Research and conversations lead me to make the following bow drill
fire-making summary for you critique:

Assemble the kit:

Handhold – anything fairly hard and smooth to position and apply some
pressure down on the spindle. Oak, rock, bone, etc.

Spindle – fairly hard wood or plant that is strong enough to handle
drilling and creates wood dust when spun against the fire board.
Thumb size or narrower if strong enough material, the straighter the
better, more pointed on top to reduce contact friction with the
handhold, rounded on bottom to increase contact friction with the
fireboard socket. Maybe better with carved out area for bow cord to
ride in as it spins.

Bow – still researching whether "spingy" material is better,
generally longer is better

Cord on bow – something tough, paracord, put on spindle with Clove
hitch?

Fireboard – something softer than the spindle so the spindle can spin
in to create wood dust, yucca and elm

Fire pit or socket - Narrow "V" groove to outside, or use tight gap
between two sticks making up a "board" to catch smoking wood dust or
ember you create.

Tinder – super dry, even pre-charred, easy burning stuff, pounded and
fluffed red cedar or cottonwood bark, charred cattail fluff, for
example

Techniques:

One foot on fireboard to keep it fireboard motionless

Spindle vertical and handhold or wrist of arm holding the handhold
tight against leg so both handhold and spindle stay in place, no
wobbling.

Socket pre-prepared by "burning in" to mate shape of spindle to board
for maximum contact friction.

Socket and end of spindle prepared to make fire by drilling to create
some charring, wood dust on each [?a little sand in pit?]

Narrow "U-shaped" groove to tinder, or use tight gap between two
sticks making up a "board" to catch ember you create.

Pad of tinder under board and socket

Bowing on same horizontal plane, long strokes, no wobbling. Gradually
increase downward pressure.

Once ember forms lift spindle out of socket carefully to avoid
disturbing the smoking wood dust or ember