The Necessity
    of a Drill

Think about all the things
in your life that have holes drilled
through them. Without drilled
holes a car could not run,
a train could not roll down the
tracks, eyeglasses could not stay
on your nose, and a flute could
not make music.

Idaho's Native Peoples also needed to drill holes, but to make
the drill work they first needed to produce strong cordage.

Making a hand pump drill will take time, but think about all the fun.

1. You will need to make a length of cordage about four feet long.
Make your own cordage from dogbane or milkweed plant fibers.
Go to: Plants Index to decide on the best material for your cordage

Go to: Cordage Production to review how to make cordage.

You can also make cordage from raffia. Raffia is found at most craft stores. You will need to soak the raffia in water.
Go to: Cordage Preparation to review the process of retting.


2. Use this diagram
as you construct a hand
pump drill.






3. You will need a wooden dowel for the shaft. Refer to diagram above for dimensions. Drill a small hole
through one end of the dowel, it will be the top. On the other end, use a small saw to cut a notch. This is where the sharp rock goes to drill the hole.
See illustration at right.

4. Find a flat rock 5 inches in diameter and .5 inch in thickness to use as the fly wheel. Look down by a creek or stream. Water worn rocks will be the smoothest. Drill a hole dead center in the rock that is just slightly smaller than the .5 diameter of the shaft. This is the hole through which the dowel fits. Place the this fly wheel 5 inches from the notched end of the shaft.

5. Make a wooden crossbar. Refer to the diagram for the dimensions. Drill a hole dead center in the middle of the
crossbar. Drill holes, or notch, each end for the attachment of cordage. See illustration below.








6. Thread the cordage you made through the hole in the top of the dowel Attach one end to one crossbar end, and the other end to the opposite crossbar end. Adjust the cordage length so that the crossbar is about five inches from the fly wheel.

7. Buy or make a sharp stone point to place into the notch at the end of the drill. Haft it tightly to the dowel using cordage.

8. You are ready to drill holes.