The last month has been hot, humid, rainy, busy, and not at all conducive to bow drilling.

But I'm back working on the #FireDrill today, AND GUESS WHO GOT SMOKE AND CHAR!?!!!?

Of course, this is on a plank of scrap 2×4 rather than something more natural, and cutting a notch will be more work, but I GOT SMOKE AND CHAR!

#NeolithicTech

I knew my existing string wasn't very good, so I've been making new string from high quality materials. Lots of people recommend rawhide or sinew, but until I don't have access to those yet.

I'm also looking at using a softer spindle. My current one starts hard, and then gets harder and smoother once it heats up. It's really cool to see the change in properties, but I don't think it's working in my favour.

Resting now, my #FireDrill arm is tired. #NeolithicTech

Finally a nice day in Naarm Melbourne, so back to the #FireDrill and #NeolithicTech.

The yucca board has dried out at last. The texture makes it incredible for exfoliation, so in a survival situation I'll be confident I'll have great skin even if I can't get a fire going.

After running the drill until it feels like my arm will fall off, the result is another broken bowstring. However, I think I know what's going on. My spindle is too hard and smooth, it's just not generating enough friction.

No updates on my #FireDrill for the last few days because it's summer in Australia.

Normally that means it's ludicrously hot and dry and there are restrictions on lighting fires, but I live in Melbourne where the weather is Chaotic Lolful. We've just had torrential rain with brief periods of intense sun and/or hail (often at the same time).

Work will continue once I can be outside without risk of my materials getting flooded by a freak cloud using Sneak Attack.

Managed to split the yucca stump, but goodness me it was work. The stump is moist and fibrous, and just fills the saw with sticky goop. Eventually managed to split the rest with my axe.

Carved a plank with the axe, which was suuuuuuuuper satisfying; flakes just come right off. I'm also getting better at my tool sharpening; each time I sharpen my axe it's sharper than its ever been before.

Now to leave the plank to dry before using it as a board in my #FireDrill.

#NeolithicTech

There's been a few suggestions to use woods with lower ignition points for the #FireDrill, and yucca seems to be near the lowest of them all.

I thought it might be too soft, but I picked up a yucca log I've been looking at for weeks from a local demolition site, and stripped it down.

It's... very moist. I've got it under cover now to dry, and it's fibrous AF so I hope capillary action is on my side, but it's not going to be igniting in this state.

#NeolithicTech

Hypothesis: The board for my #FireDrill is too soft, and it won't ignite because the drill ablates the material faster than it can heat it.

Evidence: The head of the drill gets very hot, but the hole in the board remains cool.

Plan: Make a board from harder wood!

Success: Used my father's axe to split a particularly tough branch of what's probably plum. Hewed it into shape. Made a divet.

Fail: Material is so hard my poor arm gives out before the drill wears away *anything*. #NeolithicTech

Did some reading on how long it takes to create an ember using a #FireDrill, and most people said something like "your ember will form ten seconds after you're convinced your arm will fall off and you're about to pass out from the pain", along with pictures of their single beefy trogdor arm they use for drilling.

I'm not sure if I'm inspired or intimidated right now.

#NeolithicTech

This #FireDrill is hard, and I've gained a even more respect for the generations of humans who developed and used friction firestarting tools.

After discovering yesterday's palm board wore too quickly, I tried moving to a harder board, but so far I've only been able to snap my bowstring and tire myself out. 😮‍💨

Keeping tension on the string is tricky. My yucca cordage doesn't stretch, so it needs to be tensioned after the spindle is fitted.

Going to watch more #NeolithicTech videos now.

Today was busier than expected, but I still got some #FireDrill progress.

My spindle was too smooth and beautiful for the bowstring to grip well, so I roughened it up a bit with a rasp.

I also carved a fireboard from a palm branch, after seeing it in a video with good results. While it's great for combustible dust, it's so soft I wasn't able to get ignition.

I did accidentally burn my finger touching the end of the spindle after drilling, so that's a good thing!

#NeolithicTech

Baby's first work in progress #FireDrill for #StoneAgeSaturday. Yucca bowstring, plum spindle, and municipal garden waste bow. I still need to finish the spindle and make a bearing block before I can potentially use this to start a fire. #NeolithicTech