Last week I offered to help a coworker by making a prop for their kid's Halloween costume. I then realized Halloween was that upcoming weekend.

Crap!

Supplies

A piece of 2" x 4" (Approx. 3')

Multi-Purpose HVAC Foil Tape

Drywall screws

Washers

3M Super 77 Multi-Purpose Spray Adhesive

Plastic lid from a large Sterelite container (WHAT?!)

Rope (thought it was 1/4" but it may have been 1/8" thickness) - Not standard clothesline. Bright, white nylon

Brown acrylic paint

Sponge

Water

EVA foam floor mat

Step 1: Roblox Killer Rabbit

The child was going as a Roblox Killer Rabbit. I had heard of Roblox but not the specific character of the Killer Rabbit. She texted me a photo.

Step 2: Research

So I did my standard internet research looking for pictures of crossbows.

Step 3: Pattern

I love that we live in a day and age where you can just type "crossbow pattern" into a browser and PRESTO you have a crossbow pattern. I looked at several patterns and created my own simplified version of a pattern for the body of the crossbow,

Step 4: Transfer

I printed out the pattern, assembled it and transferred the pattern to a length of 2" x 4". I wanted it to be a little more solid so I just lined up the bottom of the pattern with the bottom of the 2" x 4" and traced it onto the wood. With the oldest, dullest band saw blade I had available I cut out the shape.

Step 5:

With the same dull band saw blade I notched out the area where the bow would be inserted. Nice and square (NOT!).

Step 6:

With my table saw a sliced up the lid of a large Sterelite storage container for the bow. I liked the way that interior locking piece made a sort of stylized component to the bow and I drilled a hole and notched it to denote where the bow string would go. I also cut two strips of floor matting that I would attach to give the bow thickness. I just srayed both pieces with 3M Super 77 and put them together.

Step 7: Staining

I did a super simple stain job on the body of the cross bow. Instead of a lengthy, actual staining process, I just squeezed some brown acrylic paint onto the wood and rubbed it in with a piece of sponge. A lot of times I need to spray the item down with water but the wood just ate up the paint and it spread very smoothly showing the nice highlights of the wood grain.

I attached the bowline rope by making miniature lasso's on each end.

The tautness of the rope is the only thing that gives the bow it's shape.

I secured the line with a drywall screw and a washer, making it look like it was slightly cocked.

Step 8: Cocking Stirrup Creation

Yes, I just had to do an internet search for "pieces of a crossbow" to find out the name of that thing at the bottom of a crossbow that you put your foot in to pull the string back and cock the bow.

The cocking stirrup.

I had originally cut the plastic strips and foam for the cocking stirrups to be the same width as the bow, but it was too tight of a fit and didn't look right so I randomly cut them cut them down, probably to an inch.

I connected the foam to the plastic strip with the 3M Super 77.

I just eyeballed and cut out the angles to form the triangle. Covered one side with the foil tape and trimmed. Covered the other side and the sides with the foil tape and trimmed.

I then attached the triangle shape to main body of the crossbow with another drywall screw and a washer on each side.