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/diy/ - Do It Yourself

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631089 No.631089[DELETED]  [Reply] [Original]

Hey /diy/
I posted about a week ago about making a wooden crossbow. This was my first reak project, and it looks pretty rough, but it's actually really powerful. The limb is a willow branch, and the stock is a bit of pine fencepost.

>> No.631090
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631090

Crossbow when drawn
I think it's about a 40 pound draw.
To fire it you push down on the end of the clothing peg.

>> No.631091
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631091

When I tried to make a slot for the limb the wood started splitting, so I took off the end and secured the limb by putting nails into the wood and tying it in place.

>> No.631092

If I wanted to do this again, should I get some specialised tools? For shaping the wood all I used was a small axe, a knife with a saw blade, and a chisel.

>> No.631101

pls respond

>> No.631103

/diy/ is a slowass board. in between the OP and >>631101, about ten posts were made, three of which were you. People will eventually respond, but it'll be awhile.

What prompted you to make this?

>> No.631105

>>631103
Watching this guy

http://youtube.com/user/JoergSprave

I was going to do a slingshot, but apparently nowhere near me sells the proper rubber, so I decided to to a crossbow instead.

>> No.631106

>>631105
>gatling slingshot
>his voice

Welp, I'm sold. Have any pics/video of your bow in action?

>> No.631107

>>631106
I'm posting from an IPad, so I can't upload any atm. I might be able to put up some footage tomorrow morning.

>> No.631111

>>631107
monitoring thread in case that happens. Sorry I didn't have any advice, I'm mostly into diy for the results. Don't know jack about any of it

>> No.631117

I have no idea what that draw string is, but if it is twine I am terrified.

Check this website out for reference on regular bow things. It may be applicable for what you want to do:

http://poorfolkbows.com/index.html

>> No.631121

>>631117
It's three lengths of string. I sealed the ends with pine resin and just twisted it until it could hold an arrow properly.

>> No.631439

Bump.
I lost my single arrow in a tree :(

>> No.631475

I really want a crossbow myself. I was gonna post a thread on it, but the no weapons rule scurd m.
Anyway, I would recommend using some steel as the... What's it called? The bent thing on the front.
As well as something to help pull the rope back.

>> No.631499

>>631106
>quads
>nice

>> No.631500

>>631499
>dubs
>checkem
I meant to quote >>631111

>> No.631501

can you post a closer picture of the trigger, how its set and released on that clothes pin OP?

>> No.631543
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631543

>>631499
>>631500
I am the best at accidental dubs and quads, apparently. Although it's diy so they ain't hard to purposefully get

>> No.631545

>>631543
aww. I fucked up my attempt to be funny with tabs

>> No.631549
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631549

>>631501
Probably wouldn't work with a more powerful bow.

>> No.631550

>>631549
Well I fucked that up

>> No.631666

>>631549
awh ok.. ty I just want to see how it released. cool man

>> No.631677

>>631549
post darts, would love to see them If you've made any

>> No.632044

>>631677
I had a proper crossbow bolt that flew really well, but I lost it really high up in a tree, so atm I'm just using pointy sticks with notched ends.

>> No.632045

>>631475
steel used as bow - would need to be 'spring' steel. regular old steel won't have the spring-back quality needed. could also use parts of an old fiberglass bow from garage sale or something. or layering certain types of woods will do the trick.

>> No.632051

see
http://crossbow.wikia.com/wiki/Designing_medieval_nut_and_trigger_crossbow_locks

also image google "crossbow trigger" to see many ways a trigger mech can be made.

>> No.632067

>>631549
Your trigger mechanism is a bit shit to be brutally honest.

It's an easy fix though, don't feel you have to mess around with complicated spinning nuts like >>632051, just have a long pivoting trigger arm beneath the stock that pushes a dowel up through a hole drilled in the stock. It's the standard design on "cheap" re-enactment crossbows.

Also what is with the glut of re-enactment threads lately?

>> No.632078
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632078

>>632067
something like this?

>> No.632128

>>632045

No, he's talking about the stirrup. It's just a loop of metal you put your foot in to help draw the string.

>> No.632303
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632303

>>632078
Yes but that is still more complicated than it needs to be, although admittedly nicer looking.

I meant something like this, though for the sake of looks I would have the lever pivot around a nail rather than rope and make the lever longer.

>> No.632502

>>631549
dude this isnt DIY. this is fucking kids in summer camp shit. you made a crossbow with a piece of wood. duct tape, string, and a clothes pin.. wow looks like shit.

buy some fucking tools and make one that doesnt look like a retard made it in his moms basement

>> No.632508

>>632502
You just said what we were all thinking...

Good man.

>> No.632523

>>632502
Yeah, this is literally the first thing I've ever made. Sorry you hate it so much.

>> No.632526

>>632523
Maybe read up on the making of the prod.
The taper is important.

http://www.archery.hr/dokumenti/Archers_reference_guide-Recurve.pdf

Similar principle for a crossbow.

Also, it is not all bad. Just needs a 'polish' up on technique.

>> No.632555

>>632502
Instead of shitting on him, give proper advice. "Normal twine isn't great for a string because it will fray and break over time, etc. etc."
Would you still be building stuff if the first time you made a crappy little whatever, your friends made fun of you for it?
>>632508
Clear samefag.

To OP
Not bad for a first attempt. Next time, try improving the trigger mechanism (as has already been mentioned) and plan out the stock a bit better so you don't have to hold it in with nails.
Attached PDF should help with the bow.

>> No.632557
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632557

>>632555
Sorry, can't attach, too big. Search "Making a crossbow at home." and look up Backyard Bowyer on YouTube. Pic related.

>> No.633714

http://thearbalistguild.forumotion.com/t12-pressing-all-fiberglass-crossbow-limbs
Here they explain how to make homemade fiberglass limbs. In the forum you will also find firing mechanisms and plenty of people who know a lot about crossbows.
If you still decide to keep wooden limbs, you really have to work in the profile of the limbs, they can't be the same thickness all around, they have to be thinner at the edges(aka where you put the strings) and get thicker towards the center.