Hand drill friction fire

[superdav95]

It’s been raining here the last few days got bored decided to go into my garage and hand drill an ember.  So here’s a quick video of a coal obtained using a hand drill.  My materials are.  A piece of Mullen that I picked the other day while scouting a tree stand location.  Its been shaved of all of the fuzz and rubbed the upper third with pine/spruce sap for grip and purchase.  The hearth board is just an old piece of popular about a half inch thick. The notch is widened toward the base a bit.  I didn’t post the longer video showing the curing and prepping the notch or the burn in as it was too long to post.  Would love to hear what other are using for their hand drill sets.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VGc7SeCWLk1RA4hUA


https://flic.kr/p/2mtsxBx

Cheers. Dave

[White Falcon]

Great. What types of wood did you use.

[superdav95]

The spindle is Mullen and the hearth board is poplar wood. 

[BowEd]

Pretty slick Dave.I like it.

[WhistlingBadger]

Excellent.  I must learn to do this someday...

[superdav95]

Thanks fellas.  I like to practice this once in a while for fun. I was trying to see how fast I could get a coal.  Hopefully never have to use it but it’s nice to know for sure.  My go to fire method is ferro rod with some fat wood.  We got lots up here in great white north!  I’ve taught youth groups and adults alike over the years how to hand drill a coal.  It mainly comes down to getting right materials to start with and a little technique.  The float of the hands method takes little more practice but worth the effort.  This allows you to stay up on the upper 1/3 of the spindle until your ready to go for it!  Having fun with new found skill is big confidence thing too. 

Cheers.

Dave

[Outbackbob48]

Superdave95, my favorites' are horseweed with a soft whitepine hearth board, question for ya, when you say Poplar are you referring to Yellow poplar ( tulip poplar) or Aspen type poplars (quaking or big tooth aspens types) I know both will work just wondering about your thoughts on Tulip poplars, I have had some  issues on the tulip poplars, Ijust curious with your take on them.  am not a big fan of them but they are mentioned often as good materials. Mullein is my second go to spindle works real well and is plentiful also . I really like the bigger mulleins for the bow drill, makes for easy coals.  I just saw that you were commenting with Ed on the milkweed and had a another question for ya. Have you ever used milkweed ovum with flint and steel, If not give it a try and see how it works for ya, good coal just doesn't last long is my take. Later Bob

[superdav95]

Superdave95, my favorites' are horseweed with a soft whitepine hearth board, question for ya, when you say Poplar are you referring to Yellow poplar ( tulip poplar) or Aspen type poplars (quaking or big tooth aspens types) I know both will work just wondering about your thoughts on Tulip poplars, I have had some  issues on the tulip poplars, Ijust curious with your take on them.  am not a big fan of them but they are mentioned often as good materials. Mullein is my second go to spindle works real well and is plentiful also . I really like the bigger mulleins for the bow drill, makes for easy coals.  I just saw that you were commenting with Ed on the milkweed and had a another question for ya. Have you ever used milkweed ovum with flint and steel, If not give it a try and see how it works for ya, good coal just doesn't last long is my take. Later Bob

Bob,   My poplar tree is in my front yard. I believe it’s a eastern cottonwood or necklace poplar.  It’s spews a ton of the white fluff everywhere!  I find the bark breaks up nice too for tinder bundle too.  Tulip poplar would probably work better but I find the fine hairs of my tree bark work good too.  I’ve used dried eastern cedar for hearth as well as willow too.  I find that when you get a good hearth board that takes a good ember I collect a bunch of it.  If doing a demonstration for a student or something I’ll gather from the environment bush the materials and depending on how wet and recent the rain has happened will depend on how many tempering burn ins I’ll do.  This allows the slightly damp hearth board and also spindle to heat up and dry heat up and dry and so on till I get dark dust.  You can almost smell the difference at times when it’s adequately dry and good to go.   Ya I found that wind check idea cool too but I’ve never used it for tinder bundle.  I bet it would be great actually.  I’ll have to try it.   As far as the spindle I prefer the Mullen. I get consistently good results and it’s everywhere!  I’ve used swamp rose shoots and remove the thorns too with good results also use the black berry shoots very similar pithy center.  It takes little longer of burn in but just and extra min on floating your hands and gets everything nice and dry.  Good to hear others are into this stuff!  Cheers Dave