# Firebow Yucca



## RBM (Nov 11, 2012)

Here is one using just Yucca stalk for both board and spindle. I got the coal once I got solid stalk to use. I had failures with old soft or rotting stalk before this. It was dry weather so the coal formed much faster than if it had been wet or humid. I think it formed in about half a minute but I went to just under a minute.


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## pine nut (Nov 11, 2012)

Ya know, every time I see someone do this , the knee pictured belong on a skinny leg!  I believe I have found my major problem!  LOL I can't get that close to the fireboard!  Great demo!  thanks


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## chehawknapper (Nov 22, 2012)

Great job Robert. Loved that palm fiber tinder nest! Just a suggestion - try using longer strokes with your firebow - less work and faster coal.


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## Gaswamp (Nov 22, 2012)

thanks for sharing


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## JDBrown (Nov 22, 2012)

Thanks for posting, and Pine nut, I know how you feel!


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## Trefer (Nov 22, 2012)

pine nut said:


> Ya know, every time I see someone do this , the knee pictured belong on a skinny leg!  I believe I have found my major problem!  LOL I can't get that close to the fireboard!  Great demo!  thanks



Thats funny you should notice that.  I did a little bow-drill workshop for some older scouts in south Alabama a few years back.  All the boys were spinning out coals pretty quick.  The ONLY one who couldn't seem to get it was the Scoutmaster.  He kept blaming it on his big belly getting in the way.  I guess back in the day the "big" guys couldn't get a fire going, so couldn't cook anything to eat, so lost weight pretty quick -- THEN they could work the drill!


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## RBM (Nov 22, 2012)

chehawknapper said:


> Great job Robert. Loved that palm fiber tinder nest! Just a suggestion - try using longer strokes with your firebow - less work and faster coal.



That Palmetto bud fiber goes up really fast once it catches as you can see. It usually helps when I have a little longer bow so I can take longer runs on the cord with less work. Yeah, I was aware of that the bow was a bit short. That one was too short to be taking longer runs but it was what I had to use at the time. Thanks, Ben.

Thanks folks for the kind words.


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## Jake Allen (Nov 27, 2012)

Good job Robert.
I have got to get my stuff together and get this process worked out.


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## hunter rich (Nov 27, 2012)

Jake Allen said:


> Good job Robert.
> I have got to get my stuff together and get this process worked out.



^^^ This...


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## slightly grayling (Nov 27, 2012)

Just a FYI for all you primitive skills guys.  Nic posted a fire making thread a while back and inspired my 13 year old to do a science project on friction fire making and friction of different materials.  He used a drill press and three different types of wood to test temperatures via a laser thermometer after 10 seconds (~125 revs) of wood against wood using a 3 lb weight for down pressure.  He used yucca, cherry, and walnut.  I will post his results when he reduces the data, but as you would imagine the yucca got hot the quickest.  It has been fun watching him do this and the grand finale will be a demonstration of a bow drill.
-sg


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## RBM (Nov 27, 2012)

slightly grayling said:


> Just a FYI for all you primitive skills guys.  Nic posted a fire making thread a while back and inspired my 13 year old to do a science project on friction fire making and friction of different materials.  He used a drill press and three different types of wood to test temperatures via a laser thermometer after 10 seconds (~125 revs) of wood against wood using a 3 lb weight for down pressure.  He used yucca, cherry, and walnut.  I will post his results when he reduces the data, but as you would imagine the yucca got hot the quickest.  It has been fun watching him do this and the grand finale will be a demonstration of a bow drill.
> -sg



That's great. Tell him if he thinks Yucca is quick, then tell him to try any plant of the Mallow family. I have used Hibiscus and Heartleaf Sida both of the Mallow family and they are quicker than Yucca. Caesar Weed is another of the Mallow family that should work great. The Mallows do work well on themselves.

Side note, Horseweed or Dogfennel (Eupatorium capillifolium) on Grapevine (dried hard) is not bad either for fast coals.

Theoretically any wood that is dry enough should work but hardwoods are particularly much harder to get coals with. I have seen Oak and Hickory work but the wood was in stage of decay and therefore softer. Likewise, sappy resinous woods, woods dried with heavy sap compounds content still present, and of course with moisture are much more difficult. Just some experience observations from working with different woods for friction.


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## RBM (Nov 29, 2012)

RBM said:
			
		

> Side note, Horseweed or Dogfennel (Eupatorium capillifolium) on Grapevine (dried hard) is not bad either for fast coals.



To clarify any misunderstanding, I mean either Horseweed on Grapevine or Dogfennel on Grapevine.


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## slightly grayling (Nov 29, 2012)

Thanks! I have enjoyed reading your posts and learning a bit.  We have played with a fire bow with decent results.  The hard part seems to be the transfer of the coal and making it ignite.  



RBM said:


> To clarify any misunderstanding, I mean either Horseweed on Grapevine or Dogfennel on Grapevine.


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## RBM (Nov 29, 2012)

slightly grayling said:


> Thanks! I have enjoyed reading your posts and learning a bit.  We have played with a fire bow with decent results.  The hard part seems to be the transfer of the coal and making it ignite.



