Hand drill hearth boards

[rich59]

Inspired by Kepis I looked again at choice of hearthboard for hand drill. I tried a small diameter elder drill (8-9mm) and a piece of sycamore for hearth. Got a coal first time.

This suggests to me that pretty well any wood might do for the hearthboard as long as you have an appropropriate diameter elder drill - small diameter for hard wood, larger diameter for softwood.

I'm going give a few other harder woods (and softer) a try to see how far this is a general truth.

 

[Lukas]

Sounds interesting. I would like to hear what other woods you can drill with an elder. I hear Buddleia works very well as a drill too, although I haven't tried it.

 

[silentbob]

Sounds interesting. I would like to hear what other woods you can drill with an elder. I hear Buddleia works very well as a drill too, although I haven't tried it.

Really? Thats good - I just happen to have a piece of Buddleia lying around that I was wondering what to do with - guess I'll be trying to make fire!

 

[rich59]

Sounds interesting. I would like to hear what other woods you can drill with an elder. I hear Buddleia works very well as a drill too, although I haven't tried it.

Yes, Buddleia is pretty good.

It can crack while drying. It is not as tolerant as elder of a bit of damp, but it is one of my top 3-4 - behind elder and mullein.

 

[Firelite]

I spent a couple of weeks toughening my hands up for a concerted go at hand drill - I was intrigued by an article I read on the floating hand method. I used an elder drill with willow to start with but made very little progress. Then I went over to elder drill and clematis (Old man's beard). The powder came easier, was good dark stuff and I got an ember last Thursday for the first time, which I blew to flame just cos it was the first ember I'd had and, well, you have to don't you?. Not the same buzz as first ember with bow drill, but very satisfying all the same. I would suggest giving the clematis hearth a try to anyone having a go. Rest your hands so they toughen up if you don't work with them too.

 

[rich59]

I spent a couple of weeks toughening my hands up for a concerted go at hand drill - I was intrigued by an article I read on the floating hand method. I used an elder drill with willow to start with but made very little progress. Then I went over to elder drill and clematis (Old man's beard). The powder came easier, was good dark stuff and I got an ember last Thursday for the first time, which I blew to flame just cos it was the first ember I'd had and, well, you have to don't you?. Not the same buzz as first ember with bow drill, but very satisfying all the same. I would suggest giving the clematis hearth a try to anyone having a go. Rest your hands so they toughen up if you don't work with them too.

You got that ember too easily if you didn't get the full buzz!! Hand drill embers are a GREAT achievement. - Well done.

 

[stuart f]

Hi folks,my first hand drill embers were with Elder drills on Willow hearth. But i also use Forsythia now,for the drill. We have it growing in our garden and as it has a hollow stem i thought i would experiment,so needless to say,when the wife cuts it back i keep all the cuttings for drills now as its that good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forsythia

I had a couple of forum members at a meet up,manage to get an ember using a Forsythia drill,a couple of years back. It was their first go at it.

Good stuff so it is,give it a go,if you can get hold of some.

Cheers Stuart.

 

[Shewie]

I notice Colin's man servant is doing all the hard work as usual