How to make a light crossbow at home. Homemade crossbow. Debunking the myth. Scheme, or How to make a mini-crossbow from what you can easily find at home
Before you start making your own crossbow, you should decide on the design of this type of weapon. Its main structural elements are: a trigger mechanism, a bowstring, a bow with a string, a sight, a tension mechanism and a wooden base, which is commonly called a stock.
Of course, a crossbow made will be very different in design from the factory one. But the principle of operation will be similar. First you need to make the base of the crossbow. The base is the main element of such a weapon. It can be made from wood species such as birch or walnut. The thickness of the workpiece must be at least three centimeters. After creating the blank, you will need to project the shape of the future base onto it, and then cut it out.
As for the bow itself, you can use arcs from an old sports bow (if you have one) to make it. To connect the crossbow stock and the bow, you will need to connect the bow to the base. True, you can use another option. It involves the manufacture of a metal frame. The stock and bow will be placed on it.
How to make a bowstring
The bowstring should not have a high degree of elongation. Otherwise, a homemade crossbow will very quickly cease to perform its functions. So, the best material for creating a bowstring would be lavsan or fastfly. Wrap the threads by first stretching them between the nails. Don't forget to make loops for putting on the bowstring. It will not be possible to tighten the bowstring without a stirrup, which in turn can be made of steel wire or cable.
Attach one end of the cable or wire to the base of the crossbow. And at the other end, fix the handles. You will also need to adjust the tension level of the bowstring after fixing it. This can be done directly on.
Trigger and arrows
After adjusting the bowstring tension, you can proceed to manufacturing the trigger mechanism. The role of such a mechanism will be a wooden lever, which will need to be carefully built into the crossbow. Then you need to mount the sighting device. Front sights can be used for mechanical sights.
Arrows for a homemade crossbow can be made from ordinary boards and then planed. If you want the arrows to be strong, you should not drive nails into them. Otherwise, the arrow may break when reaching the target.
A crossbow is a small weapon. The principle of shooting is similar to archery. Nowadays, crossbow shooting is a fairly popular sport. But the cost of a crossbow starts from several tens of dollars. Therefore, many adherents of the crossbow try to make it with their own hands, at home.
Pull it only if you need to. Wilbur shook his head, grinning. "I think one of us might tell you more soon, you shouldn't talk like a hunter." "Hope so". Mia took the crossbow and the tremble and walked to the small alcove at the back of the room where her bed lay. When she returned, Wilbur had already cleared the bowls.
Even if you do it just for me. "Now don't think about anything." Mia grinned at him, ignoring the suffocating feeling in her stomach. Wilbur stood up. You will see. The Church will send help. Or, if you choose to write this letter, your father will return soon.
Let's look at what components a crossbow consists of:
- Bed;
- Trigger;
- Bowstring;
- Arrows or bolts.
What do you need to make a crossbow from wood with your own hands?
Minimum set of tools:
- Very sharp knife;
- Drill;
- A grinder with a wood disc or a regular hacksaw;
- Hammer;
- Plane;
- Chisel.
To make a crossbow you need a piece of wood. It is advisable to take a tree:
"If there is". Mia couldn't help herself. Wilbur gratefully accepted her remark. “I hope my father will do everything to protect us.” Wilbur looked at her seriously. Mia walked towards him until her nose tips almost touched each other. She then placed her hand on his forehead and gave him a gentle push.
Wilbur laughed in surprise, stumbling back. Wilbur grinned and waved before turning around and leaving the cabin. Mia walked to the door and watched him disappear into the night. It was the right answer to his stupid face. The serenity of this evening did not last long. There were days in a row that were cold and cloudy. As winter approached, the fog extended its gray arms further and further from the lake to reach the village before the weak sun could carry it back to the shore.
- hazel,
- ash,
- poplar.
You can also use birch or oak. The wood of these trees is more resistant to moisture, viscous, does not splinter and is beautiful. The wooden blank should have a length of about 900 mm and a thickness of 30 mm. Coniferous wood cannot be used.
To make a crossbow, the wood must be properly prepared. Only from the “correct” wood will a crossbow shoot for a long time with great power. Having cut a tree trunk or branch to the required length and thickness, the cuts must be painted over. This is done so that the moisture leaves the wood gradually, and, therefore, the wood will dry more slowly and evenly. The clogged branches will be placed away from sunlight. They stay like that for about a year. After a year, the bark is removed from the workpieces, and it dries for another week. And only after all these procedures are completed, the branch is sawed lengthwise and the making of the crossbow begins. Of the two parts of the branch, take the northern one, guided by the annual rings. On this side, the fibers fit closer to each other, which means the material will be stronger.
