Fire is a crucial element when surviving in the wilderness. It is a source of light, warmth, protection and give one the ability to prepare food or sanitize water. Most people take for granted these elementary necessities in their average day life. The Bow and hand drill set will provide the ability of a knowledgeable individual to create fire with relative ease. For ages the bow drill has produced fire for the avid rustic outdoors men, the misplace camper and the indigenous. The simple design has withstood the test of time and is now commercially sold. The premise of the success of the bow drill is based the three elements that are needed to create fire; a fuel source, oxygen and heat. The fuel source is the selected wood, accustom to the region of the world the user inhabits, the oxygen is supplied by the atmospheric conditions and the heat is generated by the friction between the two pieces of wood.
DISCLAIMER:This is a model prototype. The Bow component is undersized due to the capacity of the printer used.
Bill of Materials[edit | edit source]
- PLA - Price: Varies ($25) - Source: Amazon
- Paracord - Price: 5.99 - Source: Amazon
- Alternative: Shoelaces, Rope, Wire
- Wood - Price: Varies (Free) - Source: Tree
- CAD/OpenScad File can be found at [1]
Tools needed[edit | edit source]
- MOST Delta RepRap or similar RepRap 3-D printer
- Optional: Knife
Skills and knowledge needed[edit | edit source]
- 3D Modeling
- Basic Coding
- 3D Printing
Technical Specifications and Assembly Instructions[edit | edit source]
- Generate/Download 3D models
- Save STL files
- Print STL on 3D printer; BOW ~3.5 hours and Hand Guard ~3 hours
- Tie desired string to one end of the Bow
- Acquire two pieces of wood; One flat and one cylindercal
- Wrap 2-4 loops around cylindercal wood piece and tie string to opposite end of Bow; The string should tight enough to allow the cylinderical piece of wood to rotate
- Place cylinderical wood piece onto flat wood piece
- Place Hand Guard atop the cylinderical wood piece
- Apply downward force with Hand Guard while moving the Bow back and forth in the horizontal direction
- Continue untill smoke is produced
Common Problems and Solutions[edit | edit source]
- Apply healthy amount of adhesive to glass to prevent the print from "curling"
- Use appropriate setting to eliminate hot end clogging, resulting in poor prints
- If string snaps, reduce tension
Cost savings[edit | edit source]
- ~$2.95 (Bow and Hand Guard)
- $5.99 (Paracord)
- $0.00 (Wood)
- Total $8.93
- $35.21 Primitive Bow Drill Kit [2]
- $ SAVINGS: $26.28
- % SAVINGS: 74.64
References[edit | edit source]
Amazon.com [3]