The Notch
- Thread starter Biddlesby
- Start date
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It is easier to see the notch if it is facing you, as well as easier to remove the coal without disturbance, on Jeffs, and others, demo's it is for the benefit of the audience or camera so the notch faces out. This is what I suspect anyway.
Hand drill - I don't notice much difference which way the notch is facing. Often the setup of the board dictates it - you need somewhere to put your foot!
Bow drill - the question for me is whether to have the long length of the board crossways or in line with the bowing direction. The answer is in line with the bow. Otherwise the drill is pushed out through the notch and flies across the room.
Bow drill - the question for me is whether to have the long length of the board crossways or in line with the bowing direction. The answer is in line with the bow. Otherwise the drill is pushed out through the notch and flies across the room.
I agree with Rich on where to put your foot but I would add that sometimes it's the wind direction that's the deciding factor. I want enough to encourage the coal to stay alive but not so much that it chills everything down before the coal is big enough to establish itself.
Which do you feel more comfortable using?
Cheers,
Toddy
Which do you feel more comfortable using?
Cheers,
Toddy
I have found that it doesn't matter which way the notch is facing when using the bow drill. I make some of my hearths from fairly narrow pieces of wood, and for the sake of strength and keeping the successive notches not too far apart (so as not to waste hearth board) I make one notch one side, then the next notch the other side. As I always hold the hearth in place with my left foot, the notches face alternate directions as I work along the hearth, with no apparent effect on the results whatsoever. Wind direction can be a factor, but suely this is best dealt with by facing yourself the right way to start with, not altering the bow drill set-up?
Depends on whether I've got an audeince or not; they want to see what I'm doing 
I must admit I've been using up both sides of hearth boards too recently.
Cheers,
Toddy
I must admit I've been using up both sides of hearth boards too recently.
Cheers,
Toddy
Quite true. I positioned my notch to the out side so you could better appreciate the fruit of my labor. Ordinarily I would have it facing me so I could see what is going on. In terms of performance, I dont think it matters which way it faces.
