Hand drill from bullrush
- Thread starter swagman
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I managed to get smoke the other day with bullrush spindle on a Lime hearth. Thought I'd got a coal but alas not quite.
Will be trying again soon though.
I did find you have to be carefull of the edges of the spindle as they tend to fray and act like a brush to scater the dust all over the place.
Never tried it as a hearth. Seems a bit small really.
Mark
Will be trying again soon though.
I did find you have to be carefull of the edges of the spindle as they tend to fray and act like a brush to scater the dust all over the place.
Never tried it as a hearth. Seems a bit small really.
Mark
Hi,
I don't know about bullrush but I've had success in lighting handdrill fires with balga flowering stalks. http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s66809.htm
The stalks are typically between 3/8" and 1" thick. The thicker ones are scarcer. These are also very pithy and soft but if you put some sand in the notch getting enough friction is easy.
I guess I better ask, have you had success getting an ember by friction before? If you haven't I may be able to give you some tips.
I don't know about bullrush but I've had success in lighting handdrill fires with balga flowering stalks. http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s66809.htm
The stalks are typically between 3/8" and 1" thick. The thicker ones are scarcer. These are also very pithy and soft but if you put some sand in the notch getting enough friction is easy.
I guess I better ask, have you had success getting an ember by friction before? If you haven't I may be able to give you some tips.
Hi Swagman,
I have been mucking about with hand drills for some time now. If you are a beginner to hand drilling then you would want the easiest materials the first few times before moving on to more challenging ones. As you are a fair few miles from me (!) I might not be thinking about the same bull rush as you are. Do you have a picture (or an internet reference to one), or a scientific name?
The UK "bull rush" or "Reed Mace" is a tricky one for hand drill and I had to vary my basic technique quite a lot to get one single hard won success from it.
Have you got any bushes or small trees with fine grained woody stems but hollow/ or pith filled centres, that can throw some straight wood 50 - 75 cm long and 12 - 18 mm diameter?
Or I could name a garden plant - philadelphus (or Mock Orange), or also buddliea (Butterfly Bush).
I have been mucking about with hand drills for some time now. If you are a beginner to hand drilling then you would want the easiest materials the first few times before moving on to more challenging ones. As you are a fair few miles from me (!) I might not be thinking about the same bull rush as you are. Do you have a picture (or an internet reference to one), or a scientific name?
The UK "bull rush" or "Reed Mace" is a tricky one for hand drill and I had to vary my basic technique quite a lot to get one single hard won success from it.
Have you got any bushes or small trees with fine grained woody stems but hollow/ or pith filled centres, that can throw some straight wood 50 - 75 cm long and 12 - 18 mm diameter?
Or I could name a garden plant - philadelphus (or Mock Orange), or also buddliea (Butterfly Bush).
I iave tried cat tails quite a lot and succeeded once! (that was the only time i have ever made a coal with a hand drill)
I had the coal but didnt imagine before hand that i could manage to get a propper coal so i didnt prepare my tinder propperly! stupid me! so i didnt get flames!
Oh well i did it once! so it means that i am capable.
Rich, can you tell us some good drill hearth combinations for beginners? That would be fantastic!
Thanks
Jon
I had the coal but didnt imagine before hand that i could manage to get a propper coal so i didnt prepare my tinder propperly! stupid me! so i didnt get flames!
Oh well i did it once! so it means that i am capable.
Rich, can you tell us some good drill hearth combinations for beginners? That would be fantastic!
Thanks
Jon
Drill - elder, buddliea, mullein, philadelphus, (sycamore with modification of the drill point),jon r said:
Hearth - commercial pine (untreated and bone dry), ivy, horse chestnut.
Most woods will do as a hearth, although some are a little better. The drill is the most crucial part.
I believe the plant I mentioned can be found throughout Australia. Here's a link you might find helpful: http://users.hunterlink.net.au/~madms/fires.html
Also: http://www.pawlan.com/Monica/xanthor/ This link has pics and mentions the firemaking use of the stalk - I only found the link just then.
The part i found helpful was that you should pick the stalks after the seeds have fallen out of the head. To test if the wood is green, touch the Base of the stalks to your lips, if its cold you'll have to dry it or just pick another stalk. Also, a hearthBOARD i not neccessary. A hearthSTICK barely thicker than the spindle will do. Just put a small notch in the side so the dust only falls out in one point. To increase friction try adding some sand (just a very small pinch) in the hole.
I also find it easier, although not quicker, to get an ember by first drilling to fill the notch with dark brown dust and THEN giving it all so that black dust and smoke pours out. Only stop drilling when the dust pile smokes on its own. It will not neccessarily being glowing red like the pics on the net show until you blow on it.
Also with the balga stalk, shave the brown skin from the contact areas and sand/scrape the drill for better grip.
One more tip, a great coal extender that I find everywhere out in the bush is dried and crushed roo dung. I don't know if you've handled i before but it doesn't smell or anything and is quite clean - it's basically decomposed grass.
Also, not all stalks are of the same density and resin content. To pick a piece that is suitable, remove the brown skin. If you can dent the wood just under the surface with your thumbnail but not your thumb its probably okay.
Thats all I can think of for now.
Edit: I just read the second link and it says that sub-species are found in Tassy. Also, around now is the right time to start picking stalks (some might still be a little green) at least over here.
Also: http://www.pawlan.com/Monica/xanthor/ This link has pics and mentions the firemaking use of the stalk - I only found the link just then.
The part i found helpful was that you should pick the stalks after the seeds have fallen out of the head. To test if the wood is green, touch the Base of the stalks to your lips, if its cold you'll have to dry it or just pick another stalk. Also, a hearthBOARD i not neccessary. A hearthSTICK barely thicker than the spindle will do. Just put a small notch in the side so the dust only falls out in one point. To increase friction try adding some sand (just a very small pinch) in the hole.
I also find it easier, although not quicker, to get an ember by first drilling to fill the notch with dark brown dust and THEN giving it all so that black dust and smoke pours out. Only stop drilling when the dust pile smokes on its own. It will not neccessarily being glowing red like the pics on the net show until you blow on it.
Also with the balga stalk, shave the brown skin from the contact areas and sand/scrape the drill for better grip.
One more tip, a great coal extender that I find everywhere out in the bush is dried and crushed roo dung. I don't know if you've handled i before but it doesn't smell or anything and is quite clean - it's basically decomposed grass.
Also, not all stalks are of the same density and resin content. To pick a piece that is suitable, remove the brown skin. If you can dent the wood just under the surface with your thumbnail but not your thumb its probably okay.
Thats all I can think of for now.
Edit: I just read the second link and it says that sub-species are found in Tassy. Also, around now is the right time to start picking stalks (some might still be a little green) at least over here.
