Box Elder Fire Bow Finale

Mating spindle to fire board, cutting notch, filling notch, and creating an ember or coal. Part five of five.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• primitive
• fire
• skills
• bushcraft
• woodcraft
• wildcraft
• firecraft
• friction fire
• bowdrill
• firebow

[crimminsgeoff]

great job

[MiWilderness]

@crimminsgeoff Thanks for all the comments!

[sutrar]

Your spindle is thinner there where it rubs the other piece of wood. This makes the rotation speed lower than you reach with the hand moving the bow. You are effectively gearing down. Prevent this with a constant spindle radius up to its bottom and you'll get it easier.

[MiWilderness]

@sutrar thank you for the tip. For some reason I actually find it easier to have the spindle somewhat smaller in diameter near the fire board.

[gundog5]

Nicely done, MiWilderness! Can definitely sense your wanting to save others the troubles you struggled with when learning the bow drill. It took me like a year to learn as well. I ended up buying a bow drill set on eBay before I was finally successful.

The fatwood bearing-block is a great idea!

[MiWilderness]

@gundog5 Thanks! I was ready to buy one myself. LOL!

[sutrar]

@MiWilderness Alternatively, simply make the whole spindle thinner to avoid the RPM loss.

[sutrar]

@MiWilderness The reason you find it easier is because there are two main parameters ensuring success - rotation speed and downward PRESSURE. Based on physics, pressure is force per surface area , so to reach the required value you either have to apply more downward force with your muscles or reduce the contact area between the spindle and hearth (by the lower spindle diameter) allowing you to push down less hard, but with the RPM loss. Use part of your weight to push down like I show in my vid

[MiWilderness]

@wmdrtr Thanks, and yes, I've heard that too.

[wmdrtr]

Excellent! I've head using the bowl of a regular spoon works well too.