Toothpick Firing Pocket Crossbow (No Rubber Bands!!)

Intro: Toothpick Firing Pocket Crossbow (No Rubber Bands!!)

I've recently built this little crossbow out of more things laying around at home. It's a smaller, and less powerful version of my other pocket crossbows posted here: https://www.instructables.com/id/Tension-pocket-crossbow-No-rubber-bands-or-cloth/

After building and playing with those, I decided I wanted something that could fire toothpicks. Not something that smashed my toothpicks to bits as they hit the wall. Something with less power, and something that won't have a high chance of breaking in my pocket. I've built plenty of Peg guns out of cloths pins, but I wanted a crossbow, and one that didn't use a rubber band as it's source of power. So, with my other crossbows in mind, I made some changes. The bow got smaller, I added some rigs to hold the crossbow together while in my pocket, I created a case, and I made it storeable. When in the case it's slightly larger than a tube of chap stick. But only so I know which one is my chap stick.

I am in NO WAY responsible for what you do if you decide to try and re-create what I have here! Keep it safe, don't point ANY fire arm (in this case crossbow) at ANY living creature! Unless it's a plant, or bug. Bug hunting can be quite fun.

As for the stock, it's made out of popsicle sticks, hot glue, pieces of paper clips, duct tape, and Q-tips. 

The bow is made out of a steel blowdart with the sharp tip cut off, jewelers wire, and jewelers crimps.

I modded my bolts to contain steel tips, this added to the accuracy, and power. At far distances the tape on the ends of the bolts can cause the bolts to fail to maintain a straight trajectory. But what do you expect? They're tooth picks.

The case is made out of an old marker, cut into 3 pieces, taped together, and a wire around it to keep it closed.

As far as i've seen, this is the only real toothpick crossbow, and the only real pocket crossbow. All of the other "Pocket Crossbows" I've seen utilize rubber bands, and would crumple to pieces if you put it in your pocket. (I am of course not counting the one created by the jeweler, T. Shamir.) But, I could be wrong. I'm interested to see anything that doesn't use rubber bands and is small. So if you know of one, please post a link.

Comments

[colt1005]

How do make it

[Noodle Lord]

can you tell me how to make it? I want to know

[BatchDesigner]

i have a rubber band sniper that usually leave a huge welt from 5 feet away or less :P not a really good one

[buildit12]

How do u make it
Show the instructions please

[VangaurdOfTheMasonOrder]

Where did you get the wire and crimps

[lamp3345]

Show trigger pleas

[Dom Toretto]

Whats the ible called an did u make it yet

[Geoffers]

how can I make on

[lglennon]

Please

[lglennon]

Just show us howwww to make one

[Gentlemen...]

Im making it, i get every thing EXCEPT the firing mechanism, Can you explain it? All other crossbows or slingbows ive seen uses clothespins, which obviously wont fit in this

[snowfalcon1]

I have made a 25 foot SIAWF (Stick In A Wooden Fence) range crossbow that uses rubber bands AND won't crumple in pockets. Mission accomplished.

[Slurpee801]

That's a great concept and all except... It's not a crossbow. A crossbow doesn't utilize rubber bands. That would be a slingshot shaped like a crossbow. You make it sound like mine will crumble in my pocket. Yet it's been months since I've crafted this and after said time in my pockets it still works flawlessly. Let me know how long that rubber band lasts. ;). Also, this wasn't built for power. It was designed to be portable and more to scale.

[snowfalcon1]

i wasn't implying that yours would crumple, but you said that you hadn't seen any others that didn't. the bands do have to be replaced periodically, but it is sparse. i actually designed it after seeing yours and thinking ,"shoot- i don't have that kind of wire!" thanks for the inspiration.

Snowfalcon Industries

[Dastan1996]

About an year ago, I made, for the same reasons (pocket/cool/non rubber band) a small (10cm) wooden (Half a clothespin) crossbow, which propels the darts through an iron hairpin and some nylon wire: I smoothed and curved the hairpin, then heated the central part, then I put it on the clohespin; for the trigger I used a pen clip (the internal part, the one you have to release by pressing on the pocket-clip).
I guess the nylon wire didn't work out too well, since it recently broke... I'm not sure I explained myself, it's late and I'm writing on my tiny iPod virtual keyboard (I hate you, Apple), but I wanted to share my project: I loved yours! (maybe I'll post a couple of images in the next days)

[ThatKnottyguy]

I want a how-to NOW! NOW! And thats an order;)

[gadgetmaster363]

sooooo coool make a how to

[levelupsam]

can you send these steps in a DIY how to make it?

[Slurpee801]

I'll have a how-to-ible as soon as I have time to make one. I've just been too busy to make another one of these.

[RSV26]

i want one of thoes