Failed with Bow and Drill !

pitdog

pitdog

Joined
Apr 13, 2007
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Decided to try getting a fire with a Bow and drill again today so split some wood to get my hearth( edited to add that I didn't use any of these pieces in the end !)......
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Try as I might I got plenty of smoke but still no burning embers....
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On this close up you can almost feel the heat coming off the end of the drill !!!
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Seeing as I had my tinder bundle waiting in a tuna can I decided to light it with my ferro rod instead !
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I also tried my WSK out at some finer work making notches etc, it worked out real well, gonna have to make another fig 4 when I have time !
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Seems like you're going thru a ruff spot Pit :D

Have you had success with this method in the past ?

Were you drillin to slow / fast ?
 
Pit,

Looking at the color of the dust it looks as if in my opinion you might be going to slowly or are not bearing down on the block hard enough or the base board wood is too soft.
 
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What kind of would are you using?

And yeah that powder isn't dark enough, like Riley said.
 
Pitdog try using cottonwood for the fireboard and the drill. And drill fast perhaps lengthen you bow length. Be sure to lube the drill at the top and apply as much pressure as possible downward. If you were practicing on a table (photos make it look that way) that may be part of the problem as you can't get enough downward pressure in that position.
 
Pit,
I dont know if it is proven that plywood DOESNT work..but I bet that it doesnt..and the glue has to be affecting the process as well.
I think the splits you made looked good and dry? Gene
 
the wood on your spindle apears to be cracked. this could let heat escape and would reduce the all-important friction.
 
Here are the problems I see.

1) You spindle is poorly made - should be octagonal and not so old wood.
2) Plywood will not work.
3) Your notch was too big.
4) You were moving too slowly with your bow and your not enough pressure (your bearing block should be blackened as well.

Meaning - you have MANY problems - I would use Kestela's slide show, or check out Les Stroud's new book - it has good pictures. Also, I would love to help you get success in your first fire if you want.

TF
 
Talfuchre said:
Here are the problems I see.

1) You spindle is poorly made - should be octagonal and not so old wood.
2) Plywood will not work.
3) Your notch was too big.
4) You were moving too slowly with your bow and your not enough pressure (your bearing block should be blackened as well.

Meaning - you have MANY problems - I would use Kestela's slide show, or check out Les Stroud's new book - it has good pictures. Also, I would love to help you get success in your first fire if you want.

TF
Click to expand...

Yeah your right with a few of those. My spindle while not octagonal does have sides to help with cord traction it's just that you cannot see very well from the pics. Regarding the bearing block not being black I had taken a tip from Ray Mears and kept placing some green leaves in that to help reduce friction. My notch was the correct size to start with but opened up as the more I drilled....I think the main error was using the plywood, it was just that it sat flatter than the other wood I had prepared !:o
 
TF has some good points. Especially downward pressure, very important. Get some medium wood like cottonwood, ash, willow (not sure what's in your area) for the hearth and drill. A good hardwood or rock with a divot for the handpiece. A good trick I have used it to put a little chunk of (dry) soap in the divot, that will get that thing moving friction free in there. And I have made the plywood mistake too :)
 
pitdog said:
Yeah your right with a few of those. My spindle while not octagonal does have sides to help with cord traction it's just that you cannot see very well from the pics. Regarding the bearing block not being black I had taken a tip from Ray Mears and kept placing some green leaves in that to help reduce friction. My notch was the correct size to start with but opened up as the more I drilled....I think the main error was using the plywood, it was just that it sat flatter than the other wood I had prepared !:o
Click to expand...

I like the fire board to be long enough I can hold it down easily with my left foot, I would have a bit of trouble using a fire board that small! And it does look like you need to use a lot more pressure, if Im using a wood bearing block its only good for a few fires, even if its nice seasoned oak! It helped me alot to use something man made for the bearing block until I got the hang of it, the tail cap of a mag lite works well for me, as does a shot glass etc!
 
Great job for trying and major kudos for reporting a failure - something that we don't often do in an arena where bragging swamps factual activities.

Anyhow Pit - I'm not where you are at yet but this is on my list of things to do as well. Keep at it and let us know your progress!
 
I can see what the problem is right away. It's that big ugly Tom Brown knife!:p

I bet if you use a sensibly sized scandi, it will work...;)
 
say, i been thinking about this whole bow drill thing.....lets think outside the box for a minute:

Handpiece, make it out of CNC machined aircraft aluminum, with a recessed sealed cartridge bearing. The bow drill shaft with be a piece of aluminum rod, that fits snugly into the bearing, for a friction free action. The other end,m the part that normally goes into the "hearth", will be drilled out to accept (light press fit) a short length of dry wood spindle. friction free at the top (where you dont want friction) = smoother action down on the hearth......

aw dont mind me.....just thinking.
 
Using the right wood really seems to be of utmost importance and this was made very apparent to me at War 2008. I had cut up a base and spindle from a downed poplar tree and had everything together and followed all the tips I had learned. So I'm drilling like a mad man and just barely singeing the wood. Along comes Survivorman 2.0, Kevin Estela, and he looks and asks me a question. "Where did you get the spindle from?" "From the same poplar tree that I got the fireboard from," I replied. "No," he said, "where exactly did you get the spindle from?" "I whittled it from a branch," I replied. "That is your problem," he said. Sure enough after I fashioned the spindle from a piece of the trunk, I had smoke billowing up after only 30 seconds or so. I soon got distracted by other events and never brought it to fruition but learned a lot from the experience :D
 
Bushman5 said:
say, i been thinking about this whole bow drill thing.....lets think outside the box for a minute:

Handpiece, make it out of CNC machined aircraft aluminum, with a recessed sealed cartridge bearing. The bow drill shaft with be a piece of aluminum rod, that fits snugly into the bearing, for a friction free action. The other end,m the part that normally goes into the "hearth", will be drilled out to accept (light press fit) a short length of dry wood spindle. friction free at the top (where you dont want friction) = smoother action down on the hearth......

aw dont mind me.....just thinking.
Click to expand...

at that point, a ferro rod might make a bit more sense.
 
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