Bow drill advice

[Jd33]

My aim this summer is for me and my sons to start a friction fire . I have lots of cherry wood available
Also a woods in walking distance . Any advice on wich wood to use and methods will be great ........
I live in the south east ( essex ) if that's help on timber choice in my area ....
Bitte

[f0rm4t]

Hi mate,

Keep an eye out on the group below for the next SE meet coming up. (Near Romford, Essex)
http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/fo....php?groupid=3

With regard to friction fire, I've done it a few times, and was pretty easy for me, once on a course and a few times my own, but haven't got a clue what wood it was, my ID skills are poor, but I'm working on it.
I used to be a carpenter many years ago, so apparently the muscle memory of all that sawing is where I have an advantage. Well that's what my bushcraft course tutor said anyway.

Good luck, but like anything, I'm sure it's just a case of doing it enough, to become proficient at it.

[luresalive]

Best woods for me are willow and lime, make sure they are completely dry before you start!

[beermaker]

I just tried with pine (its all I had to hand) and despite lots of smoke and a fair bit of char there was no ember

[Silverback]

I just tried with pine (its all I had to hand) and despite lots of smoke and a fair bit of char there was no ember

ask Fishy Folk about bowdrilling with pine - its notoriously hard apparently

[MikeWilkinson]

Pines not impossible though. Just need to really get confident with your skills and judging your speed/pressure to produce the correct 'powder' before going hell for leather to generate your ignition stage. Problem with pine though is the resin can gunk up your set, best of using pieces that come from the ends of long boughs and that have had plenty of time 'weather'.

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Why not try this method? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyIausEDkAs I found a large length of bamboo came from a carpet/vinyl roll so having tried such sometime ago on a survival course, I used this in a recent demo again to great effect
Regards
David

[magnet]

I use willow............. The only other bit of advice is, when you think you have done enough to get your coal keep going for a good bit longer that's why I think most people fail.
Once you have mastered it you realise its not that difficult really. Mind if I was half starved and freezing it might be a different story. Good luck Magnet

[David_JAFO]

hello,
In reply to the student practice friction fire bamboo fire saw. I saw these at our local garden centre & a £1 Shop. Known as bamboo torch, tiki tropical décor luau party garden lights, or outdoor lamp. Types may vary as some had smaller tea light fixings on the top, higher end price I noted was £4.00 which is still very reasonable for 1m of bamboo with a thick grip shaft. They're about 1m in length extra thick bamboo & ample for a bamboo friction fire saw. I bought a couple in the £1 Shop took them over to my friends to be cut to size on the power saw, lopped off the torch ends. Definitely going in with the fire bow drill on next outing or friction fire student practice tutorial.
Regards
David

[FishyFolk]

ask Fishy Folk about bowdrilling with pine - its notoriously hard apparently

Produces a lot of smoke, and no ember. But my friend Odd, who has the "Norwegian Bushcraft" channel on Youtube swear by it. He even sent me a block of pine in the post to make a board and spindle from...still only produced smoke. So I am sticking with my steel and flint :-)