Hello folks - Beginner bow drilling

[CPH]

Ps I still had the notch opposite me simply because I knew that hearth was working well. In future I will cut the notches on my side.

 

[CPH]

https://flic.kr/p/2qH9gx9

 

[CPH]

And I’ve figured out how to post pics again. I’m having a good day!

 

[CPH]

One last point at the risk of boring everybody to death. I tried a much thinner and much longer drill today. It’s about 18mm thick and 400mm long, and is from a dead standing piece of hazel. It actually had a slight curve, but I applied some heat to the middle of it and straightened it to virtually perfection. Also I knew where one of my favourite oak trees (we’ve been friends for over forty years.) had dropped a big branch about six or seven years ago. The top bearing was cut from one of the smaller branches that was sticking up in the air.
This experiment was in my shed, so not entirely fair, but I felt I needed the confidence boost before going back outside to try it.
When I get the chance I will take it outdoors and hopefully make a video.

https://flic.kr/p/2qH9oHm

 

[Pattree]

Well done! Let us know when you move from ember to flame.

 

[CPH]

Well done! Let us know when you move from ember to flame.

Thank you. Rest assured I will! (I can’t seem to add emoticons, but it would be the grinning one.)

 

[Stew]

Thank you. Blimey, I really am a dimwit at times.
On other threads I’ve been able to post pictures from my Flickr account, but for some reason it won’t let me do it anymore??

Don’t worry about it. Sometimes it’s hard to process what someone is trying to d plain, especially over text! That’s why I did the video - I figured it would be easier than trying to type an explanation out!!

 

[CPH]

Don’t worry about it. Sometimes it’s hard to process what someone is trying to d plain, especially over text! That’s why I did the video - I figured it would be easier than trying to type an explanation out!!

Thank you Stew. Your video definitely did provide the final piece of the jigsaw for me.

 

[Buckshot]

Well done, it's a great feeling isn't it
And thanks to all those who contributed help and advice.
I am often reminded of the brilliant community we have here.

 

[CPH]

Well done, it's a great feeling isn't it
And thanks to all those who contributed help and advice.
I am often reminded of the brilliant community we have here.

Thank you, yes I can honestly say the attempt to learn this skill has given me a tremendous amount of enjoyment- and a little bit of hair tugging.
And I’ve been bowled over by the friendliness and community spirit bestowed on me by the contributors.
I am aiming to attend the summer ‘moot’, and look forward to thanking people first hand.

 

[Buckshot]

It will be good to see you CPH

 

[CPH]

It will be good to see you CPH

Thank you and the feeling is mutual. I’m looking forward to meeting you all.

 

[CPH]

I managed it earlier today, but only after a few failed attempts on a hazel hearth that I eventually decided was too hard. It was eating the drill up trying to get an ember. I got at least half a dozen, but none of them would stay alight. I swapped to a softer sycamore hearth and got a viable ember. It was still touch and go though as I couldn’t find any tinder that was properly dry. Luckily I had a small bit of cotton wool which I added to the tinder bundle. The bundle was too small really and I nearly lost the ember as it burned through the bunch and nearly dropped out of the bottom. I spotted it at the last moment and eventually got it to light.
Thanks again for the tremendous amount of help and patience folks.

 

[Buckshot]

Well done.
There's nothing quite like that feeling..

Further refining. When blowing the ember into flame hold the bundle 6 inches or so away from you. The moisture in the breath can stifle an ember if it's too close.


Well done though

 

[CPH]

Well done.
There's nothing quite like that feeling..

Further refining. When blowing the ember into flame hold the bundle 6 inches or so away from you. The moisture in the breath can stifle an ember if it's too close.


Well done though

Thank you. A great deal of credit goes to the helpfulness of the members on here.
I had to delete the video. I hadn’t realized that when I noticed the ember had burned through the tiny tinder nest and was about to fall on the floor I uttered a minor expletive. As all the videos I put on YouTube are listed as ok for kids I thought I should bin it.

 

[CPH]

Without wanting to come over all 'bushcraft police', many people aren't aware King Alfred's cakes are often inhabited by pupating invertebrates trying to live out their lifecycle. In the south and east of England the scarce Platyrhinus resinosus relies on them for food. I know somebody who studies these and she loathes 'bushcraft', having seen a local wood all but stripped by somebody collecting several lifetimes' supply at once, or possibly to sell online.

There are plenty of web articles extolling the virtues of King Arthur's cakes for firelighting, but they never seem to mention good foraging practices, take the minimum you need, never strip an area etc etc. I'll readily admit I've occasionally gathered them but only very occasionally.

I was out in that same woodland today and thought of this thread.
This tree is typical of the multitude of dead standing trees in there. As you can see a small collection of these hopefully shouldn’t have too much impact on the insect life in these woods?

https://flic.kr/p/2qJnFh2

 

[CPH]

I’m getting reasonably successful at it now. I’ve achieved fire with my last five attempts.