Hand Drill Variation

the issue that was explained to me about the handdrill in our climate is that most wood found in nature around here is around 12% moisture content. in more desert-like places the moisture is closer to 8% or lower. with such a high moisture content, it is hard to get enough heat out of the hand provided friction. with the bow you greatly increase the number of turns per stroke, providing exponentially greater friction and therefore heat...

thanks for the video though, pretty neat!
 
Interesting. I might try to make one of those and give it a shot. Good link.
 
I agree with Siguy - I have the right materials and a hand drill is hard even in Hot Houston - the problem is the high humidity year round.

TF
 
That is a very interesting variant. I am going to have to give that one a try. Thnaks for the link. Although I generaly use a bowdrill and occasionaly a pump drill. Just lazt I guess.
 
Thats a good point simon. I have never even come close with wood from around here. I once had a kit that had the proper wood, but even with this I only got smoke.
 
siguy said:
the issue that was explained to me about the handdrill in our climate is that most wood found in nature around here is around 12% moisture content. in more desert-like places the moisture is closer to 8% or lower. with such a high moisture content, it is hard to get enough heat out of the hand provided friction. with the bow you greatly increase the number of turns per stroke, providing exponentially greater friction and therefore heat...

thanks for the video though, pretty neat!
Click to expand...

I used to do and teach hand drill for quite awhile up here, and our climate shouldn't be a lot different than yours, at least I don't think so. One difference, though, is that generally I don't use wood for the drill, but rather plant stalks like Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosa), Great Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida - some years), Common Teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris), Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare). A lot of people like Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) [I don't, but I have used it successfully}. I also have used Cattail (Typha latifolia) and one species of Goldenrod.

Doc
 
Interesting method for adding pressure to the drill. One time I tried adding pressure by resting my chin on a top block over a hand drill---the sort of block you'd use on top of the drill if you were spinning your drill with a bow instead of your hands. Seemed to help a bit but the position was a little awkward and I'm still not very good with those setups.

Thanks for sharing this variant!

DancesWithKnives
 
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