Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: M-P on August 23, 2009, 03:38:16 am

Title: another crossbow
Post by: M-P on August 23, 2009, 03:38:16 am
Hi Folks,  I've been wanting to try my hand at making a crossbow and finally got around to it.  I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with it now that I've got it.  It's a lot of fun to shoot, but there are a very limited number of ranges where I'm allowed to shoot it.  It is made nearly 100% from scraps I had laying around the shop.   The prod (bow) is bamboo backed ipe.  32" tip to tip it is braced 3.5" and draws 90# @13.5".  The tiller (stock) is a piece of flowering pear.  The tree was in a neighbor's yard and standing dead for ~ 1/2 a year before he cut it down.  I convinced him to let me have the lower 6" of trunk.  Once I got the splitting started it was apparent that the twist was much worse than I anticipated and , along with some there were wood wasps and fungus.  I was too stubborn to admit defeat though and carried the wood home for possible wood turning.  The nut was made from some deer antler.  Scraps of purple heart  and teak found their way into the project too.  I Had to buy the metal that I shaped into the trigger and stirrup.<a href="http://s214.photobucket.com/albums/cc270/May-Pumphrey/?action=view&current=crossbowspanned2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc270/May-Pumphrey/crossbowspanned2.jpg" border="0" alt="crossbow spanned"></a>
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: M-P on August 23, 2009, 03:40:44 am
Dang,  I always forget from one time to the next how to best post photos.  (http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc270/May-Pumphrey/crossbowspanned2.jpg)
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: M-P on August 23, 2009, 03:42:39 am
More views,
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc270/May-Pumphrey/crossbowbraced3.jpg)(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc270/May-Pumphrey/crossbowunbraced.jpg)(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc270/May-Pumphrey/crossbowdetail3.jpg)
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: M-P on August 23, 2009, 03:44:28 am
Still more.(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc270/May-Pumphrey/crossbowdetail5.jpg)
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: Del the cat on August 23, 2009, 05:02:22 am
Hey, that's cool, I've been thinking of making a 'primitive' crossbow as a good way to use wood that too short for a regular bow (I've got some short bits of Laburnum).
I made a repro 'light sporting crossbow' many years ago, and refurbed it recently...dunno if it's primitive enought for this forum (e.g. Steel bow).
It needs a bending lever to cock it as it 275lb draw weight :o.
Dunno if the video link will work...
Here's a close up of some of the inlay :)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Motif.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/th_XBow.jpg) (http://s411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/?action=view&current=XBow.flv)
Del
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: knap_123 on August 23, 2009, 10:26:54 am
wow!!!  i can feel the power from here
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: nugget on August 23, 2009, 08:16:44 pm
Wow 2 very nice crossbows.
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: M-P on August 23, 2009, 08:36:49 pm
Hi,   Well Dell's crossbow is certainly more powerful than mine and looks to be well done.  If/ when I start another, I may go with a heavier prod and a shorter stock.   Ron
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: Jesse on August 23, 2009, 08:41:32 pm
amazing work on both of those :o
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: OldBow on August 30, 2009, 01:14:07 pm
I've posted these weapons under laminates for BOM and have gotten away with it. We'll look at it again in the next day or so.
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: M-P on August 30, 2009, 01:23:49 pm
Old Bow,  I briefly considered taking photos of the bow before I mounted it and having it entered in the BOM, but I didn't see how I could get a ful draw picture.   Ron
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: El Destructo on August 30, 2009, 01:54:23 pm
Ron....why can't you fire this Bow in any of the Ranges near You? Our Indoor and Outdoor Ranges allow any type of Crossbow....you just have to shoot the Compound Target....not the Traditional ones
Title: Re: another crossbow
Post by: M-P on August 31, 2009, 12:36:45 pm
El Destructo,   The indoor ranges will let me shoot, but they're all a 30-50 minute drive away.  The outdoor ranges are all in county parks and crossbows are prohibited.  A new indoor range is opening closer to home, so things may change.      Ron