I have heard and read in various places that folks find willow to be a good wood to use for bow drill, both as spindle and hearth. I can make a good coal with a variety of woods but so far willow just defeats me (almost) every time.
I have been using dead willow cut from the standing tree and trying it there and then and have only ever managed one, very tiny coal after a great deal of effort.
I have been out this evening and found a large willow that has split and dropped a bough into a ditch so it will be cut away and disposed of by the landowner (my boss) soon. I have gathered a few pieces of green wood from this bough that will be suitable for both spindles and hearths. I plan on drying them out at home and trying with them once well dried and hard.
The question is, am I wasting my time? I suspect that the willow I have used prviously has been a little "too far gone" having started to break down due to being dead in the tree, but as I will need several sets of bow drill kit for a local cub scout group this Summer I was hoping to get them all made soon. If the willow is going to do the trick I'll not worry about gathering other woods, but I need to get gathering if the kids are going to struggle with the "good" willow like I have with my previous attempts with older wood.
I have been using dead willow cut from the standing tree and trying it there and then and have only ever managed one, very tiny coal after a great deal of effort.
I have been out this evening and found a large willow that has split and dropped a bough into a ditch so it will be cut away and disposed of by the landowner (my boss) soon. I have gathered a few pieces of green wood from this bough that will be suitable for both spindles and hearths. I plan on drying them out at home and trying with them once well dried and hard.
The question is, am I wasting my time? I suspect that the willow I have used prviously has been a little "too far gone" having started to break down due to being dead in the tree, but as I will need several sets of bow drill kit for a local cub scout group this Summer I was hoping to get them all made soon. If the willow is going to do the trick I'll not worry about gathering other woods, but I need to get gathering if the kids are going to struggle with the "good" willow like I have with my previous attempts with older wood.