Bow Drills

[MitchelHicks]

Hey everyone i've been trying to make a bow drill today and have collected all the parts and have been having ago at it. So far i've managed to get alot of smoke but the ember doesn't seem to catch alight. I think the wood im using is slightly green but I've heard its still possible to use green wood. Has anyone got any advice.

Mitchel

 

[ady05]

i had a lot of problems (still do) but was told to try this
1 x Bow (Ash or Hazel)
1 x Drill (Hazel)
1 x Bearing Block (Holly)
1 x base Board (Poplar)
1 x Cord
all well seasoned

hope it will help

 

[leon-1]

Hey everyone i've been trying to make a bow drill today and have collected all the parts and have been having ago at it. So far i've managed to get alot of smoke but the ember doesn't seem to catch alight. I think the wood im using is slightly green but I've heard its still possible to use green wood. Has anyone got any advice.

Mitchel

Unfortunately it is always a balance, between pressure and speed. Some woods are better than others as well, that makes life a little more difficult.

What woods are you using as this could have quite an adverse effect on your ability to get an ember with green wood (actually any wood, green or otherwise, when you are starting out)

 

[rich59]

Hey everyone i've been trying to make a bow drill today and have collected all the parts and have been having ago at it. So far i've managed to get alot of smoke but the ember doesn't seem to catch alight. I think the wood im using is slightly green but I've heard its still possible to use green wood. Has anyone got any advice.

Mitchel

First time definitely use the driest materials you can get. With green wood - strip the bark and dry over radiator/ in airing cupboard etc for 2 - 3 days. What wood are you using and what other woods might you have available?

 

[MitchelHicks]

Im using birch at the second I've just stuck it in the airing cupboard ill give it another go in a couple of days. managed to break some 3mm nylon cord trying so much for making the fire I was sweating just trying to light one. Thanks for the help

Mitch

 

[leon-1]

Birch isn't a good one for bow drill. Hazel and sycamore make good drills. Ivy, pallette wood and pine are good hearths.

 

[Silverback]

I too had a crack at this yesterday and although I didn't get an ember I was pleased to be able to get a lot of smoke. I didn't actually expect to succeed and merely wanted to get the drill (hazel) bedded for a more concerted attempt later on. I used a bit of sawn timber from the wood shed but I have a nice bit of ivy I have hewed into a hearth board that is currently drying so I am looking forward to trying that. My bow is made out of holly and my bearing block is just a make do so I will need to rectify that. I think that it helped a lot not having too high an expectation and although unsuccessful I was pleased with what I achieved. I found shaving a small amount of wax into the bearing block helped a lot with minimising the friction

 

[leon-1]

Silverback that's probably one of the better ways of starting, if you don't get an ember "Oh Well, there's always tomorrow". In the end it's practice.

I found shaving a small amount of wax into the bearing block helped a lot with minimising the friction

What sort of wax did you use, I would think parafin wax would smoke like god knows what.

Any waxy leaf will do the job (you mentioned holly), I have also used olive oil before.

 

[Silverback]

I used a bit of tea light - seemed ok but thanks for the alternatives I have all of those at my disposal

 

[leon-1]

I used a bit of tea light - seemed ok but thanks for the alternatives I have all of those at my disposal

When you get the Ivy set going try it with three different types of drill, Ivy, Hazel and Sycamore.

The sycamore one seems to provide a huge ember in about 40 seconds or so.

 

[oops56]

O K i tried it once gave up for now to cold i got ever thing not right the ?? is witch one makes the coal the hearth board or the drill if its the drill then mine to hard of wood my hearth board is poplar

 

[Ogri the trog]

Guys,
I know that it is possible to get an ember without instruction/coaching but I recon it is so much easier if there is someone who can encourage you along the way. I know that while I was a friction-fire-virgin, I had tried all sorts of things to achieve what I thought of as immpossible - from electric drills to gunpowder from fireworks - none of which worked. Once I had been shown the technique and learnt from other folks experience, it really is not as hard as you would think - but the technique has to be near enough perfect.
You will get there eventually, and thereafter you'll wear a silly grin for a few days; and deservedly so.

Good luck everyone, get someone to help you out.

Ogri the trog

 

[MitchelHicks]

I think i'll try some of the other woods sycamore ivy willow etc. I've got an ember before but that was with a kit someone else made courtesy of a Ray Mears introduction to bushcraft course. The thing is I'd like to see someone else do it from scratch. Ill keep this thread updated with my progress if I can get a full ember to catch and will use it to light the BBQ think ill cook a stew got a new billy for my birthday that meal should taste nice cooked over a fire I started from scratch.

Mitchel Thanks for everyones advice

 

[MitchelHicks]

Silverback that's probably one of the better ways of starting, if you don't get an ember "Oh Well, there's always tomorrow". In the end it's practice.



What sort of wax did you use, I would think parafin wax would smoke like god knows what.

Any waxy leaf will do the job (you mentioned holly), I have also used olive oil before.

If you collect holly leave collect quite a few at first I underestimated how many I needed several times. Well i say i underestimated how many I needed I prodably overestimated my abiliy to start fire by friction.

and use gloves kept catching my finger tips while holding the bearing block

Mitch

 

[paulcd]

I wish you every success! I tried to teach myself, and got ever so close, but no cigar! Only after attending a course and then a master class was I able to achieve and then continue to achieve whilst understanding the science of it all..learning hand drill also helps you understand why it works sometimes but not others. There are finer points to consider throughout the process, and as with all problem solving, it may just be one thing that is holding you back...having somebody watching or even helping work the bow may get you there.
www.yellowwood.co.uk