Fire Bow Help.. Please :)

[masongary44]

I sucessfully managed to get a fire 3 times on the training course i did now its all gone bad and i can not get a thing.

I have tried a few different woods, keeping the drill the same as the hearth and no success...

My biggest problem seems to be that the wrong end of the spindle / drill seems to get the hottest.....

I am doing a little fire lighting demo with some local scout VERY soon :yikes: and it would be great if i could get this working (although i guess they will be more impressed with the potassium permanganate etc...)

Any tips greatly appreciated, I know some real good bow drillers here.... :You_Rock_

I have a load of Goat Willow (Cut from a standing dead tree) and some ash (cut from a live tree some weeks ago and stored in an airing cupboard to dry..)

On the course I had success with both goat Willow and Sycamore the latter seeming the easiest...

 

[masongary44]

I seem to get smoke really quickly too.. I am not sure that this helps, the dust i get tends to be a little on the fibrous side as opposed to a nice fine powder....

Is this because i am being too heavy handed.... ???

 

[Adi007]

Here are a few tips:

- Have you recarved and reseated the spindle and hearth?
- Reduce friction at the bearing block
- Bed the spindle and hearth using gentle pressure
- Make sure that you have a good notch cut in the hole in the hearth
- Use only slightly more pressure when bowing
- Keep at it! :biggthump

 

[masongary44]

I think i am just gonna keep practicing like an idiot this week..

Thanks for your reply

 

[Gary]

Gary, pm me your email address and I'll send you a Bow drill trouble shooting leaflet which will probably solve all your problems and as long as your technique is good get you going nicely. :biggthump

 

[Roving Rich]

Hi Gary,
Sounds like too much friction at the hand hold/bearing block for starters. I like a Yew hand hold, as the wood itself is waxy a stone with a dimple works better still. Alternatively try putting a holly leaf in the bearing block hole, or lubricating it with wax or grease. It seems to work best before it becomes too deep, so a new hole may help.
I'm not sure on the Ash ? its quite hard, and maybe even more difficult if its not seasoned properly.
I tend to use a spindle of standing deadwood hazel, on a Sycamore, Ivy or Willow baseboard. And have had regular sucess with all of em.

Hope that helps a bit
Good luck on the night
Rich

 

[masongary44]

Thanks all for your help,

After some searching around the web i found a sugesttion that a drawing pin in the top of the spindle (or hole in the bearing block) works wonders for reducing friction.

I inserted the pin and within 4 minutes had a brilliant ember... ): I had no tinder around so it was wasted, but it looks like my technique is OK... I just need ot find a more natural atlternative to a drawing pin (although it would not be much effort to put a few in the old kit for emergencies...

As for the ASH, it was brilliant into a Willow hearth.... It produced a really fine black dust very quickly plenty of heat too... I think this could fast become my favorite mix..... ANd the ash was only 2 weeks old (I made the drill set and kept it in an airing cupboard for a few days to help it dry out...)

Thanks for all your replies :You_Rock_ , and Gary I wil PM you now as I would still appreciate the guide to bow drill you offered me.

This site really is excellent...

 

[Gary]

No worries mate - its the handout I give my students and will help you fine tune your technique ect ect

 

[SCUBBYDOO]

i tried spruce as a base plate and pirhana pine as a drill this worked well for me also pirhana pine is what broom stick handles are made out of down at your local d.i.y. store (save a few hours of shaping) also found that a bottle top works pretty well but you may need to place a rag over the top to stop burning your hand.also spit into the bottle top as this reduces friction.

 

[Kath]

Well done! Glad to hear you've got it!! :-D

(I've been trying on the bowdrill nearly everday since the BCUK meetup and still not there yet. Still I figure at least I'm building up my muscles and stamina by keeping on trying, and I'll get there in the end. I'm really looking forward to my Tom Hanks "Fire! I made Fire!" moment that you see people have when they get it :-D