Fire Drill and Pump

[ditchfield]

Has anyone tryed making one of these? One is illistrated in Ray Mears book, Bushcraft. I made one today out of 2 pieces of willow and a 1 1/2' piece of natural cordage. It consists of one piece a foot long smoothed stick 1/2 " diameter for the drill, a squared flat piece 6" by 2/3" by 2" with a hole for the sliding bit and a 1' by 2" by 2" squared up piece for the 'fly wheel'. Both the sliding piece and 'fly wheel' have holes through the middle and the former has a small hole on either end. Through these 2, goes a piece of cordage with then threads through a hole at the top of the shaft. All this was done using a Mora Clipper and the small holes were done using one blade of some thin scissors. I know this is a terrible discription. Here is a diagram that helps a bit. The disk that they use is, on mine a foot long piece of timber. It is difficult to make using primative tools (NO DRILLS!), but satisfying. I will try and take some pics if you're interested.

Give it a go.

[Stew]

Pics would be good.

Did you manage to make fire with it?

[Adi007]

I'll have to try that one ... always struck me as looking like an effective bit of kit.

[ditchfield]

Right, I'll take some pictures tommorow. I haven't made fire with it yet, as I've just been practicing inside because of illness. I'll probably try at the weekend sometime, when I clear up a bit.

[bushwacker bob]

thats a working bit of kit. one of my siblings had a spinning top made on that design and went really well once you got the pumping technique sussed. :-P

[Hoodoo]

I've made them and they are very cool. If you want to make one that drills like mad, use a push drill bit. They are very effective with the kind of back and forth motion you get with these.