Introduction: How to Make a Stronger Crossbow
This instructable explains the 'basics' of making yourself a home-made crossbow. Feel free to experiment and comment!
Step 1: Materials
For this crossbow, you need some rubber bands, a clothespin, a ton of pospicle sitcks, some skewers or straight, small peices of wood and a peice of wood about 45 cm X 10 cm X 2 cm. It doesnt really matter exactly. As tools you need a saw and some wood glue.
Step 2: Cut the Wood
To cut your wood you need your wood and a saw. First you measure about half way up and an inch in and cut to those. I have an extra cut due to a failed aiming system.
Step 3: Make the Bow and String
All you need to do to make your string is to have your string (about 6 feet or so) and cut it into thirds. Then with that you make a braid by doing the over-in technique (have all three pieces together at once and take an outside peice and cross it over the middle piece to make it he middle piece and repeat with the other side). Then make a loop with a larks head knot and attach it to the side of the bow.
Then onto the Bow. You need your popsicle sticks, wood glue and tape. Take your first popsicle stick and glue them together overlapping. Then let everything dry. Then you need to just start adding on popsicle sticks with tape at the weekest points and where it may bend more to stiffen it.
Step 4: Make Your Cocking and Aiming Devices
For this step all you need are the straight wood skewers or peices of something. You get out your wood glue again and just glue the skewers on the very edge of the top. If you use pointy skewers you have to make sure the point is facing away from the side with the cut in it so the string will slide easily accross the breaks.
For the aiming device you have the clothespin and rubber bands. Put the clothespin on the back of the piece if wood. Then simply put all your rubber bands around the head or jaws to increase pressure on the jaws.
Step 5: The Arrow and Firing!
All you need for the arrow is a straight dowel or garden stake. Then point it with something if you wish and attach the "feathers" which i made out of paper.
Then if you really want to get a long rubber band and put the rubber bands to ends around the bow that's on the wood already. Then have the two center points on the rubber band on the back so it holds the bow in place a little. I never use that because it's just easier to hold with my fingers.
When you are ready to fire,string your bow with the peice of string, then place the bow on the front so it is in the corner of the cut you made. Then pull the string back so it is held by the clothespin. Then place your arrow in front of the clothespin and point and shoot.
28 Comments
8 years ago on Step 5
since the arrow isnt secured wont in fall off?
14 years ago on Step 5
how far I mean does it shoot
Reply 8 years ago on Step 5
100m
12 years ago on Introduction
this would be considered a toy, correct? i will demonstrate to you the great power of madd. i will create a instructable for something much more how should i say ? Effective. none the less , this is generally amusing to a child , good day sir.
12 years ago on Introduction
hye....if you use a guitar string.....its srong than any wire or rubber
13 years ago on Introduction
Oh, and btw, email me for my design, i also know how to make bows, arrows, catapolts, but they r my designs and not yet perfected. Email4cody@yahoo.com
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
try using one or two or maybe even 3 camping bed legs for a bow. i tried with one as i only have one, and it was quite powerful but not powerful enough but the bed leg does not loose its shape or springliness. i could not get the bed leg to stop twisting in the stock. but two or 3 strapped together may give a flatter surface to fasten to the stock, but it may be very difficult to load.
13 years ago on Introduction
Sorry, but i think i will stick to my design, it will easily kill things, but hard to relode.
14 years ago on Step 5
how does it shoot
14 years ago on Introduction
you should use bamboo cane instead of loli sticks for the bow
14 years ago on Introduction
kudos on the bolt. simple idea, ive been using dowels and garden stakes as arrows for a long time but i never came up w/ using paper fletching before. good idea
14 years ago on Introduction
lame
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
The bow par could be a lot better.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
to steady the aim try to make a stock from something in my experience a 2 by 4 cut into the general shape of a stock then smoothed out works pretty well.
14 years ago on Introduction
can it kill a rabbit?
16 years ago on Introduction
Very nice idea, i tried making one with a coat hanger as a bow and rubber bands for a string. What kind of string did you use for yours?
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Coat Hanger and rubber bands wont work. Elastic bands belong to slingshots, not bows. Also, the Coat hanger metal tends to stay bent.
Reply 16 years ago on Introduction
want realism? go back to the early times and use sinew!
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
What would be better is linen cord. Much stronger, lighter and it won't stretch over time.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
yeah, but what fun is it if you don't get to yank the feet off of the dead corpses of birds!?!