Pencil Crossbow

This is my entry in the Instructables Launch It Contest.

It is a simple and powerful pencil shooter/crossbow

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Step 1: Safety Gear

You WILL NEED safety equipment when building and using this device.

When building this device you WILL NEED safety goggles when using the saw and the Exacto knife

When firing this device you WILL NEED safety goggles.

Above all: use common sense.
Don't fire things at the cat.
Don't aim things at your self.
Don't give this to someone that you would not trust with a book of matches.

DeHeld8 says: Dec 19, 2010. 3:39 AM

This is no crossbow but a catapult. The defenition of a (cross)bow is that the potential kenetic energy is stored in the elastic limbs of the bow, and not in the elastic string.

Secondly if it were a bow that stores elastic energy in it's limbs, this would be a bow and not a crossbow. Becouse the defenition of a crossbow is a bow mounted on a stave with a mechanical device to hold and release the string. while this device lacks such a stock and triggerdevice.

cybus says: Aug 16, 2009. 7:49 AM

thats bull in your video you probably just had the pencil there cause there were no waves from the pencil in that pool

marc92 (author) in reply to cybusAug 16, 2009. 10:31 AM

Actually, you are wrong. The pencil did fly over the building, and it did, in fact, land in the pool. You could not see any waves because (a) they were very small and dissipated before the camera got to the pool; and (b) the camera filmed in very poor quality. To give an idea of how much power this device had, the pencil with the elastic snapped because of the force applied by the elastics. Cheers!

HardCoreHacker says: May 17, 2009. 11:42 AM

Ignorance, ignorance, ignorance... This is not a crossbow at all. In fact, this is a shortbow on its side. On a full scale size, a bow of any kind can perform better at certain shots, possible aim, and trajectory for beginners I'm not sure exactly how you would make a real crossbow with pencils but you would need more than one pencil. In fact, I'm sure, for a simple crossbow, you would need at least five pencils. One for the stock, one, possibly two, for the lathe, something for a the catch, one for a trigger, and another for a bolt. and thats a simple one... a full one would include a crannequin and stirrup

shrek150 says: Mar 26, 2009. 11:08 AM

big 10-4 ya pile o monkey nuts

Jcd1230 says: Feb 8, 2009. 5:56 AM

Yesterday I made a really good crossbow, it doesnt get very good distance, but thats just because i messed up the rubber band and it is kinda loose, but it has a trigger mechanism allowing for easy firing, and I put in a crosshair XD. Im going to post it on instructables soon, when i have the time. By the way, that little crossbow has some insane power for being so small.

roller25 says: Nov 26, 2008. 12:43 PM

i have a improvement that might be a little better and durable

roller25 in reply to roller25Nov 26, 2008. 7:19 PM

mi pic is da crossbow

experimental pyrotechnician says: Oct 19, 2008. 7:57 AM

how could this be entered in the launch it contest youre not launching it your shooting it!!!!!!!!!!!gosh

marc92 (author) in reply to experimental pyrotechnicianOct 19, 2008. 9:29 AM

Launch, shoot, throw, hurl, they are all the same. And, they let me in the contest, which is now over.

GameFreak054 says: Oct 8, 2007. 3:55 PM

omg this took you 2 hours this thing totally sucks. you are definetely going to win the instructables take flight contest go 25mm sniper rifle that thing is a beast and a made one

marc92 (author) in reply to GameFreak054Oct 8, 2007. 4:12 PM

It took me two hours including making the video, Instructable, and the bow. I should have been more specific in the video. And try using spell check and proof reading because you contradict yourself. And also, the Launch It contest is over, and I DID win.

DELETED_craz meanman in reply to marc92Jun 24, 2008. 10:52 PM

(removed by author or community request)

marc92 (author) in reply to DELETED_craz meanmanJun 25, 2008. 6:48 AM

Lol

DELETED_craz meanman in reply to marc92Jun 25, 2008. 9:54 PM

(removed by author or community request)

marc92 (author) in reply to DELETED_craz meanmanJul 2, 2008. 12:09 PM

Lol. Great.

Aburame Shino says: Dec 16, 2007. 10:14 AM

L0L. My friend and I would jack some pencils from around the school and pry off the metal and erasers. We had a whole army of erasers. =P It was fun, those days.