On a cold morning, he even made it to Mia's hut on the hill. Mia kept her crossbow near her bed at night and took the time to practice its safety. During all this time there was no church ranger. Soon the merchants' carts were completely lost, and more and more fishermen were squeezed, moaning and whispering around the market square. Mia gave up and wrote to her father. Ten projects crumpled it before sending a brief and formal request for help.
Soon after this, Postreiter did not return to the village. Within two days, the story that Gitrog ate from rumor to narrative became fact. Mia thought that the poor guy didn't want to make the difficult trip to some remote village before the cold. He probably decided to spend the winter in Durnau instead.
photo: correctly carved wood for a crossbow
On the board, draw the shape of the future base and cut it out using a grinder or a hacksaw. Make a groove on top for the arrow. A groove is cut on one side to secure the arc. If knots or chips appear during the work, they must be processed with a sharp knife and then with sandpaper.
However, there were many rumors about Gitrog, for which Mia did not find such a simple explanation. Three more sheep disappeared before the first snowfall. Every time the fence was destroyed in a different place - it was as if someone was trying to use the elasticity of their horse. Or, as Mia reminded herself, the frightened sheep had simply broken through at various points on the fence. The last time she heard it, the fence had burst during the night, but when she ran out of the hut, crossbow in hand, there was nothing to find but splintered wood and distressed bleats.
After this, she finally intervened to ask a local carpenter to help her strengthen her horse's fence and pay the money her father had left her. Although she hated spending something she didn't deserve herself, she knew she was lucky to have such a nest egg. Fishermen, who had been driven off the lake since the start of the season, had difficulty finding sustenance with the snow. Many trusted their neighbors' willingness to help, but the sparse fields in the village barely produced enough food for everyone. The number of battles in the village administration increased.
The second step will be making an arc. For it, take a board with a thickness of 20 mm and a length of at least 750 mm. The board must be smooth and free of knots. The board must be thoroughly dried, left for several days, and only then trimmed. The width of the arc is approximately 40 mm in the middle; towards the edges its width decreases to 15 mm.
The curses on Gitrog became louder. More and more villages retired early and early in the evening to their homes, closing their doors and nailing down their windows as the stubborn fog grew thicker and denser than ever before. Wilbur seemed to be right when he thought his father was going to do something. As winter became more severe, armed men and women began patrolling the streets. Some carried torches and blades, but many carried only a muck fork or a meat cleaver. They always wore heavy coats, the hood of which was pulled deep into their faces - on the one hand, as protection from the cold, but also as a uniform.
photo.string of a homemade crossbow
An arc for a powerful crossbow can be made from a spring leaf of a UAZ car. Using a grinder, we cut an arc from the spring. Its dimensions are as follows: length 850 mm, width at the ends 15 mm, and in the middle 30 mm. Next, using a sharpening stone, bring the thickness to 8 mm in the center and 4 mm at the periphery. Drill holes for fastening with a Pobedit drill
Mia didn't know what the baker was supposed to do with the bread-knife against Gitrog. It gnawed at her until one afternoon she made the mistake of asking Wilbur about it. “We will be careful and alert when we see something.” Wilbur looked annoyed, his lanky figure dripping with moisture from the rain.
"I'm just wondering if it's really helpful." Mia wondered why he refused to take off his coat and boots. “Some of us have other things to worry about.” Wilbur crossed his arms over his chest and Mia thought as he over his head. Do you need to walk around and swing a fishing rod to protect people? The words were already there before her heart begged her, but please remain silent.
Preparing the groove for the arc. We make a hole for fastening from a rope, at a distance of 100 mm from the cut groove for the arc. We insert the arc into the groove and secure it with a rope. Or you can make a metal frame that will cover both the stock and the bow. The next step is to attach the bowstring to the ends of the bow, using the cuts made in advance. Stretch the string as you would when shooting. Thus we will find the most distant point. After this, we determine the optimal size of the crossbow, which is equal in length to your forearm.
You only have a superficial understanding of what we do to protect the village and keep the people alive, and everything you do is mocking. The truth in his words scraped away at her like sandpaper on her heart, leaving her bloody and broken.
"Why are you still here, Mia?" Mia looked at the stern line of the mouth, at the wrinkled forehead and cold, questioning eyes. Her stomach rumbled with laughter of anger and sadness as her throat burned. Wilbur continued, "Why didn't you stand up at Shields headquarters to take the test and leave us like your father?"
We will make the bowstring from lavsan or fastfly. You can use a thin cable. Wrap the threads stretched between two nails, and make loops at the ends for putting on.
