Choosing The Right Wood For Bow Drill, 8 Things To Consider 

1) How long has it been since the last rain? 2) What is today's humidity? 3) Are you familiar with the donor tree? 4) Is the wood well off the ground. 5) Has the bark fallen off? 6) Has it been exposed to plenty of sun and wind? 7) Is the wood degraded from years of exposure? 8) Does it have a long and straight enough piece on it for the spindle? Let me explain how I chose this piece of Virginia for today's bow drill friction fire. It hasn't rained in 7 days, low humidity today, I used a piece of the donor tree last year successfully for a hand drill fire board, it's off the ground, bark is gone, exposed to plenty of sun and wind, tree's been down for years, and it has a long straight section that will make a good spindle. Come see what a great choice of wood this was for today's bow drill friction fire. Please follow the LINKS below and SUBSCRIBE. Thank You! Bow Drill Playlist ru-vid.com/group/PLkoXX8XsMW3kw-EXlvpLS68aJjR89P4ae Bow Drill Is So Much Easier With A Black Walnut Bearing Block ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-k9SCQ6lp4Gg.html ASMR, Otzi Was Probably Drying Out His Favorite Fire Making Materials Too!... Crepe Myrtle Bow Drill ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2wSiSHnVGlA.html

I have never seen a guy so determined to light his tennis shoe on fire. 👍

You never disappoint David! Thank you for keeping the old way alive 🙏

Outstanding!

Nicely done David

Thank you for the info! After trying for years I made the adjustments mentioned on this video and another video you made and it worked in just a couple mins.

Fatwood bearing block. Genius! Thank you!

Very useful! Thanks! 👍

Just re-watched this video again, as I find myself doing on your site. I learn more about techniques, processes, patience, and persistence each time. Great demonstration David - thank you.

Great tips here

Awesome 👍 David

Just discovered your channel and absolutely love the info... wood selection, building the tool, technique... 1000's of years it took our ancestors to figure this out, you presented clearly in a few minutes. I will practice this skill and master it, thank you!

Great video David !!!

Hello David, if you remember a couple years ago i had done a video on using fatwood as a bearing block. Well today you inspired me to go shoot another video using a new piece of fatwood. If you get time drop by and check out the vid man. I gave you props on the idea, thanks again for sharing your knowledge bro. ATB.

Awesome video

Wow that was incredible! Love it!!!!

Thank you.

Nice work

Thanks for the tip on using fat wood for the bearing block! Much appreciated!

Very helpful man,thanks

It was very helpful 😊

Love the idea of using a piece of fatwood as your bearing block. It provides the added benifit of a built in lubricant and BONUS, It looks cool 😎. That one looked to have been one of those "shark fin" pieces you spoke of in your other video about what to look for when trying to find fatwood.. Awesome video David. Thanks.

Thanks for all the good tips! I spied a branch hanging over the street. Dead, vertical, in the sun all day, no bark. I knew it was a winner. It finally dropped last weekend. I swear the dust was coming off the spindle already ignited. I love Eastern Cottonwood!

Thanks for the great information, still chasing that ember, this will definitely help

you have good technique. You did it really good. good job sir.

This was extremely informative for wood selection. Nicely done. You make it look so easy.

I made a fire board and spindle out if rock hard dead crabapple I couldn't believe how fast I got smoke,I mostly use tulip popular but thanks to you I tried something different. Thanks for your tutelage.

Here in Kentucky I think we would say look for wood that is "seasoned". Great list of conditions to look for in found materials. LCARA Ham Radio YT

Great job Mr.David! Thank you so much for the insight of bow drilling, you have helped my neighbor and I actually start a fire from your tutorial. Great stress reliever from our daily lives. By the way,your hands look as rough as mine!

I also have that corona saw and for the price it is a beast! Great video

Good job man. I’m going to get some pine and give it a shot this weekend

Always good info. Thanks. I recently found a whole 20foot section of fallen tree about 1&1/2 foot across, tapering to 1 foot across that’s all fat pine! I personally have never happened upon this situation. Just amazing. 😁🔥

New viewer. Thanks. Guess I have a few to catch up on.

Watching this gave me an idea about the thickness of the spindle. I want to try different thicknesses of the spindle to see if it makes a difference. In theory the thinner, but still thick enough to hold the line used on the bow drill, should spin faster and require less work vs a thick middle spindle. Mainly I am just talking about the center of the spindle and not the hot end, that as you show should be thick because more area means more friction and heat.

I've never had much luck with any coniferous wood. It seems to polish out on me. I prefer tulip poplar, ash, or maple.

You just touched on something about 'degraded'... The woods you just mentioned here, when 'degraded' would almost feel like that whitish drift wood you would find against an embankment by the beach. They are soft enough, but yet dense enough with plenty of give. It takes a little practice, but eventually one gets to knowing the texture and makeup for the perfect hand and bowdrill material.

💯

Oh happy day to you my dear friend. Have you ever used bamboo for a bowdrill and a spindle. I can't recall seeing a video. Stay safe and God Bless

Get a fire plough going will be a great video

You explained well the condition of wood to look for, but can you tell me, or have you done videos on the best types of wood to use.

Hi David, thanks for another great video. How did you see that you got an ignition? What do I look for? Thanks

👍🏻👊🏻

I get confused by some videos.. are u suppose to use the same wood for board and spindle or different? Suppose to use hard or soft woods for best results? Thanks for all your videos and knowledge

HA! I just flayed my thumb with my camp saw yesterday...

At the 1st of the video I was thinking, "That looks like Greenville(I'm n California now). My next tought was, nah, you think everythng looks like Greenville.

The saw seems to cut pretty fast to me!

Hi David, would you say using a bow drill is the hardest most physical way of making fire? Or is there something you found that's harder?

Does the fire board work multiple times per hole?

Does the spindle and board need to be the same type of wood?

Funny, most of them say not to use pine - too oily or something. That always confused me because I thought the oil would likely help. But maybe it just doesn't work well unless bone dry. Now, I'm wondering if they really are trying to BS us

So both of the pieces of wood came off the same tree? Isn’t one supposed to be softer than the other? The spindles should be softer if I’m not mistaken? Or does it not matter?

How did you scratch your hands all up ?

Who else knows the pattern of hand movements Dave makes when he signs off? 15:18

Wear some cut resistant gloves 🙈 look at all those wounds