Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills

Box Elder bow drill spindle

(1/5) > >>

M2A:
I challenged my son's scout unit to build fire using methods other than matches and lighters. Didn't want to ask them to do something I could not so I have been tinkering with this the last few weeks. after many failed attempts with various woods I split up a piece of box elder I had laying around at work for years and used it on a ERC hearth board. Success in 30 seconds.

Box elder is kind of a junk wood around here but now i have a good use for it. Hope this helps someone that may not be having any luck at friction fires.
Mike
IMG_3923 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr 

Hawkdancer:
Way to go!  Also, teach them flint and steel - I.e. Their scout knife and the closest rock!  How thick/wide did you make the spindle?  Always willing to learn something!
Hawkdancer

M2A:
Had a group working with those magnesium strikers as well and another group making char cloth, but was unable to see how successful they were. Have an outing coming up so hope to have more time then to help any of the boys interested.

Only had my axe to split out the spindle and round it up so it was kinda crude. I suppose it is about 1" and about 16" long.
Mike

Hawkdancer:
Sounds like a good project, maybe each group can teach the others what they learned.  I carry one of the "mag" bars, but haven't had to use it yet!  Got to make some char cloth one of these days!
Hawkdancer

Fox:
Nice ! Haven’t thought of using box elder... my favorite is yucca or elderberry... or maybe poplar  :)


-Fox

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page