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paper crossbow

This is my first instructable, so if it sucks, go cry somewhere that won't develop a water spot. Just kidding!
This is really simple and super cheap.

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Step 1Supplies

all you need:

bamboo skewers
rubberband(s)
plastic bendy straw
paper
tape or glue
scissors

Sorry for the bad pictures. My camera is crazy.

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42 comments

1-40 of 42

Jan 10, 2009. 2:35 PMbylerfamily says:

What is mythbusters.

May 11, 2011. 5:02 PMbutterdeath says:

OMFG!!! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT MYTHBUSTERS IS?

Jul 15, 2009. 5:02 PMCapt. Kidd says:

*GASP* _{^{*GASP*_{^{_^..GASP..^..}}}}

Jul 15, 2009. 5:04 PMCapt. Kidd says:

_{^{_{^{_{^{_^gasp}}}}}}

Jan 30, 2009. 2:46 PMCapt. Fat says:

Myth busters is a tv show on discovery channel. It involves trying to bust certain myths like the rocket car, canadians flying to the united states illegally in giant catapults.etc. its wicked. Also they did the paper cross bow(a bigger one than above).

Jun 6, 2010. 10:05 PMnutsandbolts_64 says:

It's time to advertise!!! Although I have to admit I need to step things up a notch. And even more to the power level of this one (I admit this is better than my last ones). 4 *'s

May 13, 2010. 11:15 AMTotti11 says:

i dont think it is good

kidding it is so cool

Feb 25, 2010. 6:19 AM-KungPow- says:

i made this one last night just slightly different. i had two straws ontop of each other and i taped it then put a skewer through one of them and attach a rubber band. OMG it works great! thank you!

May 6, 2009. 6:06 AMblard says:

awsome nic pichture

Jun 12, 2009. 5:44 AM9.6 Volts says:

extremely similar to this.

Dec 1, 2008. 6:33 PMSittingduck14 says:

umm... they said "don't try this at home". geez you guys. way to go it safe.

Jul 19, 2007. 5:40 PMmusicman386 (author) says:

since this instructable is mythbuster related... Whats everyones favorite mythtacular episode? even though that is kinda a tough question... i have to say that mine is the one where Adam and Jamie see who is the best mythbuster via spiders, snake, paintballs, etc.

Aug 8, 2008. 10:47 AMCerranuss says:

yeah. me too jamie kept hitting adam in the same place!! but then agan i liked the brown note episode

May 23, 2008. 6:32 PMgibsonlp96 says:

that's a trick question... there is NO SUCH THING as the BEST MythBusters episode

Oct 13, 2008. 7:04 PMdnsd99 says:

gibsons right they are all really good there is no question about it unless ur a morron

Sep 18, 2007. 5:21 PMgotja says:

lol he had 3 bely buttons hmm thats not a great paper cross bow i acutaly made one that was about the speed of adams and it was all paper (exept ofchours teh elastic/ rubber band some plastic like he used

Jan 20, 2007. 3:49 PMb-dog132 says:

booooring

Jul 13, 2008. 9:03 AMgibsonlp96 says:

if it is so booooring, then why did you look at the instructable, he did a great job

Jul 28, 2008. 7:47 PMFreshPineSent says:

How the hell was he supposed to know if it was boring without looking at it?

Jul 15, 2008. 1:55 PMdanny123456 says:

booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooring ***********************************************

Jul 29, 2007. 6:36 PMjoemonkey says:

musicman, would u mind if i modded this to make a new, mor powerful crossbow? im thinkin a lot of rubberbands, a pistol-grip and a trigger system! and ill color it in stealth black!

Jan 18, 2008. 8:39 AMultimate_sniper says:

ye i saw it too

Nov 28, 2007. 3:35 PMgov31 says:

I made it but the rubber band had to be replace by a string

Aug 21, 2007. 7:10 PMBrandon123 says:

WHAT EPISODE? IS it on mythbusters?

Jun 9, 2007. 9:34 AMaaronb525 says:

I also saw this on mythbusters (good idea adam and jamie)

Jun 9, 2007. 8:48 AMkid123 says:

I saw that yesterday.GO MYTHBUSTERS

May 4, 2007. 8:34 PMMr. Chips says:

yeah I saw that episode. I love that show. i made my own paper cross bow at home.

Apr 17, 2007. 9:23 PMmatt_the_awsome says:

mine shot petty good.a idea maybe useful:you dont have to use a bendy straw just get a regular one.:-)

Nov 4, 2006. 8:30 PMazn1stknightsoul says:

They did something similar to this on Mythbusters. Needless to say, it seemed a lot sturdier than yours. No offense intended.

Mar 6, 2007. 8:57 AMpooboy says:

how come i've never seen that episode

Nov 4, 2006. 11:26 PMFrenchCrawler says:

It the one where they were showing how the prisoners were able to make weapons in their cells using only the supplies that the guards have to give to them (at least until they make weapons out of them)...

Mar 8, 2007. 6:24 PMcowscankill says:

yeah... out of newspaper

Mar 18, 2007. 8:17 AMcasvandegoor says:

If they had two pens, they could make one out of it: simple pen cross-bow

(not really to kill someone, but funny to make)

Feb 28, 2007. 10:17 PMspartin117 says:

whats with you and chop sticks no offens or anything just wondering

Dec 30, 2006. 8:48 AMprojectile fanatic says:

hey guys i have also made a crossbow instructable, and im pretty sure that thi one is cool even though ive not made it myself, if you ever want to try mine out type in cross bow and look for the one made by projectle fanati, like c ya L8r mates

Jan 4, 2007. 6:14 PMZetheros says:

I made this, but improvised: I used a BIC mecanical pencil and made one of those simple pen guns but got a stick and placed it in a cross so it works alot better, and it doesn't bend in the middle if the rubberband misses :)

Dec 19, 2006. 2:56 PMgunmanx says:

wow this looks like lots of fun.. in till it breaks lol jkjk

Dec 15, 2006. 6:11 PMdisco diva says:

i modafied mign so it can shoot up to 50 feet

Nov 25, 2006. 11:26 AMBad Donut says:

pretty kewl for a first instructable.

Nov 14, 2006. 7:15 PMmusicman386 (author) says:

yes i saw that episode, but this is sturdier and does fire pretty well. It's not supposed to be great. I literally spent like 2 dollars on this. PLUS I can make one in about 2 or 3 minutes.

1-40 of 42