Palm trees are an excellent resource in survival situations. The fronds can be used for roofing material or woven into containers, the bark fibers can be used for fire-starting tinder, and some varieties provide edible coconuts or dates. However, the latest video from Primitive Technology demonstrates another use of palm fronds. The dry fronds are inserted into a split stick, and surrounded by a clay housing to create a blower.

This palm frond blower acts like a bellows or powerful fan, forcing quick blasts of air onto a fire to increase its intensity. This is helpful for a variety of tasks including firing clay pottery, forging metal, and — as shown in the video below — making charcoal. The host of Primitive Technology explains that firewood found in his area is often wet, rotten, or poor quality, so he decided to use his new blower to enhance it.

The charcoal produced by this process burns energetically, and can be stoked back into a fire repeatedly using the blower. This means it's much more efficient than continuously gathering natural wood to feed the fire. The charcoal can also be used in a forced-air furnace for more advanced projects.

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Watch the full video below to see how the blower and furnace were constructed.

Written by Patrick McCarthy