High Tech Leather Bearing Block

[Pict]

Last week my son showed me a bunch of old skateboard wheels that had a total of six good bearings left in them. I took one and made it the center of a leather bearing block.

The construction is real simple. I just made three leather disks. The two internal disks are cut with a hole to fit the outside diameter of the bearing. The bottom disk is cut with a hole just a little smaller. The top disk is cut with a tab that has two holes to put a bow drill cord through so it can be hung around the neck. On top of the bearing inside I placed a coin, cost me 10 Centavos. I took the center of the coin down with a grind stone on my drill so the outside rim of the bearing rests against it but the spinning portion does not make contact with the coin or leather at all. You can't get it to make contact no matter how hard you press.

I made this last piece from the same section of heavy grained leather that I used for my Skookum Bush Tool sheath so the two pieces match.

Once the pieces were cut and fitted I used 10 minute epoxy and a clamp to glue them together, then sanded the edges until it was all uniform. I then waxed it with the same beeswax mixture I used on the sheath to give the socket and sheath the same finish. I think they turned out really nice.

Is it cheating to use a wheel bearing as a socket? I don't know and don't care much. All I need now is a length of chainsaw pull cord to complete the project.

Mac

 

[Eric_Methven]

Just read this post over on BCUSA. Brilliant! I already ordered a pack of 8 bearings from Fleabay. I'm going to make up some fancy bearing blocks that will double as pendants.

 

[Shewie]

Great idea Pict, if only I hadn't thrown out my old skateboard a few months ago

It would be great to see a video of it in action

 

[Retired Member southey]

That is brilliant matey! nice work!

 

[Pict]

Using the bearing isn't my idea, just one I had to copy when I saw my son's defunct wheels. It works great. I tried it out this evening and had two coals in no time.

 

[mountainm]

Neat idea, and its good to see it working for you. However I can't help feeling once you're using a real bearing, man made cord etc. Well then its kind of straying away from the point a little bit? Once it begins to be more a man made process than a natural one I may aswell just carry a bic. or fit a hazel bit to my black & Decker. (anyone tried that?)

Nice way to ensure easy practice and testing of materials though.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Neat idea, and its good to see it working for you. However I can't help feeling once you're using a real bearing, man made cord etc. Well then its kind of straying away from the point a little bit? Once it begins to be more a man made process than a natural one I may aswell just carry a bic. or fit a hazel bit to my black & Decker. (anyone tried that?)

Nice way to ensure easy practice and testing of materials though.

I can see your point if your trying to stick to some kind of era in a recreation type hobby, but as an addition to a skill why not innovate and use modern items to make the task quicker, simpler and easier? It's not all about sweating away while punching the monkey(My term for it, due to the squeaks and how you look from behind while bow drilling)? What is it Mr Mears Quotes "to keep one on the past is to be blind in one eye, but to keep both eye's on the past is to blind in both eyes" If you get hung up on having to do a task in one way then I think you become blinkered to innovation and developing skills in there efficiency. :theyareon

 

[mountainm]

I can see your point if your trying to stick to some kind of era in a recreation type hobby, but as an addition to a skill why not innovate and use modern items to make the task quicker, simpler and easier? It's not all about sweating away while punching the monkey(My term for it, due to the squeaks and how you look from behind while bow drilling)? What is it Mr Mears Quotes "to keep one on the past is to be blind in one eye, but to keep both eye's on the past is to blind in both eyes" If you get hung up on having to do a task in one way then I think you become blinkered to innovation and developing skills in there efficiency. :theyareon

Aye that's why I take an IMCO- the benefit of a bow drill is you "should" be able to make it with found materials and then create fire. Therein lies the skill. Modernising it is fine and fun - but it's quicker to light a fire with a lighter - the more you abstract it, the more it loses its core benefit over other more modern means. I'm not knocking it, it's great and all that, as long as you can do it without the bearing if needed?

Look at it this way, if you keep improving a system to make fire, to make it easier, smaller, etc. You end up with a ferro rod or a bic.

 

[Pict]

It is true that you don't own the skill of friction fire until you can walk into your local wilderness, harvest the materials, make the set and create fire. We have done that for the Mata Atlantica here in Central Brazil, in rainy season. I know very few people who do the bow drill from scratch every time, especially when it comes to the cord, they use a bootlace, paracord etc. As a knife-only skill, a full friction fire set made in the bush under field conditions is a worthy goal and skill to maintain.

That said, friction fire kits were often carried along once they were made by native peoples, often in containers to keep them dry. A working kit is worth keeping around, even if it is just left in the shelter until it gets carried along on a hunting trip. A good socket is worth its weight in gold for this process. I have several made by a friend that are ceramic with a glazed dimple. They are very smooth as the spindle is basically spinning on glass. Especially working with first time bow drill students a bit of success in their first few attempts works wonders on morale rather than having them carve a set only to be frustrated that they can't get a coal with it.