We wind the threads to a thickness of 5 mm. Then, without removing the threads from the nails, we wrap the threads once so that they are tight to each other. After this, we collect both halves of the bowstring at the first nail, and wrap it tightly again to the second nail. As a result, we got a bowstring with loops at the ends. The middle part of the bowstring must be wrapped very carefully, since a very large friction force acts on this part. The cut threads must be coated well with glue so that all the threads are monolithic. We tighten the bowstring using a stirrup made of wire. Having secured the bowstring, we adjust the degree of its tension. If the bowstring is too thick, the force of the shot will be reduced, and if it is too thin, it will break. Therefore, you need to make a bowstring of medium thickness. You can make a bowstring in the likeness of sports models.
Wilbur laughed and Mia's heart sank. She had never heard of him, and she was full of joy and dagger. You knew it would snow before your birthday. You knew there would be a passage through the aisle after this. If you really wanted to take the exam, you would have already gone. His words were as cold and biting as the cluttering cold air. You are afraid. Be afraid that you can no longer remember all these rules and play you.
Mia grabbed a tuft of wool and threw it at him. Take it. Wilbur reached for the clip on his belt, but Mia pushed him hard. I said, "Get out of here!" Keep your father's money. "You mean you don't need it." It was her fault that he knew exactly how to hurt her.
photo: crossbow trigger
An important step required to make a homemade powerful crossbow
And so, we come to the most important part of our design. We will make a crossbow trigger mechanism. This will be a pin type lock. To do this, drill a through hole at the point of maximum tension on the bowstring. Make a transverse recess in the upper part of the bed. The next step is to secure the lever at the bottom of the crossbow. We make the axle out of wood and fasten it with wire.
Wilbur turned around with the fur under his arm and dropped the wallet behind him as he crossed the threshold. Coins fell out and spread across the floor. Despite the cold, she was sweating. This was the third time today she had to change the water for her sheep and break the ice that had formed in the Trgen River. Besides, with all the other errands and homework she had to do, she barely had time to breathe. The sun was already dropping below the horizon, casting its last few weak rays into a sky filled with leaden clouds.
The wind howled as she returned to her hut and dragged her through the cloak into the marrow. At least it's not snow, she thought. Two hours later, she was looking out the window as a white vortex slowly enveloped the landscape. What a fitting end to a cold and miserable birthday.
Another type of trigger is called a nut. It consists of a cylinder that rotates freely around its axis. On one side it has hooks for the bowstring, and on the other side there is an L-shaped trigger stop. If the crossbow's power is up to 30 kg, the cylinder can be made of wood, but with a power over 30 kg it must be made of metal. Make the “nut” that will hold the bowstring from a piece of iron without welding to make it stronger.
She hoped to get to the village, hoping to find a way to Wilbur's house. They haven't spoken to each other since their fight. The passage of time weighed heavily with each passing day, maintaining the silence between them and widening the gap that now separated them. Although she had little hope, she believed that her birthday might have caused Wilbur to visit her as he always did.
She sighed and pressed her forehead against the window glass. She didn't know when she left. She only knew that something had called her some time later. The fire had burned down to warm, glowing embers, and outside, the pale moonlight had drawn the outline of the landscape as sharply as with scissors. The storm was clear and the stars sparkled in the sky. But why did she wake up?
We fix the stock and the lever with ropes so that the lever moves with minimal friction.
For the boom, the groove should be located from the top hole of the lock to the leading edge. The depth of the gutter is equal to a quarter of the diameter of the boom.
The wooden crossbow is ready. Now let's start processing the details. First, we process all the parts with sandpaper. After this, they can be coated with protein mixed with water. Then check how the lock works. Make sure the mechanism is as strong as possible.
There was a loud explosion in front of the hut. Mia shuddered and her heart was furious. She listened and looked into the silvery semi-darkness - all her senses were sharpened, her thoughts were delirious. She took a deep breath and leaned back. Her head fell sleepily back onto her hand. It was probably only frozen wood when its resin expanded in the cold.
Suddenly Mia stood up, reached for her crossbow, threw herself on the cloak and ran outside, while fear and horror lay around her like groups of iron. The sound didn't frighten her. Silence followed. Without bleating, the sheep was scary. Even when she ran out into the snow, she heard nothing. She held the crossbow ready to fire and slowly walked towards her, getting closer to the handle.
To make the crossbow more beautiful, cover the wooden parts with stain and varnish, and the metal parts with black paint.
Now let's move on to the arrows. You can also make them yourself. To do this, you can make blanks from an ordinary board. Then these blanks need to be carefully planed. It is recommended to choose light wood. When making the tip, you should not drive nails in, since if it hits the target, the arrow may split.
The sight of her suggested frozen blood in her veins. The entire side of the horse was in ruins, the fence poles were torn off the ground. Scattered planks lay in the snow, and while she was still looking, one of the support pillars on the dugout, whose trump card had collapsed. Mea approached slowly, still excited and hopeful, although she already knew what she expected. As she stepped in cautiously, her fears were confirmed.
