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| Top: willow root board Middle: Cottonwood board Bottom: cedar hand- drill board |
| 2) this is a trick I learned at the Jungle Survival School in Panama. Approx. 1" from the end of the branch, cut through about half way with the sawblade |
| 3) turn the branch over so that the saw cut is facing down. Against a solid object, rap the stick hard on the very end |
| 4) the board should split down the center if you have no knots |
| 5) turn it over to the rounded side and carve it down to the desired width, about 1/2" |
| Making the Fireboard |
| 1) start by finding a dead, bone-dry branch. Do not use wood that is on the ground. Length-12"-18" This is where you will want to have a saw-blade. Diameter- approx. 2" |
| 1) inset your drill back about 1/4"-1/2" from the edge of the board. Determine where the center of the drill is on the board. Visually mark that spot |
| 2) pre-drill a hole using the tip of your knife. Caution: if you are using a non-locking, folding bladed knife keep your fingers clear of the slot that the blade folds into |
| 3) set the drill into the pre-drilled hole and burn a hole just as if you were attempting to start a coal |
| 4) a good example of a predrilled hole recessed the right distance from the edge of the board |
| 5) turn the board on its side. With your saw blade start cutting a hole as if you were going to cut 1/6th of a piece of a pie out of the hole. Do not go beyond the center of the hole |
| 6) proceed to the other side with your saw. The apex should be right at, or just short of, the center |
| 7) an almost perfect 1/6th or 60 degree cut. This angle of cut is crucial to your success in this skill. Too wide and the drill will slip out of the socket. Too narrow and the dust will not fall through to the bottom. You can use a knife blade instead of a saw-blade, however, it is imperative that you keep your knife very sharp. To the majority of you I would highly reccommend that you purchase a multi-tool that includes a saw. This will save you plenty of time and aggrevation |
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| Once you have carved your board down to the desired width, the next step is to create a round depression that will hold your drill spinning in one place. The edge of the depression should be within 1/8"- 1/4" to the squared edge of the board. Any closer and you run the risk of spinning your drill off of the board. Too far in and you will have to do a lot of unneccessary carving. I reccommend on the side of too far back. You will ruin less holes. Hopefully the next set of pictures will explain this better. |
| A good fireboard, or hearthboard, has all of the following characteristics; dead, bone dry, flat, about twice the width as the diameter of the drill, 12" or longer in length, made from non-resinous woods (avoid firs, pines, spruces and other cone bearing trees), right hardness(able to make a small depression with the thumbnail, avoid hard woods like oak) |
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