Bow drill fire, with pine!

tonym

tonym

Joined
Mar 18, 2008
Messages
9,491
Do you guys remeber this pic I posted a week ago?



Well that wasn't a Pine stump at first. It was a standing dead White Pine that I cut down. No not in search of fatwood believe it or not:eek: Allthough at the base it did have that fat wood smell, but it did not rise from the root.
Anyay, I have been meaning to try White Pine as a wood for the bowdrill, and I saw my opportunity, so I took some home.

I was planning on doing this with Rescue Riley, and company today, but they all bailed on me last minute:(

So anyway, I went in the garage and had at it!

I did the thumbnail test and the wood was pretty soft, but what the hell I tried it anyway.

1st attempt not enough pressure I believe


2nd attempt too much pressure, I think



Hmm, that powder is way to brown and that was after 55 seconds, usually it takes no more than 45 seconds with good form to produce a coal.
I piled that crap powder back under the notch and readjusted my pressure. For 20 seconds I took long, fluid , slow strokes. As the board began to smoke heavily I than added pressure and quickened my strokes. The board was smoking good now, I laid a 10 count with everything I had and stopped. I left the spindle in to trap the heat and hopefully cook the coal if there was one.

I then checked and bam.





Isn't that the most pathetic looking coal you ever saw?? Hey but it is a coal.

The 3rd attempt with the help of the previous powder and the adjustment of pressure finaly worked.

This is no where near the easiest wood I have used, but it is nice to know it worked:thumbup:

White Pine is an easy tree to ID as a standing dead tree. So in a survival situation and you need dry wood, standing dead is always the best choice, and now I know it will produce a coal! Now to do it in the field..


 
Nice Tony!

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) is an excellent tree for fire!
- Not as resinous as other yellow pines, it works quite well for the bow drill.
- Retains its dead branches so they are off the ground in wet weather and somewhat shielded from the rain if the tree has a high leaf area index.
- Twigs have an resin(oily) substance that readily takes a flame, i.e., excellent kindling.
- Unlike some other evergreens that can be found near white pine, the bark on white pine is very thin. This allows the fine branching to dry out quicker in wet weather.

It also make a great tea of needles or inner bark, the inner bark tea also being medicinal (expectorant).
 
Thanks fellas, I am glad I am not the only that gets excited about these things:o


abo4ster said:
Nice Tony!

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) is an excellent tree for fire!
- Not as resinous as other yellow pines, it works quite well for the bow drill.
- Retains its dead branches so they are off the ground in wet weather and somewhat shielded from the rain if the tree has a high leaf area index.
- Twigs have an resin(oily) substance that readily takes a flame, i.e., excellent kindling.
- Unlike some other evergreens that can be found near white pine, the bark on white pine is very thin. This allows the fine branching to dry out quicker in wet weather.

It also make a great tea of needles or inner bark, the inner bark tea also being medicinal (expectorant).
Click to expand...

I saw a post you made on another forum about White Pine being good for the bow drill, and have been meaning to try it ever since:thumbup:

Thanks for the extra info, I didn't know of its medicinal value.
 
What would you say is the trick to using pine. I have always heard it is too resinous - but when I use it, it is fine. However, some pine I cut, I know right away would be crap in a bow drill fire.

Any tips?

TF
 
Talfuchre said:
What would you say is the trick to using pine. I have always heard it is too resinous - but when I use it, it is fine. However, some pine I cut, I know right away would be crap in a bow drill fire.

Any tips?

TF
Click to expand...

I believe eastern white pine is an exception in terms of ease. I have no first hand experience doing the bow drill with other pine species, but I have heard it has been done (not easily) with some western pine species. Sorry, I don't know any more than that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top