After much effort, a blister and a few hot spots on the palm, I finally got my first coal with the hand drill method. I've been trying for weeks, and gave
up to try the bow drill. I'm pretty reliable with the bow drill now. I've even had success with woods that supposedly not ideal. I've had white
oak spindle on red oak fireboard work, and Douglas fir on Douglas fir work. But, the hand drill always eluded me.
So, I made a concerted effort to get the right materials. I gathered some horseweed and mulefat. It took some studying, to correctly identify the plants. After drying them for a week, my first attempt with horseweed on a poplar board only resulted in smoke and a blood blister. I decide to lay off a few days, while the mulefat dried further, and the blister healed. I also got Alan Halcon's booklet on the hand drill method. My blister was not fully healed, but I decided to give it another try. I had heard that Alan Halcon had success with ash fireboards. I know ash is a fairly hard wood, because my industry uses it a lot as tool handles, but with an open mind, I just decided to try it.
Without much expectation of success, I just started twirling the mulefat spindle. This time, I made extra effort to apply downward pressure. I came to realize that body positioning is very important. After about 10 complete travels down the spindle, I saw only minimal smoke. Not the pouring smoke I usually get from the bow drill method. So, I finally got tired and stopped. To my surprise, the notch continued to smoke! There was a glowing ember! I did not continue on and make a fire from it. That part is easy.
Now, I'm left with an odd feeling, because I have not been able to duplicate my success, mainly because my blister started to bother me again. I need to let them heal for a few days. This "success" feel like an accident, and I don't feel like it was a "real" accomplishment.
Also, I'm left asking, is a soft fireboard ideal? I have not had success with cottonwood, although it supposedly so great. Maybe harder woods allows you to apply more downward pressure, thus generate more heat, without drilling all the way through too quickly?
So, I made a concerted effort to get the right materials. I gathered some horseweed and mulefat. It took some studying, to correctly identify the plants. After drying them for a week, my first attempt with horseweed on a poplar board only resulted in smoke and a blood blister. I decide to lay off a few days, while the mulefat dried further, and the blister healed. I also got Alan Halcon's booklet on the hand drill method. My blister was not fully healed, but I decided to give it another try. I had heard that Alan Halcon had success with ash fireboards. I know ash is a fairly hard wood, because my industry uses it a lot as tool handles, but with an open mind, I just decided to try it.
Without much expectation of success, I just started twirling the mulefat spindle. This time, I made extra effort to apply downward pressure. I came to realize that body positioning is very important. After about 10 complete travels down the spindle, I saw only minimal smoke. Not the pouring smoke I usually get from the bow drill method. So, I finally got tired and stopped. To my surprise, the notch continued to smoke! There was a glowing ember! I did not continue on and make a fire from it. That part is easy.
Now, I'm left with an odd feeling, because I have not been able to duplicate my success, mainly because my blister started to bother me again. I need to let them heal for a few days. This "success" feel like an accident, and I don't feel like it was a "real" accomplishment.
Also, I'm left asking, is a soft fireboard ideal? I have not had success with cottonwood, although it supposedly so great. Maybe harder woods allows you to apply more downward pressure, thus generate more heat, without drilling all the way through too quickly?
