Fire Making

[bigcountry]

I watched a guy make a fire with a bow drill in less than 3min.  Had a yucca stick, and looked like ERC plank.  Just a branch with cotton rope. 

Is there other good wood combos?  I am totally ignorant in fire making.  But dad gone impressed.

[Hillbilly]

Horseweed spindle with tulip poplar hearthboard is my favorite combo for both hand drill and bow drill. Yucca spindle on poplar works well for a bow drill, too. There are a lot of things that will work for spindles-horseweed, mullien, goldenrod, evening primrose, yucca, cattail, poplar, dog fennel, etc. Almost any soft, non-resinous wood will work for a hearthboard. Tulip poplar, basswood, and boxelder are some good ones. Here's an old thread showing me making a hand drill fire: http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,3099.0.html

[leapingbare]

I like erc sap wood on erc sap wood. I'v used that combo allot and evon made fires in the rain.

[bigcountry]

Many thanks guys.  I will try it.  I can get ERC.  Not sure about yucca.  This guy said he finds yucca in the MD/VA area.    But I thought it was a west coast wood.

[jthompson1995]

Many thanks guys.  I will try it.  I can get ERC.  Not sure about yucca.  This guy said he finds yucca in the MD/VA area.    But I thought it was a west coast wood.

It grows quite well in this area (MD) but is mainly used as a landscape plant. I've seen the flower stalks get 6' plus tall.

There was some planted at my house when I bought it and I can't seem to get rid of it. I dig out the roots to over 12" deep and the next season they're back. I may have to see if I can get some of the dried flower stalks in the fall.

[Hillbilly]

Bigcountry, most species of yucca grow out west, but Yucca filamentosa (beargrass) is native to the eastern US. It's quite common here in western NC and throughout most of the Southeast.

[aero86]

is this just limited to bow drills?

[bigcountry]

Many thanks guys.  I know what I am looking for.  Watch me never find it now.  I know I can get cedar and poplar around my house.  Just looking for spindle material.  Try to make my first ember.

[ricktrojanowski]

My favorite combo is horseweed on ERC sapwood or hearwood hearth for the handrill.   For bow drill I really like a White cedar spinde on either white or ERC.  I've also had luck with thick Mullein spindes for the bow drill and thin ones for the handrill.  Keep us posted on your progess.  Fire making is so much fun.

[Diligence]

I've had luck with poplar on poplar.....keep us posted.

Lots of good info on Youtube too about good technique.

J

[Kegan]

Many thanks guys.  I know what I am looking for.  Watch me never find it now.  I know I can get cedar and poplar around my house.  Just looking for spindle material.  Try to make my first ember.

If you're using the bow drill youalready have spindlematerial right there . I've used aspen on aspen before for the bow drill with success, and that's supposed to be a bad combo. For hand drilllook along the side of the road when you're driving through. Some of the stalky plants are pretty good, including mullien, horseweed, and goldenrod.

[aaron]

my favorite combo is yucca on WRC. or yucca on yucca.
not all yucca is equally good, so try a few different plants if one does not work.
3 minutes, huh?
my hand drill "record" is about 20 seconds

[bigcountry]

I am on the lookout for horseweed, beargrass, and goldenrod.  I can't say I have seen much bear grass if any around.

[WOODSLORE]

Dad and I use a maple drill and a cedar board and we can usually get a fire going in about 5 min.

[Outbackbob48]

Hey  Woodslore, Get some softer spindle an you will cut your time in half, Are you an your Dad coming to the Presque Isle shoot this weekend? I'll throw in some yucca an mullien stalks that I have an you'll throw that ole maple out for sure , If you look closely in fine print on the mullien it says caution highly flammable . Bring your Knappin tools also , gonna be some good rock crackin goin on . Later Bob