Not a single sheep is visible. Instead, blood and guts covered the ground and smeared the few remaining boards. A cold wind blew through the wreckage and the biting smell of entrails hit her. The crossbow fell to the ground as she pressed the sleeves of her coat over her mouth and tried to soothe her stomach.
We looked at the method of making a regular “medieval” crossbow.
The crossbow can be block. It can also be made at home. It is made of fiberglass, 10 mm thick.
First, fiberglass shoulders are made. To do this, you need to cut from 30 to 40 strips from fiberglass or Kevlar. Glue them together with epoxy glue and place them under a press until completely dry. After 24 hours or more, these structures need to be leveled and thoroughly cleaned.
As she caught herself again, the strange shape of the snow caught her attention. She cursed that she didn't bring a torch and moved slightly to the side to move her shadow. Bright moonlight fell on a huge footprint in the fresh snow. The imprint looked like a large foot with floating pools and three claw-like spikes at one end. As she examined the pencil, she saw further impressions of the view between the sanding marks and the bloodshed.
Mia's heartbeat roared in her ears as she stared into the distance. A wide trail of tracks and thirteen prints led from the pen to the forest near the lake. Fraud threatened to overwhelm them. He devoured her flock. And this meant that he was quite far from the lake. And that meant he was probably in the village too! She had to tell Wilbur. She had to apologize. She walked with her boots crunching in the snow on her march towards the dim lights in the distance when a stubborn voice in her head stopped her.
photo.mounting a homemade crossbow
The bed, as in the previous case, is made of wood.
The blocks are made of aluminum. It is better if they are on bearings. The middle parts of roller skate wheels are perfect for these purposes. The axles for them need to be taken with a diameter of 5 mm. They can also be taken from skates. Fasteners are made of steel or other durable material. If, when making the shoulders, the ends are made thicker, there is no need to make fastenings. The next step will be to install a trigger mechanism with a trigger and an arrow holder on the crossbow. All this is connected using bolts and washers. In block-type crossbows, the bowstring is slightly longer and is tensioned differently. It seems to cross, and the arrow flies with double energy. A thin cable is used as a bowstring, which can withstand sudden pressure when fired.
If a threat from a monster rather than a human is certain, the hunter must follow the monster and render it harmless. Keep it away from villages and cities - avoid the panic and chaos of frightened innocent people. Mia stood there and her breath froze to pale clouds as she was torn on what she was supposed to do. Surely she couldn't handle something like Jitrog. For not warning the village, she seemed incredibly stupid. She had to talk to Wilburg, or rather her father.
Kalim and the elders knew what to do. But could they help her? And even if: what could they do? The gaze of bakers and peasants armed with bread knives and marbles appeared before their inner eyes. Mia looked at the crossbow in her hand. The silver shone in the moonlight. She ran her fingers over the runes etched on the side. She reached to her hip and placed her hand on the handle of the long dagger. The familiar blade was used far more often than knives, but its cutting edge of cold wrought iron was intended for slaying ghosts and witches.
Read how:
To conduct targeted shooting from a crossbow made by yourself at home, you need to adjust the stock. It needs to be adjusted taking into account the flight path of the arrow. The bed should be at an angle of 5-6 degrees. It’s even better to decide on the shooting distance and zero the crossbow you’ve made, after each series of shots, changing the angle of the stock.
photo: homemade wooden crossbow
The trigger mechanism can be anything, as long as it does not fire prematurely, under the force of the bowstring. The bowstring should, after the shot, return close to the stock, but without strong friction.
Video instructions on how to make arrows for a crossbow
Video instructions on how to make a toy crossbow
One of the most popular types of small arms is the crossbow. And although hunting with such a device is prohibited in our country, there are still many who want to acquire such a “toy” in order to shoot at targets. At the moment, you can buy such weapons on many websites or in stores, but such a purchase will be very expensive. It is much more profitable to make a crossbow with your own hands at home, and you will find out what is required for this below.
Preparation
Today there are many varieties of this sporting weapon. First of all, these are classic models familiar to us from historical films and block crossbows - modern weapons equipped with complex mechanisms. The last option will be quite difficult to create at home, so let's focus on the classic one.
What parts does a crossbow consist of:
- Trigger;
- Bowstring;
- Crossbow stock;
- Bolts and arrows.
Making a crossbow at home will be much easier if you immediately stock up on all the necessary materials and tools. For this you will need:
- Well sharpened knife;
- Hammer;
- Drill or brace;
- A regular hacksaw, which can be replaced with a grinder with a wood disc;
- Plane;
- Chisel.
How to make a crossbow with your own hands
In addition to the tools to create this small weapon, you will need a piece of wood measuring 900 mm in length and 30 mm in thickness. In this case it will do:
- ash;
- hazel;
- poplar.
