Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
...Ey up firebugs !
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...So I had a friendly challenge off @dalemguminio to use a living tree trunk as a hearth board to make an ember from it drilling in horizontally. So no pressure considering I'd already seen him pull it off & it's the middle of the rainy season here with humidity around 90% but still I couldn't resist having a bash whatever the outcome.
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... I used a young Malayan cherry tree for the hearth & cut a strap into just a bit deeper than the sapwood. I burned in a divot then cut a deep notch out. Then I started drilling & it took ages before I started getting smoke & I had to play about with different bearing blocks before got something I could push my shoulder into & feel comfortable with. Then I drilled in short cycles to try & drive the moisture out & eventually I started to get a dust pile. I tried to go for the ember but ran out of steam . This happened repeatedly & the heat was really taking its toll on me but my competitive spirit drove me on like & my theory was that if I kept going eventually it would become dry enough from the friction.
.
...After nearly two hours on & off I was considering throwing in the towel but I had another rest then gave it another bash & thought I'd got it but it fizzled out. This was encouraging so I gave it another push with the last bit of my energy reserves I had left & finally I got it.
.
...I really need to to stop rising to these challenges. I'm not the young lad I once was & this one was absolutely brutal. Would it be a practical option ? Absolutely not this was just about seeing how far you can push things & to be honest I don't think you could push it any further unless you wanted to try an underwater bowdrill.
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...Enjoy the rest of your weekend guys. Stay safe and I'll catch ya soon.
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#livingtreebowdrill
#horizontalbowdrill
#alternativefirelighting
#bushcraft
#bowdrills
#campfire
#countrycrafts
#flames
#fire
#fireplough
#fireroll
#firelighting
#firebyfriction
#fishing
#frictionfire
#frictionfireligting
#foraging
#foodforfree
#handdrill
#learningbydoing
#nature
#naturalcordage
#primitiveskills
#primitivetechnology
#primitivefirelighting
#survival
...Ey up firebugs !
.
...So I had a friendly challenge off @dalemguminio to use a living tree trunk as a hearth board to make an ember from it drilling in horizontally. So no pressure considering I'd already seen him pull it off & it's the middle of the rainy season here with humidity around 90% but still I couldn't resist having a bash whatever the outcome.
.
... I used a young Malayan cherry tree for the hearth & cut a strap into just a bit deeper than the sapwood. I burned in a divot then cut a deep notch out. Then I started drilling & it took ages before I started getting smoke & I had to play about with different bearing blocks before got something I could push my shoulder into & feel comfortable with. Then I drilled in short cycles to try & drive the moisture out & eventually I started to get a dust pile. I tried to go for the ember but ran out of steam . This happened repeatedly & the heat was really taking its toll on me but my competitive spirit drove me on like & my theory was that if I kept going eventually it would become dry enough from the friction.
.
...After nearly two hours on & off I was considering throwing in the towel but I had another rest then gave it another bash & thought I'd got it but it fizzled out. This was encouraging so I gave it another push with the last bit of my energy reserves I had left & finally I got it.
.
...I really need to to stop rising to these challenges. I'm not the young lad I once was & this one was absolutely brutal. Would it be a practical option ? Absolutely not this was just about seeing how far you can push things & to be honest I don't think you could push it any further unless you wanted to try an underwater bowdrill.
.
...Enjoy the rest of your weekend guys. Stay safe and I'll catch ya soon.
.
.
#livingtreebowdrill
#horizontalbowdrill
#alternativefirelighting
#bushcraft
#bowdrills
#campfire
#countrycrafts
#flames
#fire
#fireplough
#fireroll
#firelighting
#firebyfriction
#fishing
#frictionfire
#frictionfireligting
#foraging
#foodforfree
#handdrill
#learningbydoing
#nature
#naturalcordage
#primitiveskills
#primitivetechnology
#primitivefirelighting
#survival
