lol very true about fetching. Don't make the knotch too deep huh? well crap. I thought I wasn't making it deep enough.
In order to help with your problem, please define what you mean by making the notch deep enough. Are you talking about how far you cut the notch into the depression, if so, you want to go
almost to the centre but not to it, otherwise you'll end up with this little pointy end on your spindle. If you're talking about how much of the depression (think pie) you're cutting out, probably 1/8 or a bit more would be good. If you're talking about depth of the depression, the way I do it with a new hearth is to make a very obtuse shape point on the drill. Make a little divot in the hearth. Spin the drill back and forth in the divot to burn in the depression (which is the diameter of the drill), THEN cut in the notch. Take care not to make the depression too far from the edge of the hearth (way too much work cutting a notch) or too close because the drill may keep popping out of the depression. The same thing happens when the notch is too big a piece of the pie (drill pop-out). Now none of these measurements are carved in stone, they're just to give you a starting point that will work.
Another thing, once you have burned in the depression and cut in the notch, clean the charred, polished wood from the depression and your drill tip before you go for the coal, otherwise you will have to burn through the glaze. I find the best way to do this is to abrade them with a piece of sandstone or similar. This works better than cutting it off with a knife leaving little facets on the drill, because you have to wear the facets off, before the drill starts to do its work and this is just more work for no gain.
Awhile back, a couple of other forum members went through the agony of learning here in the forum. They did it, so can you, and of course, the first one is the hardest. And you have the benefit of people here, to advise you. I learned from a book and that is much harder. The benefit, though, is when I'm teaching someone else how to do it, because I made every mistake possible, several times, I can usually see right away what they're doing wrong ( in person, that is)
Anyway, keep at it. Fire by friction is the most important learned skill for wilderness survival.
Keep us posted.
Doc