- birch.
First of all, you need to prepare a wooden blank. To do this, cut the branch to the required size and paint over the cuts. This must be done so that the liquid comes out of the wood slowly and evenly. Please note that the wood must lie in a dark place for at least a year, only in this case the weapon will fire with special power. After this, the bark is removed from the workpiece and left to dry for another week. Next, the log is sawn into two parts and the crossbow itself is made from the northern part - the strongest.
Draw the stock of the weapon on the board and cut it out using a hacksaw or grinder, then make a small groove for arrows on the top of the workpiece. On the front side, cut a groove in which you will attach the arc. If knots or chips appear on the stock during the process, remove them with a knife and treat the area with sandpaper.
How to make an arc
For this part you will need a flat board with a length of at least 750 mm, a width of 200 mm, and a thickness of 60 mm. We dry the workpiece well and let it stand for several days, and level it. The width of the part in the middle is 40 cm, and at the edges it narrows to 15 cm.
At a distance of 100 mm from the cut groove for this part, we create a through hole through which we stretch the rope - it will become the main fastener for the crossbow arc. Then we insert the part into the groove and fasten it firmly with a rope, as shown in the bottom figure.
This part plays a fairly significant role in the “lethality” of the weapon, and to create it you will need the following materials:
- nylon threads;
- wooden plank;
- two nails without a head;
- rubber glue.
First of all, you need to make a special machine for weaving this part: take a rope and measure the length of the bowstring. After this, saw off a board with dimensions slightly larger than this parameter. Next, mark the length of the string on the board and drill two holes in these places - this is where you need to insert your nails.
Take the thread, tie it to one of the nails, and leave a margin equal to the length of the bowstring. After this, begin to evenly wrap the threads around the nails (Dacron is best). Continue this process until the base of the bowstring reaches 5mm. To do this you will need to make 5-6 full turns. Try to keep the threads equally tight.
Next, wrap the base near the nails on both sides several times with wrapping material. This will create loops at the ends. You can understand how to do this from the above diagram. Do not forget to wrap the middle of the bowstring, because this part suffers greatly from friction. Tie the cut ends of the threads with a sailor's knot and lubricate them thoroughly with glue so that the entire structure is strong. After which you can pull the bowstring onto the arc and adjust the degree of its tension.
How to make a trigger mechanism
The simplest option would be a pin-type lock; we will choose it for our weapon. Pull the string as far as possible and drill a through hole in this place. Also make a small transverse recess at the top of the crossbow stock. Now secure the lever at the bottom of the part. Make a wooden axle and secure it with wire.
Secure the stock and lever with ropes so that the latter moves with maximum friction. The depth of the “ammunition” groove should be equal to 1/4 of the volume of the arrow, and this recess must be “sawed” from the top of the lock to the front edge of the crossbow.
How to make arrows
In order to get ammunition for your small arms, you don’t have to run to a sports store, because you can easily make it at home. To do this, you will need several ordinary wooden blanks, which need to be well planed and treated with fine sandpaper. It is better to choose light types of wood for arrows; in this case, shooting will be more accurate. As for the tip, if you don’t have special ones, then sharpen the tip of the arrow - with such ammunition it will be quite possible to shoot at targets. You should not drive nails into the head, because this increases the chance that the arrow will split when it hits the target.
Be that as it may, you should remember that in our country, shooting with crossbows is equivalent to using firearms. So if you want to make such a device, then under no circumstances use it for its intended purpose. Treat the crossbow as a beautiful souvenir, and then the law will not have any claims against you.
Evgenia Smirnova
To send light into the depths of the human heart - this is the purpose of the artist
Content
How to make a crossbow - this question worries both hunters and shooting enthusiasts. Shooting from a crossbow, as from a military weapon, is left far behind. Today, crossbow shooting is practiced mainly by professional athletes, as well as by amateurs who want to shoot at targets. Shooting with a crossbow has a number of advantages over shooting with a firearm. Firstly, it is silent shooting, and secondly, accessibility and comparative safety. A crossbow does not require any permission or medical examination to purchase it. You just need to buy a ready-made one (for which you will have to pay several hundred dollars or more), or make a weapon yourself. That is why your favorite useful advice site will tell you today how to make a crossbow yourself.
How to make a mini crossbow - instructions
Types of weapons and ammunition for them
Experts distinguish two types of crossbows - field and match. Ammunition for both types is considered to be feathered arrows. Carbon and duralumin feathered arrows are available on sale. You can learn and compete in shooting using a standard five-color archery target, which is also available for sale. Field crossbow shooters usually compete at distances of 35, 50, 65 meters (outdoors) and 10, 18 meters (indoors). Match shooters usually compete only in special premises - shooting ranges at distances of 10 and 30 meters.
