Shaping a bowdrill kit with ESEE-3

I had cut a lengh of willow last week and tossed it in my trunk. Came out to the beach, and got bored watching the little guy play in the sand.

Well, I grabbed my rc3 and the lite machete and got to work. Used the lite to cut a baton and a couple of bows out of some random hardwood. Then used the machete to split the willow, and trim the hearth flat. The machete also did well shaping the spindle, which came out a little fat, but well I think. I was impressed with the detail work I could get with something that large. Also used it to notch the ends of the bows I made. Only thing I used the rc3 for was drilling the hearth and block. Blew notching the hearth the first time, but nailed it the second.

I got a ton of dust and smoke, but no ember yet. Tricky part for me was the bow tension. Something to work on, and definately fun. I'm goig to have to grab a few
more bits of willow and try this again soon. Photos later when I get home

oh, and my light machete tasted it's first blood. You'll notice the nice pair of leather gloves just laying idly on the ground in that photo, lol
 
Some phone snaps:
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Good stuff man! If that head piece gives you some grief, try rubbing a bit of candle wax or lip balm in there. Just make sure you don't get it on the business end of your drill! Everything else looks great including that mighty fine machete!
 
Thanks! wound up swapping out that bow for another after the photo. instead of trying to loop the end, I just cut deep notches into the side of it. worked well. I was having some trouble with popping out at the end of the effort, but It may have been due to wearing out the paracord. it'd either slip, or was too tight, and would cause the spindle to blast out. At any rate, good times, and gave the machete a nice work out. I'm one of those northwoods axe kids, and I'm more impressed every outing with machetes. I forced myself to leave the RC6 home for this. I shockingly survived. I think it's a fluke!

Saw your photo in the pics thread... you got a little bowdrill production facility going up there?
 
Dizwolf said:
Saw your photo in the pics thread... you got a little bowdrill production facility going up there?
Click to expand...

I gave a public demonstration at the Michigan Militia Day even in S. Michigan. Got to hang around a bunch of great gun toting guys. The day was to promote open carry of sidearms in the park which is a legal right in Michigan. They kept asking me where my side arm was. I kept saying I'm Canadian, but have these pointy sticks. Nobody shot me, so I think they understood my statement as humo(u)r :D

Here were a few of the folks from the Militia Day trying out bowdrill for the first time!

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Very cool. They probably just couldn't recognize a Canadian without a maple leaf tattoo and his dogsled. One of the things I miss about scouting was doing large meetups like that.
 
Great thread, you are right you will never forget the day you made fire with a bow drill. I was 12 in the BSA when I made and abow drill THX for the memory
 
Very enjoyable post thanks. I also hold down the board with a shoeless foot! I feel that I have more control that way.
I've experimented with beeswax rubbed into the spindle which I found reduced friction and therefore overall drilling time.
 
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