A day out challenge.

[stuart f]

Hi folks,i was out for a wander today as the weather was that nice.I thought you might like a look.
Oh i set myself the challenge of collecting/making and using a bowdrill set,
from only what was lying around.

Anyway the pics.
I spied these ink caps of some type under a log.

A close up.

Further on i found my spindle and bow,from the same branch,it was Willow.

Then i found my hearth lying on the ground,it was Willow also.Its the stick in the foreground.

I also found a wind fallen Birch,which was still pretty green.So i cut a bit off,to use as a bearing block.

I then split the piece in half.

As i walked along i picked up tinder and shoved it into my pocket,i used dead bracken.

And dead Sticky wullie(Goosegrass,Cleavers).

I walked on about another half mile and sat down in the sunshine,to start whittling the set.Once ready i drilled the set to bed everything together.
The set.

After that it was time to prep the tinder bundle.

Well,now i was all set to have a go at getting an ember.So with some trepidation i had a go.
And to my surprise i managed to get an ember first time .

Then all that was left to do was get it into the tinder bundle,and blow to flame.
Yahoo success!

So i had a small fire to celebrate.

This is the third time i,ve tried this,but today was my first success,so well chuffed.

Well time was now moving on so i put the wee fire out and left the place as i had found it.

On the way home i got a few pics.It was nice to see Spring in full swing.
Wood anemone.

A nice we Primrose.

Sweet Cicely

Butter bur flowering.

And Burdock showing.

I also saw some nice animal sign.
The Woodpeckers clearly like this stump.

Badger track.

And Roe deer track,you can also see where the dew claws left there mark.

Well it was a great day out.
And thanks for looking.

 

[Toddy]

Excellent

Seriously, nice one Stuart.
Loved the photos

Thanks for sharing

cheers,
Mary

 

[pango]

Stunning, Stuart.

Unfortunately, that's got me fully awake right as I was about to head off to bed.

Cheers and goodnight.

 

[MartinK9]

Great thread, thanks for posting.

 

[jdlenton]

what an ace OPOST thanks for sahring your day not been able to get out for a walk due to gcse marking so i'm well envious

glad you had a nice time and thankyou for sharing

J*

 

[stuart f]

Thanks folks,it was really a lovely day to be outdoors taking in the suns early warmth,and watching nature go about her business.

Unfortunately today work beckons .

Thanks again.
Cheers Stuart.

 

[relfy]

Woohoo!! Way to go with the fire lighting!!

That stump is interesting - I have one just like it in my garden. I thought it must be ants or something doing it, but never actually see anything wriggling. Its not woodpeckers (at least with mine) as I'd definitely see that... I wondered if perhaps it is a fungus rotting it, but the holes do look so 'animal made'. Yours seems to also have the same thing as mine with looking kind of charred in places even though there's been no fire near it (hence the fungus theory). Maybe it is a kind of nocturnal beetle or larva burrowing about.... a mystery

 

[hermitical]

wonderful thread

 

[scrogger]

Excellent thread Stuart I have just come back in from walking the dogs and the north easterly blowing across the fields makes it feel like a winters day. Still nice to be out though, I might have a go at something like that tomorrow .

Thanks for posting.

 

[addo]

Great post Stuart.
Im thinking of another day doing this soon and trying to make some decent cordage for the bow too. If I find a willow then Im all set for most of the parts needed. Cheers.

 

[lab72]

Nice work !

 

[Kerne]

Cracking pics. Thanks for showing them - looks like a grand day out!

 

[redneck]

Very well done, next time see if you can also make the cordage from natural materials on the day, that really would be an accomplishment.

 

[Cobweb]

Great stuff.. I tried this last year and failed... miserably. I think everything was too wet or rotten. Thank you for inspiration to go and try again!

 

[Glydr]

Congrats on the success with the bowdrill, I've been trying for a few weeks without success yet, though I've had so much smoke off it I couldnt see the tip of the drill, but alas no ember off it, I'm using an ivy hearth but my spindle is unidentified, but I'm determined to succeed at this one day..

 

[Muddy Boots]

Fantastic write up fella. Well done mate good skills.

 

[listenclear]

Good show mate - well impressed!!!

 

[warthog1981]

Excellent its a great feeling when you can do it

cheers Russ

 

[gsfgaz]

Brilliant , stoo ... very interesting
cheers m8

 

[Barn Owl]

Thanks Stuart,
Think i'll give it a try again too.

Less pressure when you're on your own an' a' that

Btw do you know if the butter bur is the one used in medicines for something?
I've heard something about that before somewhere I think.