Bow drill - Bearing block

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leon-1

Full Member
Just a thought, but has anyone been to the beach recently, there are plenty of shells (like limpett) which are quite hard and very smooth internally, in theory you could epoxy (or use a natural glue) one of these into your bearing block.

Because it is smooth it reduces the friction on the drill and anything that you wish to use (an oily leaf like holly) can be used as a lubricant. There is the bonus that it is not as heavy as carrying a pebble in your kit. :-D
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,446
1,284
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Ed said:
A bone insert in wood works very well. Its hard wearing but fairly friction free.
Did you mean an insert in the bearing block or in the top of the drill? ummm.... I've used a drwing pin in the top of the spindle/drill to reduce friction against the bearing block but I'd never thought of making a bone one for it.... I may just have to try ;-)

:)
Ed

I know it's not exactly what you were thinking of but how about this,

pt-bowspindraw.jpeg


courtesy of Primitive Ways - the site explains it's use.

and if you want to try something new with a bow drill check out their Smallest Bow Drill Fire-by-Friction Set
 

Douglas

Tenderfoot
Jun 14, 2004
79
0
34
Switzerland
Shells work well. The instructor at the course I did a long time ago used that, with just a little piece of leather between the shell and his hand, in case the drill burnt through the shell.

I was told the person doing a demonstration at the local Celtic festival also used a shell (it was maybe the same person though).

I tried it, it's stable, holds the drill well, it's easy to hold...I think it's a good solution. You don't get shells over here though :p

I can't remember the other things he suggested though.

(hmmm, now that I thought a bit, is the bearing block the handblock or something between the drill and the handblock? Anyway, you don't need anything other than a shell, it works well alone)
 

leon-1

Full Member
Douglas the Bearing block is just a block of anything that sits on top of the drill. :)

The reason that I said about epoxying the shell into the wood of a bearing block is more comfort than anything else (something easy to grip), although the leather is a very good idea. Was the leather boiled and dried or just like a chamois cloth / still supple :?:
 

Gary

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 17, 2003
2,603
2
57
from Essex
Interesting idea the shell thing but I think it would be too brittle - having seen the heat generated at the both ends I honestly feel it wouldn't last long.

But proof is in the doing so I guess I will go try it and report back!.
 

Richard

Member
Sep 30, 2003
36
0
Kent
www.trail-sense.co.uk
Gary said:
Interesting idea the shell thing but I think it would be too brittle - having seen the heat generated at the both ends I honestly feel it wouldn't last long.

But proof is in the doing so I guess I will go try it and report back!.


I tried a limpet shell set in a wooden block a while back but did find it to be pretty brittle under pressure. A larger, thicker sea-shell should work well though. I'll keep experimenting!
 

Steve K

Tenderfoot
May 12, 2004
91
0
49
Eastleigh, Hampshire
Just a thought and it has probably been said before but...

If we follow this discussion on for developing and refining such a simple and elegant solution through to its natural conclusion would we not end up with a fire flash or lighter prehaps? :?:

I would say that it is the knowledge and ability to improvise the Bow-Drill, so that it may be employed when other modern/manufactured fire lighting methods are not available, that is important.
 

eraaij

Settler
Feb 18, 2004
557
61
Arnhem
In a week I go to our mountain cabin in Austria. While there, I usually collect a bunch of Alpine cherry wood. That is a VERY hard wood and gives me a nice pile of bearing blocks that will get me through the year. Makes great handles for knives too.

-Emile
 

mr dazzler

Native
Aug 28, 2004
1,722
83
uk
Bearing (oops sorry no pun intended!) in mind that the finest german woodwork planes have hornbeam soles to resist wear, could be that wood may be a suitable choice for a bearing block.
Mr D :wink:
Just another thought.
Is it a rumour or is it true the soviets had some sort of super-hard fossilised wood that was hard enough to build tanks? :?:
 

Jonesie

Member
Feb 28, 2004
17
0
Farnham
I tell you what works really well for me is a pebble that fits well in your hand with a little depressionin the middle ( i got my one on the beach) i use mine all the time to demonstrate the bow drill.
 

Not Bob

Need to contact Admin...
Mar 31, 2004
122
0
A soapstone insert in a block of wood for your bearing block works a treat.
 

Ed

Admin
Admin
Aug 27, 2003
5,973
37
50
South Wales Valleys
I tell you what works really well for me is a pebble that fits well in your hand with a little depressionin the middle ( i got my one on the beach) i use mine all the time to demonstrate the bow drill.
Pickd up a couple from the beach today and they work really well.... I've been looking for a good shaped stone for ages .... then loads come along at once :biggthump

I also picked up a few small limpit shells which I'm going to try as insets in a wooden bearing block...

Ed
 

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