The dreaded Plow Drill

stanley_white

stanley_white

Joined
Nov 28, 2001
Messages
770
So I have decided to start this thread as a public way to peer-pressure myself into getting the Plow Drill Fire right.

If anyone cares I'll post updates of my progress.

Tonight, for the first time, I got smoke and one small ember. :thumbup:

I was covered in sweat and quite tired at that point and my sweat fell on the ember. Drat! :mad:

More updates as I continue to figure this thing out.

Yes I know this is the most inefficient way to make fire. My plan is to start here and then learn easier methods.

On a separate note I am uber-tired of folks on Youtube demonstrating how to do a Plow Drill Fire using wood they bought at Lowes or got via mail order. Talk about cheating! I am using wood I find near my condo.

FYI -- it's quite fun to freak out my fellow condo-dwellers when they walk by my patio at night to see me rubbing two sticks together. :D
 
Is the plow drill the same as a bow drill?

Either way good luck, and I can relate as I live in a town house and all my neighbors think I'm nuts as well.
 
You know I'v never tried the plow drill method but I remember that when you rubbed a wooden ruler on the edge of your desk at school really fast, you could make smoke (now we have desks with plastic lamination on the edges:grumpy:). Isn't this more or less the same thing?
 
Ok I figured out what the plow drill is. Man it looks tuff.

Here is a video I pulled off youtube. This guy mail ordered the wood, so I know you are gonna consider him a cheater and I kind of agree with you. But here is the video anyway incase you want to check your technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i0iJGgdT7A
 
Have you tried having Wilson supervise you?

It didn't work for Tom Hanks in 'Cast Away' until then...
:D
 
yeah those videos are funny. So for the first step ypur going to need this wood that grows on the other side of the world/so for this next step take your 2x4. What use is if you cant do it with material that are readily found in your part of the woods. I saw one vide of the Maine survival something and he said first your going to need your bamboo and i said wtf.
 
Update...

I dug the channel in the bottom piece of wood deeper.

I switched the plow wood to another piece that is 2.5 times a long as the original piece I was using -- which gives me more leverage / pressure.

I was able to get smoke in like 60 seconds.

Now I need to work on my technique so that I don't accidentally splatter the hot wood dust everywhere and actually let it form a coal. :D

One more thing... Most of the Youtube videos have folks demonstrating this technique standing up with their wood on a table or bench or something. Try it sitting on the ground and it's much more challenging IMHO.
 
My son and I attended a primitive skills class several weeks ago and I could not get the hang of the plow drill. I has able to get a coal from a bow drill in about 3 minutes and a hand drill was even easier than the plow drill.

I admire your perseverance. It is quite a satisfying accomplishment to "make" fire.

HJ
 
At first I thought to myself, "what in the world is a plow drill?" But after seeing the Tom Hanks refernece and video link I finally understood. Folks what you are refering to is known as the "Fire Plow", NOT a plow drill.

FWIW
Alan
 
Hey Stanley, did you ever perfect this method? What type of wood did you use? I'm new to friction fires and am getting a little frustrated. All these videos say to use specific type of woods I've never seen here (Payson, Az). I can get it to smoke but I think the my pieces of wood are too hard to make dust for a coal.
 
Hmm, I've been thinking about this lately, too. Going to have to give it a try with some local woods.
 
In the book Jack Knife cookery, the author held a contest with various indigenous tribesmen from southeast asia and the fellow who used a fire plow was fastest :)
 
I forget the show, but they were in Africa and a native guy there had a fire going in no time with a plow drill. Regardless, it is one method I will only try in desperation lol. The wood probably has to be bone dry. Though admittedly, it is very simple of setup, so that is a definite plus.
 
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