How long did it take you to make your first bow drill fire?

[PJMCBEAR]

About 2 hours I think. Pignut showed me for 10 mins and left me to it. 2 hours, multiple bruised knuckles, cramps, broken strings, and many, many swear words later, I managed to produce an ember and coax flame out of it.

[Spamel]

I worked at it for a few weeks back in Germany, with info gleaned from books, vidoe and my crappy dial up connection! I tried every night after getting home on the balcony, paving slabs tend to graze the knuckles when you bang them a few times! I wept, sweated blood, swore, threw massive tantrums and basically did what any ape worth his salt does when his tyre is taken down and his 'nana supply is stopped! I went absolutely ape, but the important thing was to keep trying. I got there in the end, and it made the moment that much more special. I'm thinking of knocking up a nice bearing block, I've heard of particular materials that reduce friction on the top end of the drill. Would copper work, do you think?

[Addo]

Originally Posted by Mark J

I used Alder on my fundamental and they said use a really thick drill of almost pulpy rotten wood, I tried to explain that it was disintegrating during drilling but it was ignored. So i sneakily got a nice dry dead piece of diameter as thick as my thumb and it worked no problem (as I knew it would)
even the head instructor couldn't get an ember during the demo! hahaha

I also learnt on the Fundimental.
The Chief instuctor also couldnt do it, always a bad sign.
Alder was recommended and is useless, as are large dia drills.
I think this was all done to build up team spirit ect and encourage us to try harder.
Personally I found it anoying as I thought I was the problem even though my technique, the one shown to me , was good, and boy did I try hard. Works if two are on the bow.
I battled for a year or so stuggling to do the deed using alder, untill I joined my first forum, search for the info, got the woods and went for it, and after a few days of sweating and cursing... Bingo!
Ivy, sycamore, poplar, lime, willow all seem to work well if seasoned and dry. Ive heard Hazel spindles are good with these too and will be trying it out soon.

[Texan Man]

Originally Posted by spamel

I worked at it for a few weeks back in Germany, with info gleaned from books, vidoe and my crappy dial up connection! I tried every night after getting home on the balcony, paving slabs tend to graze the knuckles when you bang them a few times! I wept, sweated blood, swore, threw massive tantrums and basically did what any ape worth his salt does when his tyre is taken down and his 'nana supply is stopped! I went absolutely ape, but the important thing was to keep trying. I got there in the end, and it made the moment that much more special. I'm thinking of knocking up a nice bearing block, I've heard of particular materials that reduce friction on the top end of the drill. Would copper work, do you think?

Tell the truth about how you got your first ember Spamel.......

And yes copper would make a good bearing block so long as it's insulated

[Spamel]

Originally Posted by Texan Man

Tell the truth about how you got your first ember Spamel.......

And yes copper would make a good bearing block so long as it's insulated

Well, mny very first ember was in an effort to get the wife of my case! She'd come out with a look of disbelief on her face, "You'll never get it to work, etc!" and all sorts of other morale boosting lines! My mantra in that case, taken from a film, is "What one man can do, another can do" and I had to prove to her that the wood was correct, it was just my technique and stamina that was crap!

So I fitted the drill into a Bosch power drill and banged it on maximum revs! I got an ember in about five seconds!

You watch, everybody will be trying it now!

[wildernesswikiup14]

Originally Posted by SkogKniv

The White and Eastern Red Cedar range should be all over your area Kal. I got so much of it here it's not funny haha.

it like skips this part for some reason lol. pisses me off. we've got every tree sept ceder in my woods! oh well, im just happy to have balsam firs

[wildernesswikiup14]

Originally Posted by spamel

Well, mny very first ember was in an effort to get the wife of my case! She'd come out with a look of disbelief on her face, "You'll never get it to work, etc!" and all sorts of other morale boosting lines! My mantra in that case, taken from a film, is "What one man can do, another can do" and I had to prove to her that the wood was correct, it was just my technique and stamina that was crap!

So I fitted the drill into a Bosch power drill and banged it on maximum revs! I got an ember in about five seconds!

You watch, everybody will be trying it now!

lol ive tried that a few times lol

[wildernesswikiup14]

hey all! got a vid up on it so you all can examine my technique and such

you can view it by clicking on the url below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbGyU...e=channel_page

hope this helps!

[Spamel]

The hearth board looks quite thin, maybe just the video though. I use a chunky hearth board as thick as my thumb is wide at least. You have your feet the same way round as I do, but I use opposite hands for bearing and bowing. I'm right handed but have a busted knee! I find the way I do it allows me to get a full bow in, so I use the whole length of the bow and can generate more heat quicker. The bow doesn't hit my back leg that way. I'd also say, go steady, even if it takes two minutes to generate some smoke, as you won't tire yourself out so quickly. At the first whiff of smoke, increase bearing pressure and up your speed slightly. Once you have plumes of smoke, go like the clappers for as long as you can, count to 20 if possible.

[Spamel]

And if the ember doesn't catch, leave the dust there and start again. You've worked for that dust, and one bit of the dust at the right heat wil ignite the rest of your dust and will generate an ember. I've had an ember in the past in a fast time, but you don't seem to be going at it for an awful long time. It's frustrating I know, but go at it for a bit longer and you'll get your ember. I don't think you're far off.