Bow Drill...what am I doing wrong?

[dolfan87]

Ok, I tried again to get a coal with the bow drill method. This time I just whittled a 2x4 down to a fairly good size drill, with a step down in diameter at the fire board side of the drill.

The drill is 10 inches long, and about an inch thick, steps down to half inch on the business end.

I used the same piece of 2x4 for the fire board. I had split off a 3/8 thick flat section before I started in on the drill.

Fire board was burned in, then I notched the hole with a v notch to the center of the hole.

Placed a small card board tag off of one of our new patio chairs to catch the coal.

the bow is about a foot and a half long, and spins the drill quite well.

I drill until I see smoke, and then drill about ten more strokes. When I lift the drill off the board, the end of the drill is doing all the smoking...and natta out of the powder on the cardboard catch.

What am I doing wrong here?

Thanks guys, I really want to finally win this battle!!

Gram

[wareagle69]

keep drilling long after seeing smoke

[dolfan87]

Ok, I will go try again...

[wareagle69]

best advice i can give me compadre is kepp drilling till ya get a coal- no simpler way to put it

[crashdive123]

Here's a video that I found useful on it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDcKsiOZ3Ho

[dolfan87]

Crash, that's funny, I had just watched that video.

I tried four more times...it was smoking a bunch, but never got a coal into the dust. The drill smoked, the board smoked...but natta in the dust.

My arms are thrashed at this point, so I need to take a fresh stab at it tomorrow. I will make a new board in the morning because I broke the one I was using.

[crashdive123]

Here's a little cheating trick that I have used before to make sure the wood that I was using would work. I put the drill in a power drill (previous attempts had not yeilded a coal). This worked, I still had trouble with the bow (still do) and need more practice.

[dolfan87]

Here's a little cheating trick that I have used before to make sure the wood that I was using would work. I put the drill in a power drill (previous attempts had not yeilded a coal). This worked, I still had trouble with the bow (still do) and need more practice.

I gotta get it the old fashioned way...I hate to lose. Thanks though.

[crashdive123]

If you use the drill, you will know if the wood you've selected will work......otherwise there will always be doubt.

[wareagle69]

crash brings up a good point dolfan- if you can get a coal using mechanical means then you know it is possible, which gives you a mental edge, no sense in doing something with impossible results the giving up as many have done

[dolfan87]

Does anyone know if dried Doug Fir will work? I made the drill portion way to big to fit into my drill. I guess I could size it down.

[crashdive123]

Not sure, but I believe it contains quite a bit of sap, which isn't going to help you.

[wareagle69]

fir will work . my only question is ,is the wood treated? wonder if that makes a difference

[dolfan87]

Ok...I went and made a new board. I stuck with the bow and drill I was using. I made three separate coals! I had grabbed a handful of dryer lint and shredded some napkins and made a birds nest.

each time I dropped the coals into the nest, cupped it and blew...could not get it to ignite all three times.

so...now what do I do?

[crashdive123]

keep practicing - you are almost there.

[SARKY]

The key a bow and drill is he wood ...the wood....he wood. I always use a hard wood for my drill and a medium to soft wood for my board. I want my coal to come from the board not the drill. If you have noticed, most boards have several notched holes in them. This is because you wind up drilling through the board making that notched hole no longer useable unless you get a larger diameter drill.

[huntermj]

Sisal twine works great for the nest. Take the sisal and pull it apart until you have a ball about the size of a softball. Put it under the fire board so the coal doesn't have to be transfered.

[AKS]

Bow Drill...what am I doing wrong?

Ummm, you're using a bow drill.... j/k Keep it up, you are close to achieving a friction fire. Just need to work on perfecting the finish.

[wareagle69]

Ok...I went and made a new board. I stuck with the bow and drill I was using. I made three separate coals! I had grabbed a handful of dryer lint and shredded some napkins and made a birds nest.

each time I dropped the coals into the nest, cupped it and blew...could not get it to ignite all three times.

so...now what do I do?

have you used that technique before and gotten flame, like trying a bigger coal from a fire or by spark based fire starting-see its not just about getting a coal it is also about knowing your tinder bundle and sometimes blowing hard(sarge) and sometimes softly to acheive proper results- keep it up though dolfan sounds like your on the verge of a breakthru

[Stairman]

I havent seen fir in any listings as a suitable wood.It might work but it might take a while.Suitable woods are cottonwood,aspen[poplar]and yucca.Also willow,sicamore,cedar,sage,birch and box elder.Search out dead limbs off the ground.It should make a slight indention easily with your thumbnail.The fireboard and spindle can be the same wood.Make spindle 6-8 inches long and about as big around as your thumb. Part of the fun is trying different woods to find a good combination.My personal set is sycamore right now,but am gonna try cedar soon.