Hunting with a crossbow is an activity for real men
Many owners use their devices for hunting. Hunting with a crossbow is fundamentally different from hunting with a gun - shooting animals from a tower, a helicopter, or driving an animal in a large crowd is not everyone’s cup of tea. Hunting, on the contrary, loves silence and solitude. In some ways, this type of hunting is reminiscent of the famous heroic pastime - hunting a bear with a spear. In fact, to shoot you need to approach the animal at a distance of 50 meters or closer. Not everyone will be able to approach a boar at such a short distance, and approaching it at such a short distance requires special hunting skills. Well, the more valuable the loot!
How to choose
Power
For hunting birds or small animals, a crossbow with a draw power of 50 kg is sufficient. With a pulling power of 50-70 kg, you can hunt large ungulates. For wild boar hunting, crossbows with a power of 80 kg are used.
What ammunition can be used
Hunting large game requires special ammunition. To hunt large prey you need to use special professional arrows made of fiberglass or carbon. These arrows are strong and light enough to be properly centered to ensure a successful hit. There are also sometimes excellent aluminum arrows on sale. But such ammunition is only suitable for hunting small animals or birds. Manufacturers of arrows provide the possibility of turning hunting ammunition into sports ammunition - to do this, you just need to change the arrow tip. The threaded connection allows this to be done very quickly. A hunting arrow weighs from 30 to 35 grams, the length of such an arrow is from 45 to 50 cm. As a rule, the length of the feather of a hunting arrow is longer than that of a sports arrow, because the arrow needs to stabilize faster in flight to assume a firing position.
For fishing
Some shooters use a crossbow not only for hunting, but also for fishing. For fishing with a crossbow, harpoon arrows of a special needle-shaped shape are used, which allows the arrow to move in the water. At the end of a fishing arrow there is a hook to which a fishing line is attached. The other end of the fishing line is tied into the crossbow itself.
Found an error in the text? Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we will fix everything!Now it has become fashionable to hunt with a bow and crossbow. Although this is prohibited in our country, you can still shoot at targets by practicing this difficult task. You can make a crossbow with your own hands at home for training. After all, good models from well-known companies are very expensive. Or it can be made “for yourself”. It is worth remembering that if the weapon has a tension of more than 20 kg, then it is considered a cold weapon. Therefore, when creating a crossbow, it is worth considering this important nuance.
There are classic models, they look like ancient ones, and their design is simple. There are also modern crossbows, they are called "block" crossbows. Such weapons have a more complex design due to blocks and other innovations that enhance their power. It will be much more difficult to make such a crossbow at home, but the description of this process and the drawings, which will be detailed in the article, will help you with this.
The crossbow has many components:
some modern models have blocks at the ends of the bow.
trigger mechanism;
What to make a crossbow from
The main material from which a crossbow is made is wood. The stock and bow are made from it. The trigger mechanism in powerful samples is machined from iron. And those in which the tension force is less than 20 kg can be made of hard wood, it will withstand it quite well. Spring metal and various composites are also used for bows.
Regular crossbow made of wood
First, let's look at how easy it is to make a crossbow with your own hands, and let's start with its simple shape. This is a standard design for ancient weapons, and it can be used not only for shooting, but also as a spectacular piece of furniture when hung on the wall.
What wood to use
To create a crossbow you need to choose:
All of these rocks are dense enough to withstand the enormous stress that will be placed on the bow and crossbow stock.
Preparation of material
In order for a weapon to fire long and powerfully, its material must be properly dried for a year. Having cut the required trunk or branch, both cuts must be painted over. To do this, you can use any glue, paint or varnish. If you close the cuts in this way, moisture will not be able to quickly leave the workpiece, so the wood will dry more slowly and evenly. This way, internal cracks do not form in the material, and a crossbow made with your own hands at home will serve for a very long time.
After this, the log is placed in a dry place where the sun's rays will not fall on it. It should remain like this for a year. After time, the bark is removed from the workpiece, so it dries for another week. The log is then sawn in half. It sits like that for another week, only after that you can start creating a crossbow.
Tools for making a crossbow
Sandpaper of different grits.
Carpenter's cutter.
Chisel.
Making a bow
On the workpiece, choose the side in which the annual rings of the tree are thinner. This is the north side, the fibers on it are denser than in other parts. This is what we will use when creating a crossbow with our own hands at home. From this part you need to make a bow.
Mark the middle, put about two centimeters on both sides of it, marking the part that will be clamped in the crossbow stock. This will be the thickest part of the onion. They begin to cut the material from it, gradually moving towards the edges. They chip the workpiece gradually on both sides, checking until it begins to bend at least a little.
