood i just use the shell only and hold it with a buff or something ( it can get a little hot with prolonged use), mora knife shown for scale.

fireset011.jpg
 

Dave

Hill Dweller
Sep 17, 2003
6,019
9
Brigantia
Lovely dave! Would you mind telling us what the bearing block is? :)

:) Bearing block is yew, [you caught me redhanded there Cameron. :eek: I think Fishfish made it] pine hearth, 1/16th of a log split down, scots pine bow, and an american white ash drill.

 

Frazer

Tenderfoot
Dec 18, 2009
64
0
Highlands
For those looking to use bearings, Phil Brown of Badger Bushcraft has put together a wee How-To here. I've had some bearing sat in my drawer for months, I think it's time to put them to use. I'll nab a pic when I'm out that way.

Edit: said pic when I was out that way:
http://imgur.com/Hxnu7zo

I'm working on a slightly different scale, so yes that's pallet boards. :(
 
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atlatlman

Settler
Dec 21, 2006
750
0
ipswich
For those looking to use bearings, Phil Brown of Badger Bushcraft has put together a wee How-To here. I've had some bearing sat in my drawer for months, I think it's time to put them to use. I'll nab a pic when I'm out that way.

Edit: said pic when I was out that way:

http://imgur.com/Hxnu7zo



I'm working on a slightly different scale, so yes that's pallet boards. :(


Looks like friction set heaven. :) Do you teach friction fires?
 

Frazer

Tenderfoot
Dec 18, 2009
64
0
Highlands
I do, work for one of the medium sized outdoor school residentials companies. I train apprentice instructors and deliver to groups. Typically I've had a bag of 5 sets out at a time, this summer I'm needing to increase to 3 bags of 5 sets. Plus a stock of spares as boards/drills wear out and bows/strings snap..

Bows needed next.
 

swright81076

Tinkerer
Apr 7, 2012
1,702
1
Castleford, West Yorkshire
I do, work for one of the medium sized outdoor school residentials companies. I train apprentice instructors and deliver to groups. Typically I've had a bag of 5 sets out at a time, this summer I'm needing to increase to 3 bags of 5 sets. Plus a stock of spares as boards/drills wear out and bows/strings snap..

Bows needed next.

And an excellent instructor too. Have a cracking demonstration at my woods last week to a group of mixed ages.
:thumbup:

e4aruhem.jpg

yvu8upev.jpg


Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
 

atlatlman

Settler
Dec 21, 2006
750
0
ipswich
I do, work for one of the medium sized outdoor school residentials companies. I train apprentice instructors and deliver to groups. Typically I've had a bag of 5 sets out at a time, this summer I'm needing to increase to 3 bags of 5 sets. Plus a stock of spares as boards/drills wear out and bows/strings snap..

Bows needed next.

Great work Frazer. Nice to see youngsters learning bushcraft skills.:)
 

atlatlman

Settler
Dec 21, 2006
750
0
ipswich
Here's a couple of my sets. One is willow on willow the other set is a piece of old garden fence. Don't ask me what the bearing blocks are, I made them about eight years ago and can't remember. The bow is also unknown.

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