PreambleOne day I decided to make a crossbow. Average, no blocks like at the Middle Ages. When finished, I realized that I do not like resulting crossbow =) And after some more time, I completely redid it, and now it's the same as at the first photo. Here is a big report about how I build crossbow.
DIY medieval crossbow. Part 1
Step 1
I made a body for crossbow of huge wooden board
Step 2
Trigger system. I pick simple and most popular one, here is a scheme
Step 3
The body of trigger system is made of 3 millimeter aluminum, other parts - from 6 mm aluminium
A photo of assembled trigger system. Trigger is not pulled
Trigger is pulled now
Step 4
In the body I drilled a hole for trigger system, then put it into and fixed
Step 5
Strenghten body with steel in a thinnest place
The bow is made of large saw, the length of each arm is 40 cm. It is attached to the body with triangles of 2.5 mm steel and two 10 mm bolts.
Step 6
At the end of each arm of bow I made a hole and put hooks
Step 7
Bowstring is a 5 mm steel cable. Edges pulled together into loops
Result
Version 1.0 of diy crossbow
Step 8
Few improvements: groove for bolt in a body and protection bracket for the trigger
Step 9
Part of a body is covered with aluminum, because it looked quite ugly
Step 10
Metal strips for ergonomy
Step 11
Also I made real wood crossbow bolts. Shaft - from the back of a crib (there was 20 pieces of them), the tip - 8 mm bolt with nut, tail is made of thick plastic
Tests
According to the results of tests: this bolt struck 2 millimeter galvanized steel. Not bad for a diy crossbow, huh. Floor tiles with a metallic coating was splatter into cloud of pieces!
Step 12
Also gave a name to my crossbow
Step 13
Made new bolts. I tryed to use spiral grooves in the body of bolts instead of using tails
The end of part 1
On this step I decided to make new body for crossbow, literally
to build a new crossbow, more powerful and beautiful.
How to build a crossbow. Part 2
Step 1
So I take another huge wooden board and cut a body of crossbow
Step 2
This time I made the groove for bolt by milling cutter
Step 3
And I change trigger system, here is a scheme of a new one
Step 4
Trigger and Г-shaped part are made of 5 mm steel. Plates - 1.5 mm steel. Roll is made on lathe, it's axis is a nail.
Step 5
Half assembled trigger
Step 6
Assembled crossbow. Bowstring stroke is 400 mm, caliber of bolt is 16 mm. A little photoset
Step 7
I made bow more tough, tension of loaded crossbow is almost 50 kg now. Oo. I need a bracket, it is impossible to arm crossbow without it
Test shooting: 120 gramm bolt flown 60 meters and stick into stoned dirt on 40 mm.
Step 8
I made a bracket and cover nose of crossbow with steel
Step 9
Also I made a bracket for trigger
I told about engraved pattern, so let's do it!
Engraving a pattern
Step 10
I don't know what it is, but I used it in engraver =)
Step 11
I decided to train a little bit
Step 12
I filled engraved path with syringe of paint. Awesome!
Step 13
I made aluminium plates
Step 14
Polish them to mirror shine
Step 15
I will engrave pattern like this
Step 16
Engraved and polished patches
Step 17
Attach them to crossbow with nails
New diy crossbow bolts
Step 18
Thick-walled stainless steel tube was fastened in the lathe and treat one edge like a bullet tip
Step 19
So that's my new cool bolt, looks deadly
Step 20
Body is covered with protective paint for wood. And here is a final photo of my diy crossbow!
Author:
imbahel
VideoSome video with my diy crossbow