Dumb char tin question

[diviy]

Been looking on you tube about charing wood and cloth how big a hole should the hole be mine is 2mm but looking at some of the tins the holes look more like 5mm .

Any advice please

Please be gentle with me for asking a stupid question

Gerry

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Gerry your doing good. In constructing you char cloth burner tin, take a nail or a bradawl about the diameter of a toothpick is sufficient & pierce it through the top of the container lid, when placing the cloth etc.. in the tin make sure there is enough space for air to circulate. Make sure the item you are charring is 100% cotton no man made fibres, as this can spoil the contents. What your trying to achieve is allow enough air into the tin to char (not cremate) the contents. Once the contents heat up, smoke will begin to jet from the hole in the top of the can. Note: when the smoke stops, remove the can from the hot embers, replace the nail or bradawl & allow it to cool. When you open the can, all the cloth should be completely black. If not, move the contents around, replace the lid & repeat the process. It's just a matter of practice.
Regards
David

[FishyFolk]

Reminds me I am out of char cloth!

[Woody]

Not a dumb question at all...
Trial and error bud.

I just used a round tin of boiled sweets, I made a hole of about 10mm on top of the lid, with a drill bit and the filled the tin with square cut bits of an old pair of jeans that I had to throw away.
I layered the jeans squares one on top of each other, up until the top, leaving very little room for oxygen if any...
It also helps if the tin gets a good seal all around.
That made some of the best charcloth I've ever used, as the jeans material is thicker and seems to be easier to split and use ...
Hope it helps.

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Charcloth ideas.. Aldi as an example cotton shopping bag, standard size made from natural white plain cotton cut into lengths, rolled or into squares either works, another nice neat roll of Charcloth from a bandage. I've got a few of my own issue out of date (20**) British Forces field dressings & Israeli Defence Forces issue field dressings, I'm saving them for Charcloth. Please be aware choosing your bandages carefully, making sure it's 100% pure cotton or linen as most bandages today have some form of elastic content & if you tried to char it, it would simply melt. Old 100% cotton tea towels & a cotton polishing cloth.
Regards
David

[diviy]

This is what I am using for char cloth http://www.apparelmaster.co.uk/uploadedfiles/services/washroom4.gif
They come in large rolls 100% cotton char really well since you gave me that striker I can get a ember it about three or for strikes with flint .
Also the punk wood is going on one strike with ferro rod and the root I got friday tried it today used a thumb sized bit scrapped it three time so there was a tiny bit of fluff used ferro rod and it caught straight away and lit my fire so i have had a productive few hours learning and producing good char product .
next project to learn is bow drill fire lighting out of interest is ash any good for a spindle .
And just a massive thank`s to all the advice I have been given and the gifts

Regards Gerry

[Woody]

Well done Gerry!
Friction fire really is an art of its own.
I've tried and failed but haven't gone back to try again ...YET !


Well done on all your progress mate!!

[emoji106]

[Woody]

Well done Gerry!
Friction fire really is an art of its own...

[emoji106]
According to Ray Mears, "essential Bushcraft" book.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160605/f04abb15fae30aa4c519eff544cc2b5e.jpg

the best bow drill woods are:
Ivy , Lime, willow and sycamore.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160605/97d8ce78f7f38daef7ff0228b908d282.jpg

As for the hand drill woods and hearth woods are here:

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160605/2de97b694a1f1e8c39800b5df4fab04a.jpg


Hope these pics come out ok...
[emoji106]

[Woody]

Also try this website!!!

http://www.jonsbushcraft.com/bowdrill%20tutorial.htm


http://www.jonsbushcraft.com/Articles%20and%20tutorials.htm


This dude is awesome by the way... lots of free information on his website

Even how to make your own canoe!!!


Edit:


If the link doesn't work by clicking, just copy and paste address into the address bar...

For some reason it doesn't let me click into it...???[emoji84]



Or just get it from here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B068gvMtQeteaW1tYllZd1Q3TGs/view?usp=drivesdk

[David_JAFO]

hello Gerry,
Awesome my little pyro friend. :p Getting the right types of wood for the hearth board & the drill is essential, here is a list of "suggested" wood combinations.. Hazel on Poplar, Spruce on Spruce, Ash on Willow, Elder on Pine, Hazel on Cedar, Hazel on Ivy, Hazel on Pine, Hazel on Sycamore, Poplar on Cedar, Sycamore on Sycamore, bird Cherry on Alder, Willow on Aspen, Willow on Poplar. I'm working on another firebow drill set just now, plus there's a Sycamore tree coming down nearby along with a Rowan tree. I noted a Douglas fir that's been de-branched (vandalism) nearby too thinking aloud fatwood & a firebow drill set.. from the remaining debris. As another friction fire method "the fire plough" using the same board as opposed to the firebow drill. I've also shaved off some wood from the edges of the hearth board fine curls/feathers for tinder used in a fire lighting demo, before I've cut my notch for the drill.
Regards
David

[saxonaxe]

I can't remember where I saw/read the idea but it's also possible to make char cloth without using a tin at all. Silver foil, in the demo it was food wrappings I think, but I used kitchen foil folded to two thicknesses. Place the cotton material in the foil and fold the edges over to make a seal and put it in the fire.
I did it on a gas cooker and didn't make an air hole in the foil, smoke found it's way out of the folded 'seams'...:p Mucho smoko!! But it did work..so too did my smoke alarm..:ashamed:
Thinking about it, those heavy foil containers that Chinese take-aways come in, flattened out and folded over would probably be ok but I'm struggling to remember why he didn't just use a tin like everybody else...:D

[David_JAFO]

hello,
I had a browse at this on YouTube (tried & tested) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXURB0a3Qfw :wink:
Regards
David