After this, you need to take a strong rope and make loops at its ends. This will be a test string. It is necessary to check the bow tension. It is very important that his shoulders bend evenly. By putting on an improvised bowstring and drawing the bow, you can see where to remove the material. They are marked and carefully cut with a knife. This must be continued until the product begins to bend evenly on both sides.
Knot processing
Very often there are knots on the material: some are visible immediately, others can open during the processing of the material. What makes them dangerous is that they can cause chips. Therefore, you need to treat such places with a well-sharpened knife. If you don't have confidence or experience, it's better to tinker a little longer and sand them down with sandpaper. You can also use a file for this purpose.
Bed
When the bow is ready, put it aside and begin making the stock. To begin with, they choose where there will be a groove through which the arrow will fly out, and make this place perfectly level. It will depend on him how accurately the crossbow will shoot. To understand everything, it is better to look at the drawing of the crossbow. How to make its stock is shown in detail here. After this, the gutter is cut to the required length. Usually it is about 30 cm. Then a recess is made for the bow and trigger mechanism. They are convenient to cut with a chisel and a carpenter's knife.
Trigger
As mentioned above, it can be made of dense wood or, if the crossbow is powerful, of metal. The most is the so-called “nut”. It consists of a cylinder, where on one side there is a hook for the bowstring, and on the other there is a stop for the trigger. In high-power crossbows, the trigger is more refined for an easier trigger pull when loaded.
We looked at it in detail, the Master class with drawings, we hope, will help you understand all the intricacies.
This is a common medieval model. Now we’ll find out how to make the same weapon, only a modern model.
Compound crossbow
Such a device is much more difficult to make; it will require many more tools than a regular one. So, we create a crossbow with our own hands at home from fiberglass. This material is ideal for making bows because it is tough and yet lightweight. It can be cut from a single piece of fiberglass 1 cm thick or you can make it yourself. If you’re not too lazy to tinker, it’s better to make it yourself.
Making fiberglass shoulders for a crossbow
You need to take fiberglass or Kevlar and cut it into strips. You need from 30 to 40 of them. In general, it is better to try everything experimentally. These strips are glued with epoxy resin so that everything becomes monolithic when it hardens. You also need to think about how to put this entire “sandwich” under the press. It is best to use boards, place the shoulders between them, and clamp everything with clamps.
There should be less thickener than usual, ranging from 8 to 10%. Everything hardens within 24 hours, but if the room is cold, the time may increase. When everything has hardened, the shoulders are finalized by cutting off the protruding edges with a knife and sanding with sandpaper.
Now we will look in detail at how to make a crossbow with your own hands at home and what additional elements of its design need to be made.
Making a figured bed
To do this, you need to take a board at least 4 cm thick. Mark where the butt, handle, trigger mechanism and mounts for the arms of the bow will be. In general, everything is according to the drawings. After this, you need to drill all the necessary holes and cut them out.
Blocks
They can be made from aluminum. It would be better if they were on bearings. The middle parts of roller skate wheels are perfect. They are strong enough to withstand heavy loads and are the perfect size. The axles for them need to be 5 mm thick. You can take them from rollers or make them yourself.
The fasteners are made of sheet steel or similar durable material. You can also make the ends of the bow arms thicker before pouring epoxy resin to install the blocks, in which case fastenings will not be needed.
After this, you need to install a trigger mechanism with a trigger and an arrow holder on the crossbow you made yourself at home. In general, all parts are connected with bolts; washers are always used. They will allow you to twist everything more tightly without damaging the material.
In compound crossbows, the bowstring is longer and is tensioned differently. It seems to cross, and when drawn, this system allows the arrow to give twice as much energy to flight as in the case of a conventional crossbow with the same bow.
In powerful block models, the bowstring is the only one capable of withstanding the enormous sharp pressure of a shot. In crossbows whose power is no more than 40-50 kg, it can be woven from nylon threads.
Making a bowstring for a crossbow
Using the described method, you can make a bowstring for both a recurve and a classic crossbow. It’s just that their length will be different due to the design features of both models.
They take a board the length of the planned bowstring, drive in two pegs, on which they are wound in a circle. When the thickness of this long oval becomes 5 mm, it is wound, making a gap of 2-3 mm between the turns. Near the pegs you need to braid without gaps, because there will be loops for hooking.
Regarding the bowstring, one can also say that if you make it too thick, the strength of the crossbow is reduced. However, thin ones can tear. So in this case you need to choose an intermediate thickness. It is better to study similar sports models with the same tension and make a bowstring of their thickness. When this is done, the two halves are joined and wrapped together. Again, special care is needed near the hinges. Then they wrap the middle where the string will catch and push the arrow. This place is also done carefully, because it will be subject to a tremendous frictional force. All cut edges of the threads must be coated with glue. This will make them denser and more monolithic.
