Fire

I can do that, Thanks'

 

No need for a power drill. (Added weight) try a brace and bit. (It will not care if it gets wet, either.
Edit: and if you drill it first, then cut, the weight of the downed log holds your work steady while you drill.

 

The video is the over-thought techno version of the Swedish Torch. It requires a saw, a drill, and a honkin' looooog drill bit.

There is a much easier way: Just chop a log and split it.



This guy is a little painful to watch. I think it's his first time. The quick-lighting trick is good. However, it's best to put the log pieces closer together, and either tie them at the base, or brace them with rocks. Or just dig a shallow hole to stand them up in.

And you don't actually need a log. A bundle of sticks will do the job just fine.


Note that you can use a Swedish Torch in snow, mud, or even ankle-deep in skunky swamp water. It lights at the top and takes a long time to burn down. You can also use wet wood: when you split it, you get exposed dry wood to light, and the dry wood stands up so even a wet firelay won't kill your fire.

This is one of the most important survival fires.

 

I was thinking you could use a length of bailing wire to hold the bundle together, when your done roll up the wire and put it away.

 

Bailing wire works fine and can be reused many times.
Carrying a folding camp saw is wise because it allows wood to be harvested with less noise than chopping.
A camp saw can start a slot (as can a gently batonned axe) and the log segment can be easily split with wooden wedges carbed from sticks as needed.

Wire is not always needed: You can split a log segment most of the way, and leave the bottom end attached. Then just open the upper end a little and prop the segments apart with a few twigs. Add some tinder & light it up. By the time the props burn out, the fire will have made all the internal space it needs.

One of the most useful things about the Swedish Torch Fire is that it provides it's own griddle for cooking or boiling water. Or heating rocks.

The old "three rocks under the canteen cup" trick works but sometimes it's a real PITA. Especially in three feet of snow or 10" of swamp water.

Those who often camp in deep snow understand that you have to dig down to ground level to keep your fire from drowning in snow melt.

You can set a Swedish Torch upright in snow and, when it is almost down to the drowning point, just pick it up and set it on top of the next Torch log. Happy days!

 

^^^^Very cool. Thanks to RH, you and Chellovek. I’ma experiment.