In our course we separate wilderness survival and bushcraft with two working definitions. Wilderness survival centers on knowing what to pack and how to use it and focuses on modern means. Bushcraft is knowing your environment and how to use it and focuses on primitive methods and skills. I know all sorts of definitions exist for these two subjects but that is our approach.

So if I'm just out there doing it for fun or testing different types of wood I'd rather just cut to the chase. Besides, what was I to do with six wheel bearings?

 

[sasquatch]

That's a great bit of recycling! No point splitting hairs over it in my opinion. Thanks for sharing...

 

[mountainm]

http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...=X&ei=UpYETrjWOIi1hAep563oDQ&ved=0CJUBEPMCMAg

Take in one of these, pop in a hazel bit, sycamore hearth. Job done

 

[Tadpole]

Neat idea, and its good to see it working for you. However I can't help feeling once you're using a real bearing, man made cord etc. Well then its kind of straying away from the point a little bit? Once it begins to be more a man made process than a natural one I may aswell just carry a bic. or fit a hazel bit to my black & Decker. (anyone tried that?)

Nice way to ensure easy practice and testing of materials though.

Do you use a metal knife?
what's the point, unless you go in to the wild, and can make a knife from scratch, you might as well take in a power saw.

 

[Tadpole]

http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...=X&ei=UpYETrjWOIi1hAep563oDQ&ved=0CJUBEPMCMAg

Take in one of these, pop in a hazel bit, sycamore hearth. Job done

Using a Drill is not very successful as they tend to throw the dust out to far and it never seems to coalesce in to an ember.

 

[mountainm]

Do you use a metal knife?
what's the point, unless you go in to the wild, and can make a knife from scratch, you might as well take in a power saw.

I would if it would fit in my pocket, you're missing my point - the bow drill is a primitive skill. If you keep upgrading it to make it easier, better, quicker etc. then well you may as well take a bic in and be done with it.

 

[Pict]

Using a Drill is not very successful as they tend to throw the dust out to far and it never seems to coalesce in to an ember.

You need a variable speed drill to get a coal. I once did this testing various local woods. The problem is that you can get a coal with just about anything because you have unlimited muscle power.

Mountainm, I do get your point. In its pure form this is a knife only skill and should be learned that way. As a hobby it is just fun to make friction fire. Mac

 

[mountainm]

Mountainm, I do get your point. In its pure form this is a knife only skill and should be learned that way. As a hobby it is just fun to make friction fire. Mac

That was aimed at tadpole - I think we're in agreement and have been from the start really.

 

[Tadpole]

I would if it would fit in my pocket, you're missing my point - the bow drill is a primitive skill. If you keep upgrading it to make it easier, better, quicker etc. then well you may as well take a bic in and be done with it.

That is if you consider it a primitive skill, when most people who've made an ember have already passed the point when they can make everything needed. Start with a metal knife (do you know what steel ore looks like and can you refine it to the point you can make a knife), would you be able to make cord good enough to reliably replace your petrochemical string.
I don’t class it as a primitive skill I consider it a useful skill.

 

[mountainm]

That is if you consider it a primitive skill, when most people who've made an ember have already passed the point when they can make everything needed. Start with a metal knife (do you know what steel ore looks like and can you refine it to the point you can make a knife), would you be able to make cord good enough to reliably replace your petrochemical string.
I don’t class it as a primitive skill I consider it a useful skill.

I think we're talking cross purposes. I'm not saying in order to use a lighter I must understand a fire bow, or in order to use a knife you must be able to flint knap. Far from it - I'm saying that once you abstract it far enough it is no longer the original process.

 

[Toddy]

Interesting, an a novel use of otherwise waste material.

I think on balance I'm with MountainM on it though.
I have high tech kit, but y'know, there's a quiet satisfaction in making something from scratch and knowing it's going to work.

I think we need a new category for diy....Wombled kit

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tadpole]

I think we're talking cross purposes. I'm not saying in order to use a lighter I must understand a fire bow, or in order to use a knife you must be able to flint knap. Far from it - I'm saying that once you abstract it far enough it is no longer the original process.

I understand what you are saying, but where do you draw the line? Would it have more primitive point to stroll up with nothing in your pocket and find/make everything, knife included.
Where/when does it become pointless, when you turn up with a complete bow-drill kit in a nice leather bag pre-used and burnt in with a bag of manmade premade tinder, if you turn up with everything bar the hearth, or you take everything apart from the bow and the hearth, or the just take the bow string and the drill or just the string?
When does it become pure and not miss the point?