Handheld bamboo skewer pistol crossbow

Make a miniature crossbow that shoots bamboo skewers over 50 feet.

This instructable will show you how to build a miniature crossbow out of bamboo skewers, kite string, and a few other miscellaneous items.

Supplies:
- at least 10 bamboo skewers.
- kite string
- glue
- razor/blade/knife
- paper

I could write out a big warning, but I'm just going to say don't be a fucking douchebag and I don't think you'll hurt yourself. Be aware that you're constructing a device that hurls extremely pointy sticks through the air, and these extremely pointy sticks could probably pierce your eyeball and draw blood on exposed skin. Be aware that this device has the ability to misfire at any moment.

Step 1 Constructing the stock/tiller (the main piece of the crossbow)

Here you will learn a method for securing the various strings that you will tie to the pieces of your crossbow. Take 4 bamboo skewers. Make sure things are tied very tight.

1. Start by wrapping the string around a single skewer about 5 times.
2. Next, wrap the string around the skewer you just used, and the one right next to it, so that you have wrapped the string about 5 times around the group of two skewers.
3. Progress onto the next group of two skewers and wrap the string around them, you can either go in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
4. Repeat the process until you have made a full circle.
5. Finish by wrapping the string around all four skewers a few times and securing the string around a single skewer.
6. Repeat for the other side

The ends of the string may be glued down to prevent them from unfurling.

Comments

[hoshi_neon]

what's the difference with kite string and normal string? can we use normal string?

[tausil8]

NICE CROSSBOW!!!U CAN USE METALS FROM BROKEN UMBRELLAS!IT SHOOTS VERY FAR!!!I USED TO MAKE ONE OF THOSE!TRY IT IRTS MORE AWESOME!YOUR ARROWS SHOULD HAVE ONLY SMALL PAPER IN IT TO MAKE IT FLY FAST AND FAR!!!KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

[WhiteTigerTails]

Check your caps lock light. I think you need to replace yourself if it works.

[infinitig35]

LOL

[james.read]

wow

[plasmaspy]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. lol your the first person ive seen who writes in tengwar other than myself!!!!!!

[plasmaspy]

it says "all right man just listen" :)

[mindlessquuen]

i made it but mine didnt work to well and two of the skewers for the "bow" broke but stayed on because of string and now i just use rubber band and take the end of push pins to glue on end of bolts and they get left behind in target and bolt falls out so works pretty well

[kreeningsons]

Buy you're going against the purpose of this instructable. All the others just use rubber bands, this one uses kite string as the bowstring. In all the other instructables about crossbows the arrow is accelerated by the elasticity of rubber bands. With my design the arrow is propelled by the power of the actual bow, not the string, which is how actual crossbows work.

[littledragon]

I think, that the "feathers" of the bolts should be a bit smaller - not much, just a bit... P.S.: I had the same idea with the rubber band some months ago, when I constructed a small harpoon-shooter! oO Now I got holidays for two weeks, and I´m gonna build a bigger crossbow, I already got a good idea, so that I won´t need a rubber band... :-D Maybe I will make an Instructable - if it works good!

[hom3mad3wepsrule]

i made a bigger version with metal tips i got it to go through a 1/2 inch ply wood and halfway through my wall =o

[Hetzau]

Hm, im trying to make my own one too. But i have a problem, *i am using bamboo skewers* When i take four skewers and try to bend them, from the midpoint, the ends only go down like 1-2 cm. Nothing like it does in the first pic where the bending skewers are extreme.

Is the reason i cant bend it that much *i stop when i hear it crack btw* is because i havent wrapped it in anything yet?

Also, i am using 15 pount fishing line if that matters

[Hetzau]

Oh i see. I try that How should i stagger them though? Should i make it shortest going up to longest facing me if i was shooting the bow or make it so that the longest is facing me and then shortest is at the tip of the bow?

[kreeningsons]

I'm not really sure. I was going to draw a diagram but this is a little tricky because the bow consists of four skewers arranged in a square. I guess the best option would be having Two short skewers and two long ones, whether the short ones should be facing you or not would require some experimentation.

[kreeningsons]

Somebody suggested a while ago through the comments that if the skewers are staggered then they will be much more powerful because they will be able to bend more evenly, which would make sense because the bow on an actual crossbow is tapered. I think this might be the solution to your problem. Do some experiments with this and try to see if you can do any better.

