finally, bow-drill success...thanks to The4gotN!

coal #4 :D

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just when i think i have the hang of it...two failures in a row :( both the drill and hearth came from the same 4 ft. sections that gave me the last two coals but this particular section produced lots of squeaking and lots of brown dust...anyway, i'll stop updating this thread now and keep practicing so i'll leave it with some knife porn.

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edit: i couldn't sleep with that epic failure in my mind so gave it another go with a different hearth...coal #5 :D

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Once you get it, you got it.

Until you get to the "slump". I just got past mine. I know several folks that have been quite good at bowdrills, hit a time period where coals are just like unicorns that fart rainbows, hard to find. :D

I think it comes from the physical part. My first success was with cedar, and as time went on, I got to where I could use different woods, just whatever I picked up.

Then, I hit a time where even cedar wouldn't work for me. So, I went back to basics, and what I realized, is I wasn't putting enough ass in the attempt.

Success breeds complacency, and complacency breeds lazy.

Or at least it did for me.

Awesome feeling, making a fire from rubbing two sticks together.

Moose
 
It took me a while, but I finally had some time today to fiddle with the proven wood J so kindly sent me :thumbup:

I only had time to get my bow set up and play with Doc's looping method for tension, figure out a good headpiece (ended up going with Doc's shot glass method, the wood block just gave me too much friction, J), and shave and sand off the char. I knew I didn't have much time tonight, so I just used the existing hole J had drilled before sending it my way. I wanted to just see if I could give it a quick go and get a coal with an existing hole. Next time, I'll drill my own hole. Once I get that down, I'll move to selecting appropriate local wood and crafting my own bow-drill sets. I've definitely been bitten by the friction fire bug, and I'm looking forward to becoming competent in the bow-drill. :)

Smoking char powder after a little drilling (definitely seemed to be pretty quick!). Following Doc's instructions, I fanned the powder and watched as the smoke increased and the coal started to form.
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Shot glass headpiece not shown. I fanned the coal a little, but I was very surprised to find how much the coal had grown without any assistance, after I returned from a minute or two of digging out some Jute.
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Close up on the coal, starting to glow visibly :)
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I carefully transferred the coal to a hastily constructed, tiny little tinder bundle.
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After a little more fanning, I decided to go ahead and try blowing it into flame. It started off with pretty gentle breaths, but it seemed that more forceful breaths were beneficial. I got it to flame after blowing a little more strongly that I had thought I should have been.
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Sweet!
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Thanks again J! :thumbup: I'm totally hooked, and I'm looking forward to learning and practicing more :)
 
Congratulations, Russell. Welcome to the brotherhood! :D

BTW, your jute looks more like sisal to me. Are you sure it's jute?

Doc
 
Thank you Doc! Your comprehensive thread is instrumental by the way :thumbup: I don't think I would have gotten the coal even with half the work already done if not for your excellent thread :)

That's what it said on the packaging, and it looked like Jute I saw elsewhere in the past. I'll take a pic of the braided spool for you later.

ETA: Here it is Doc. It looks darker when braided, and the pics of it unraveled from yesterday were cooler in temp since it was evening on my predominantly blue patio.

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[/QUOTE]lesson i learned: if i'm running out of breath i'm doing it too fast. on this 2nd attempt, i was breathing normally and could've gone continuously until the drill went through the board...i only stopped because there was so much smoke already. i'll try a couple more and then videotape it for more proof :p[/QUOTE]

Ok, enough bragging about your bedroom antics . . . :)
 
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