Demonstrates how to make fire using the Bow Drill. Includes how to make the components of the bow drill and detailed explanation of how to make fire using the Bow Drill.
Hi Jim, what a treat of simple practical instructions , I have watched many bowdrill fires- this has to be the fastest I have ever saw anyone obtain an ember,and then produce fire..fantastic work..I have never tried friction fire,please God I will try this year happy 2016 Tony
Hi Jim, Two comments: 1) It is common to have to watch many different videos from various sources in order to piece together enough information to actually understand. The opposite is true with your videos -- they are quite comprehensive, and are so without being tedious. 2) So many people seem to believe that "talking" and "teaching" are the same thing. Of course, they are not, and you demonstrate a clear understanding of that difference. That understanding is seen in your obvious anticipation of what a viewer would practically need to know, and in your willingness and ability to provide that information in a clear, easy-to-follow manner. Thank you for the time and effort that you put into these videos -- easily among the best I've seen here or elsewhere. I'll be back often to see what you're up to.
I like your videos and explanations. I have to say on this one tho lol You are lucky that works soo fast. I live In Northern California and the fastest I can usually get a ember is 30+ second on a good day. That's with really dry pine or even Redwood. That went super fast. The fastest I've seen on UA-cam fire making. Keep up the work and thanks for sharing your knowledge of fire.
WOW. That Yucca stalk you displayed is so much different that what I'm use to. I generally see "The Lord's Candle (TLC)" here in San Diego. Do you know what kind it is in particular? I've found TLC to be too spongy for the most part. Still looking for one with a thick outer-wall, but have not found it. Also, could you show the Sotol you're using in plant form, or do you know the Latin name? Great primal vids- keep 'em comin'! ;-)
I took some video of a Sotol plant in part 1 of "Fire Making with Hand Drill". Sotol is from Texas, Arizona and New Mexico but you might find it growing in parks in the Eastern part of San Diego as it is a common landscaping plant requiring little water. Yucca has several dozen species but most will work....good luck
Thanks, very informative video. I cant't quite make out what you are saying for the type of wood you are using for the fireboard. It sounds like it starts with an "s".
If you are getting lots of smoke your wood is fine. Remember, fire requires 3 things: Heat, fuel and oxygen. Lots of smoke means plenty of heat. Creating an ember requires that the hot dust is allowed to build up into a pile AND that enough oxygen is supplied. Too little oxygen and the ember will smother and go out. Check the notch on your fire board and the thickness of the fire board. Too thick of a fireboard and the dust will cool as it falls into a pile and may not ignite. Usually though, the problem is lack of oxygen by having too narrow of a notch. The notch can fill with hot dust and plug up, meaning that new dust falls over the side, again cooling too much. If that happens just open the notch a bit more and make sure that the notch is open more on the bottom than the top so that the dust can fall freely a short distance into the pile getting getting air as it falls. Hope this helps......
paleomanjim Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'll try those tips. Should I be using a certain type of wood? I keep hearing poplar is good but I don't have that in my area. Would pine be a good choice?
DepressedPrepper Pine will work, I have used it. But some pine is fairly hard, usually much harder than poplar or cedar. Cedar is quite soft and works great. The nice thing about the bow drill though is that it generates much more heat than most other methods of friction fire making, so even harder woods will usually work. ....
Excellent demonstration. Good tip on lubricating the spindle top. Really enjoy your teaching style. Thanks for sharing you knowledge
Hi Jim, what a treat of simple practical instructions , I have watched many bowdrill fires- this has to be the fastest I have ever saw anyone obtain an ember,and then produce fire..fantastic work..I have never tried friction fire,please God I will try this year happy 2016 Tony
+Tony Loughran Thanks, good luck with the fire making.
glad your making videos again! always well made and interesting, looking forward to seeing more...brian.
Nice job and very informative. I miss watching you flint knapp as you are one of the best.
Really enjoying your fire making series.
Hi Jim,
Two comments:
1) It is common to have to watch many different videos from various sources in order to piece together enough information to actually understand. The opposite is true with your videos -- they are quite comprehensive, and are so without being tedious.
2) So many people seem to believe that "talking" and "teaching" are the same thing. Of course, they are not, and you demonstrate a clear understanding of that difference. That understanding is seen in your obvious anticipation of what a viewer would practically need to know, and in your willingness and ability to provide that information in a clear, easy-to-follow manner.
Thank you for the time and effort that you put into these videos -- easily among the best I've seen here or elsewhere. I'll be back often to see what you're up to.
onesimpleidea Thanks, very satisfying to know the video's have helped others.....
+onesimpleidea I agree entirely. He is an excellent teacher.
In 100,000 years there will be a paleo jim who will specialize in smelting iron with coal and make primitive machine tools. Love your workmanship.
I like your videos and explanations.
I have to say on this one tho lol
You are lucky that works soo fast. I live In Northern California and the fastest I can usually get a ember is 30+ second on a good day. That's with really dry pine or even Redwood. That went super fast. The fastest I've seen on UA-cam fire making. Keep up the work and thanks for sharing your knowledge of fire.
Thank You!
WOW. That Yucca stalk you displayed is so much different that what I'm use to. I generally see "The Lord's Candle (TLC)" here in San Diego. Do you know what kind it is in particular? I've found TLC to be too spongy for the most part. Still looking for one with a thick outer-wall, but have not found it. Also, could you show the Sotol you're using in plant form, or do you know the Latin name? Great primal vids- keep 'em comin'! ;-)
I took some video of a Sotol plant in part 1 of "Fire Making with Hand Drill". Sotol is from Texas, Arizona and New Mexico but you might find it growing in parks in the Eastern part of San Diego as it is a common landscaping plant requiring little water. Yucca has several dozen species but most will work....good luck
Hi,
And many thanks for the upload. You make things look so easy. :-)
Thanks, very informative video. I cant't quite make out what you are saying for the type of wood you are using for the fireboard. It sounds like it starts with an "s".
the mullein plant works as well and willow for the fier bord
yes I liked yourvideo very much
Neat thanks :)
This is the technique I use
I tried to use a bow drill I made one and it worked it smokes but it won’t make a cole what do I do?
How do you do it? I've gotten enough smoke to choke a man but no ember. I live in Florida. Any suggestions on wood to use etc.
If you are getting lots of smoke your wood is fine. Remember, fire requires 3 things: Heat, fuel and oxygen. Lots of smoke means plenty of heat. Creating an ember requires that the hot dust is allowed to build up into a pile AND that enough oxygen is supplied. Too little oxygen and the ember will smother and go out. Check the notch on your fire board and the thickness of the fire board. Too thick of a fireboard and the dust will cool as it falls into a pile and may not ignite. Usually though, the problem is lack of oxygen by having too narrow of a notch. The notch can fill with hot dust and plug up, meaning that new dust falls over the side, again cooling too much. If that happens just open the notch a bit more and make sure that the notch is open more on the bottom than the top so that the dust can fall freely a short distance into the pile getting getting air as it falls. Hope this helps......
paleomanjim Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'll try those tips. Should I be using a certain type of wood? I keep hearing poplar is good but I don't have that in my area. Would pine be a good choice?
DepressedPrepper Pine will work, I have used it. But some pine is fairly hard, usually much harder than poplar or cedar. Cedar is quite soft and works great. The nice thing about the bow drill though is that it generates much more heat than most other methods of friction fire making, so even harder woods will usually work. ....