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Types of woods for Bowdrill??

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  • 20-10-2009 11:23pm
    #1
    sean6477
    Closed Accounts Posts: 50 ✭✭


    Hi, lookin for a bit of help here, been trying out the bowdrill for a while now and im not getting any ember....lots of smoke and black powder but never an ember so if anyone knows- could you give me an idea of some different woods that are the best for the fireboard and spindle??

    Cheers.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    IPNA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 66 ✭✭IPNA


    Hi,

    Here in Ireland it is more difficult to get a bowdrill fire due to the ambient moisture. It is possible if you stack the deck in your favor.

    Willow has been the best option for me. I cut a six inch round and ten inch long piece and put it over our stove for a month. Getting the wood dry is the utmost of importance.

    Once dry it carves down nicely into your spindle and fire board. I find with willow I have to crank very hard and push as much as I can to get a coal. It works down here in Kerry so I am certain it will work on the dryer East Coast.

    Also, find a spot that is off of the ground. Learn the bowdrill in your warm and dry house first before going out into the wet woods.

    I would be interested in hearing how it goes for yourself.

    Cheers,


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    #3
    irishlostboy
    Registered Users Posts: 482 ✭✭irishlostboy


    if you can get a piece of ivy for the baseboard it will also help. tricky getting a big enough chunk of ivy though. it is the best irish wood for the baseboard.


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    #4
    sean6477
    Closed Accounts Posts: 50 ✭✭sean6477


    Cheers guys ill give it a go the next dry day i get and let you know how i get on


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    #5
    Fresh_Air
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭Fresh_Air


    I was hill walking with some friends in the North of Norway and one of them had a bow drill. He probably cheated a little, but was able to get the ember going quickley by placing some dry pieces of litchen (or the Norwegian equivalent) into the fireboard notch before putting the spindle in and spinning it.

    It worked very fast to produce some embers for getting the nest up and burning


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    #6
    irishlostboy
    Registered Users Posts: 482 ✭✭irishlostboy


    if it makes fire, its not cheating. when you are cold, a bit of rubber, some tampons, and a lighter are still not cheating when it comes to getting a fire going. i personally would draw the line at petrol, but thats for safety..

    ya, some lichens have good tinder properties even here. just gather some up, dry it and test it. dont take too much though. its a very slow growing thing, so treat it gently. probably best to put it just under the drillboard so the hot dust can build up on it.
    i gather nice tinders as i go about and i have a pouch i keep it all in. bits of birchbark, bog cotton, nice litchens, woodshavings, mugwort, and sprinklings of charcloth. getting the initial tinder going is quite often the tough bit in ireland due to the damp and cold, so worth carrying something nice.

    couple of othe good tips for bowdrill. i make where my string goes into an octagonal shape so the string can grip without slipping. paracourd is poo. get some sizle or something good and solid with minimal stretch and that can handle friction. shove a leaf between your handle bit and the drill spindle for friction. if your drill is quealing too much, try carefully shaving the burned wood off the end a little bit so it gets more "bite".


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