This article presents drawings and a description of how to make a real crossbow at home. It's not that difficult, especially if you're making wooden weapons. If the product is manufactured for hunting in order to achieve enormous power, then you should choose a block model. Its design is a little more complicated; you may need a machine to make some parts.
Do you have an interest in medieval culture? Do you want to get a fashion accessory or amaze your friends with an exclusive souvenir? Have you decided to give an unusual gift to a loved one? Then you can easily make a magnificent crossbow right at home! This particular type of sporting weapon is now rapidly gaining popularity, and people are happy to purchase it for themselves as a souvenir, a catchy design element. Why do you need a bow, what to do with it? Here are just a few of the most common ways to use a crossbow.
- An excellent solution is to use a crossbow at shooting ranges. Here’s what an archery fan says: “You can organize accuracy competitions with friends, have fun shooting at targets, and organize role-playing games. A bow is always useful for such a hobby; it will help you develop attentiveness, the ability to concentrate, and react quickly.”
- Nowadays, crossbows are increasingly used for hunting. It is enough to load an arrow into such a bow and shoot accurately to become the happy owner of a partridge or hare.
- Crossbows are also in demand as sporting weapons. There are professional athletes who regularly take part in competitions and constantly train. They also often make bows with their own hands.
- The bow can be made the central detail of the interior. Designers note its versatility: “The crossbow looks amazing in any room. In the corridor he has a particularly menacing appearance, greeting everyone who enters the house. In the hall, it emphasizes solemnity and emphasizes the character of the owners. In the bedroom, the bow hints at a passionate relationship and the power of love. In the kitchen, a crossbow can easily be hung next to a painting dedicated to hunting, which depicts game.”
- More and more often, people buy and make crossbows with their own hands in order to please their acquaintances, friends, and colleagues with an unusual gift. Such a souvenir will be surprisingly original, will definitely come in handy and will evoke vivid emotions. It is especially appropriate to give a gift to a man.
Now that you know how useful onions are and how they can be used in different ways, it's time to familiarize yourself with the basic principles of making them. How to make a crossbow at home, what do you need to know so that it looks good, shoots well, and can become a worthy weapon, souvenir and accessory? We'll find out very soon. The algorithm and useful recommendations will help you.
Making a crossbow with your own hands
You will need to choose your wood well. You can’t take coniferous trees, too old, dry branches. A crossbow consists of three main elements. It is necessary to make a high-quality trigger mechanism, stock and arc. Act strictly according to the algorithm, do not confuse the steps. You will succeed!
- You need to make an arc. It is advisable to take yew, hazel or ash for her. The board should be smooth, without cross-layers and knots. Make the thickness approximately 2 cm. The piece of wood needs to be dried, kept for several days, and then cut evenly. The length of the arc is approximately 75 cm, the width can be made about 4 cm, the arc should gradually become thinner towards the edges. The thickness at the edges is 1.5 cm.
- Now you need to make a stock. For it you will need hardwood, which is quite hard. Take a board of such a size and shape that it is comfortable to hold in your hands. Remember that you need to make a special groove on one edge where the arc will be inserted.
- It's time to machine the groove for the arc. You need to make a hole for fastening from a rope at a distance of ten centimeters from the cut groove for the arc. Now insert the arc into the groove, and then secure it there with a rope. Now attach the bowstring to the ends of the bow using the cuts made for this. Draw the string as you would when shooting. You need to designate a point that is as far away as possible. Now determine the optimal size of the crossbow - it should be equal in length to your forearm.
- A responsible task is making the trigger mechanism for your bow. Previously, pin-type locks were made. You will have to become familiar with the distinctive features of such a mechanism. When you have already made a mark at the point of maximum tension of the bowstring, you need to drill a hole through there. A transverse recess must be made in the stock, in its upper part. Then attach the lever to the bottom of the crossbow. Most often, the axle is made of wood and attached with wire.
- Now the stock and lever need to be folded together. Secure the elements with rope. The lever should move on the axis with minimal friction.
- Now you need to make a small pin, thanks to which the string will be pushed out of the bow. The pin should be round, it is better to make it from oak. The pin will fit into the recess of the lock freely without getting stuck due to the fastening. When the lever is raised, the plane of the stock and its top edge should be level. It is the pin that will push the string out.
- You will need to make a special groove for the arrow. The recess runs from the top hole of the lock to the leading edge. The gutter should be laid at a shallow depth, about the size of a quarter of an arrow.
- Then it's time to process the details. You need to go over all the elements with sandpaper. Sometimes parts are coated with egg white, having previously dissolved it in water.
- Secure the arc in the groove using a strong rope. See if the lock works well. All elements must be finally adjusted so that the mechanism is as strong as possible.