That's great. Thanks. Its worthwhile doing vids and posting if it helps folks. If using Grapevine for a board, it is important that the board used is dried hard. Soft Grapevine causes problems keeping a spindle on it. But the dried hard Grapevine board works well with either a Horseweed spindle or a Dogfennel spindle.

You can eliminate the transfer step (what I would do if not practicing) by putting the tinder bundle directly under the board. The coal falls directly into the tinder bundle where it belongs without having to fret about losing the coal during transfer. Just have to mind the tinder and keep it down so it doesn't ride up the spindle. Also of help is to put the very powdery fluffy tinder in the center of the bundle to help the coal catch the tinder.

This one is using Horseweed on hardened Grapevine. The coal was not as quick as it can be due to humid conditions when I shot this clip. Sorry for the hammering noise of the roofers a ways off.


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## Ancient Obsession (Dec 25, 2012)

I put my ember in a cattail fiber nest in the center of my tender bundle. Cattail fiber will make an ember get going in a hurry!


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## RBM (Dec 25, 2012)

Ancient Obsession said:


> I put my ember in a cattail fiber nest in the center of my tender bundle. Cattail fiber will make an ember get going in a hurry!



Any compressed (no air gaps) plant fluff (down) is a good coal extender or when its loose so there are air gaps a great accelerant. I use cattail, bushy bluestem, willow, and cogongrass fluff. Other coal extenders I use are dried punk wood and dried animal (herbivore) droppings or dung.

Willow






Bushy Bluestem





Cogongrass


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## danmc (May 30, 2013)

RBM said:


> To clarify any misunderstanding, I mean either Horseweed on Grapevine or Dogfennel on Grapevine.



Thanks for the cool posts.  Seems I need to try dogfennel again as last time I only got smoke but no coal.  Can't recall what the hearth was that time.  I noticed that you are using several turns of rope around the spindle.  Do you always do that or just on things which may be more fragile?  For example, a white pine spindle can take some abuse while a horseweed one can break a little more easily?  When I have experimented with juniper, white pine, and yucca (as spindles) I've been using a single turn of cord that was strung fairly tightly.  Do the multiple turns grip better without needing to be as tight?

Thanks for the tips.
-Dan


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## RBM (May 30, 2013)

danmc said:


> Thanks for the cool posts.  Seems I need to try dogfennel again as last time I only got smoke but no coal.  Can't recall what the hearth was that time.  I noticed that you are using several turns of rope around the spindle.  Do you always do that or just on things which may be more fragile?  For example, a white pine spindle can take some abuse while a horseweed one can break a little more easily?  When I have experimented with juniper, white pine, and yucca (as spindles) I've been using a single turn of cord that was strung fairly tightly.  Do the multiple turns grip better without needing to be as tight?
> 
> Thanks for the tips.
> -Dan



Dog Fennel works on Grapevine, Seasoned Pine, and Willow for sure. I also got it to work on Bay wood. Probably would work on other baseboards also. I need to get a video up of Maple on Maple but Maple is harder to get a coal with for me. Takes a lot longer since Maple is a little more on the hard side of wood types.

I use two cord methods. The standard tension method and the Egyptian method. The Egyptian method eliminates many problems that are common with the tension method. I use the Egyptian method when I have more fragile spindles or when I have weaker cords or both. Otherwise I use the standard tension method. Most natural plant fiber cords tend to be weaker and need the Egyptian method because its easier on cord wear than the tension method.

Here is an article about the Egyptian method that will answer your questions about the specific tension method problems that the Egyptian method eliminates. I use the Egyptian method exactly like the link below. A Clove Hitch knot in the middle of the spindle with four to five wraps of cord both above and below the knot. I set the knot to about midway on the cord but slightly back toward my bow hand. With the knot tight on the spindle I don't have to worry about cord tension as much. The knot eliminates cord slippage on the spindle. Hope this helps. Thanks for the kind words and good luck.

http://www.primitiveways.com/e-fire.html


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## danmc (May 30, 2013)

Very cool.  On the grapevine, have you had luck with finding some in directly useable condition in the woods or have you had to cut it and let it dry at home?

Can't wait to give the Egyptian method a try.

I'm still seeking "same day fire", where I don't cheat by bringing stuff home and letting it dry in my garage for a month.

-Dan


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## RBM (May 30, 2013)

danmc said:


> Very cool.  On the grapevine, have you had luck with finding some in directly useable condition in the woods or have you had to cut it and let it dry at home?
> 
> Can't wait to give the Egyptian method a try.
> 
> ...



I rarely cut green and let it dry. What you see in the videos is found in the wild as is. I do find dead Grapevine from time to time. The thicker vine down near the base and dried hard is what I look for. I pick and choose as best I can because when Grapevine dries out after it dies, it tends to split. I want the solid sections if possible. I may have to settle for a thick split piece sometimes. I don't recall ever cutting Grapevine green to dry out but I do know when its dead and dry it needs to have dried out so its hard. I don't use it if it has dried soft because it causes spindle seating problems on the board. Meaning the spindle working end will waller out of the burn hole.

You will get your same day fire. Just keep an eye out for dead, dry, solid, sap-free, and seasoned standing wood you can pick up. If it etches with the fingernail then its probably good to go.


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