[gunmanx]

ok i tried this with the normal bowsting and i couldent pull it like 2 inches away or it would snap can some one plzzzszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz help me plzzzzz

[kreeningsons]

http://www.instructables.com/id/EIJZT71F0R5WHQR/#
REPLY

Maybe just don't pull it back far enough to snap it.

[gunmanx]

watdya mean if i pull it back only 1 inch it will fire like 2 centimiters and wen i said snap i ment the bow would snap not the stirng

[kreeningsons]

Give the string more slack, maybe?

[gunmanx]

ok i tried that i made a supersharp arrow and went hunting (evil grin) my moms peach tree atracks many birds so i tested this crossbows worthyness i sat at my porch and aimed for like 3 mintus and finaly shot the burd and the arrow went threw its head and killed him instently man this crossbow is as monster its the most powerfuliest weapon i ever made :)

[X_D_3_M_1]

yay kill the birds. they always wake me up on weekends >.<

[gunmanx]

lol yeah i killed like 2 more until i got it tooken away lol

[killer k]

mabey it might work but i hav to build it again i burned mine :P

[X_D_3_M_1]

the first time i tried it, FAILURE. the second time, i wrapped the whole bow and did it all nicely, it barely shot... the bow curves to much and doesnt spring back.

[kreeningsons]

Are you using skewers made out of bamboo for this? Maybe yours are too thin, and you could try using more than four on the bow. I can't imagine why this would happen though. The bow wears out after a while, but you just have to reposition the trigger further back. If you're not pulling the bow back enough, the sweet spot is right where the skewers begin to crack to right before they will break. You should be able to tell.

[X_D_3_M_1]

i used the ones from wal mart. i guess its just me.

[PyroPower]

man thats realy cool keep up the good work.

[my_2_cents]

very niec work but when i cant get my bow to stick to the vertical stick. i used kites string too but it seemed to hard for it to stick on. it would just slide off.:( can u plz plz plz help?

[kreeningsons]

In other parts of this project you can keep wrapping string until it sticks, but if you want to attach the bow to the stock you need to lash it correctly. Here's some more detailed instructions on square lashing. http://www.ropeworks.biz/reader/squarlas.pdf

[TheGenral]

Not bad, I was able to create a crossbow similar to this, only larger. I based it's design lightly on yours, only I used full-size bamboo shafts that grow in my back-yard and spare guitar-string I had laying around, I'll be sure to post it as soon as I finish the instructable so you can check it out.

[my_2_cents]

very niec work but when i cant get my bow to stick to the vertical stick. i used kites string too but it seemed to hard for it to stick on. it would just slide off.:(

[Tvman]

I got mine taken away yesterday by my parents :( appearantly shooting pictures of people at a cardboard box isnt allowed :( (P.S. MAKIN A NEW ONE MORE POWERFUL!!!!!!) Lets hope this one doesnt get taken away >:D

[Tvman]

Hey one more thing just a tip on cutting the bamboo skewer use needle nose plyers you know where the wirecutters are use those they work great and there fast and eazy they dont cut you too :)

[Tvman]

i made mine with rubber bands shish kabob thingys and sowing string (i need to glue it down the ends are coming loose) and it turned out fine kicks some major ass too im still playing with it :) 10 hours later.......wow this thing hurts alot if you shoot it into your leg...15 hours later... whats this little hole thing in my arm?....30 hours later.....................................ow my brain hurts :D

[Tvman]

SWEET!!!!!!!!! I JUST MADE ONE AWSOME!!!!!! DUDE THE THING STICKS IN YOUR WALL CUZ ITS SO POWERFUL!!!!! I MADE THE SLING WITH A REALLY THICK RUBBER BAND WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!! ok..now for somthing important Whereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee areeeeeee youuuuuuuuuu Johnnyyyyyyyy >x]

[T3h_Muffinator]

Supersweet!! I've made rubberband guns out of chopsticks, but didn't even think of making a crossbow out of bamboo skewers!! Now... where's the nearest bamboo skewer mart? (Where can I get some?)

[kreeningsons]

You should be able to get bamboo skewers at any reasonably sized supermarket. They're used for making shish kabobs.

[joemonkey]

i think ill dedicate this comment to whoever created shish cabobs!SHISH CABOBS!!!!!WOOOOO!!!

[metallica_fan]

i have one question, how do u shoot the crossbow? i made everything but am dumbfounded at how to shoot it, u also left it out of the instructable (unless i missed something)

[T3h_Muffinator]

OOOH! Those are made out of bamboo?? I always thought they were just "super sized toothpicks" Well, off to the supermarket I go!