Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
Friction Fire
Outbackbob48:
Ed, I worked construction all my life and most of the 2x4 were stamped Hem Fir and are also kiln dried, not sure if kiln drying matters.I never could fiqure out exactly what type of wood Hem Fir was but the ones here were not white pines, not saying yours are not. A friend of mine swears by using white pine dug up from stumps,(roots) I have gotten coals from white pine but with mixed results, Some pcs were to hard and seem to have resin or pitch others were alot softer and worked fine. Same friend has given me some Paw-Paw and it worked pretty good and worked real good with bow drills, I have also used some of the wife's Rose of Sharon >:( :( :o I trimmed a few dead branches off and like the Pine some worked excellent and others were just to hard, Someone told me to throw those harder pcs outside an let them weather and get gray looking then dry back out and retry. If your up for a challenge get ya some beech spindle and hearth board and see how ya do with the bow drill, make sure and pack an extra sandwich ya may need it. ;D Chaga is on it's way. Bob
DC:
Hem Fir is a label that includes Hemlock or one of the true Firs. It is not Douglas fir.
http://www.wwpa.org/SPECIESPRODUCTS/HemFir/tabid/299/Default.aspx
Outbackbob48:
Thanks DC, if I'm not careful I learn something new everyday :o ;D Kinda had a feeling it was something like that, I knew it wasn't a cross breed tree like a BeaglePoo ;D. Bob
Forest_Farmer:
Thanks for the Info Bob & DC.
You are probably right on the 2 x 4 wood type. I just assumed they were white pine, but like you said, you learn something new everyday, if your not careful. Learning is one of the best things about being on the "top side" of dirt, and one of the best things about getting older. lol
Bob, Ill pass on trying the beach wood for now. After my lack of success with the fir hearth board, and a failed attempt this morning, my tail is now between my legs, and my paws are sore. :-X
On this mornings failed attempt, I tried a new horse weed spindle that I collected on last night's hunt. This piece of horse weed was taller and lighter than ones I collected earlier this year. I also noticed that the pithy core was much larger. That ratio of pithy core to harder outer shell seems to make a difference in getting an ember. It seems like on a 5/16" dia spindle, if you have a core of more than 1/8" dia, it may be too soft.
It was easy to get make dust and get smoke, but because the core was so soft, the spindle and white cedar hearth board would turn into dust before it got hot enough for an ember. This could also be a case where I tried to rush it, and applied to much pressure, not sure.
I'm almost certain that a person with better techniques than me, may have gotten an ember. I will post some pics later showing the end grain of a spindle that worked good, and one that failed. Let me know if you have ever noticed the same thing.
What's great about this thread is collectively we are identifying many of the variables, and details that account for success and failure. We're eliminating some of the "black magic" of making a friction fire. Good stuff!
Enjoy your day!
Ed
Outbackbob48:
Ed, if ya just picked the horseweed yesterday maybe still a little damp? :( I have also noticed as my spindles get shorter sometimes pith thickness or outside wall covering changes and results vary, Like I said before the very next thing NA learned was how to carry a coal :o or suffered thru some cold nights. I just got a coal with mugwort on white cedar and then turned around a failed with a mullien spindle on same hearth board. I hear ya about tail between legs, Dang humbling and it don't take long. Bob
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