Ultimate Crossbow V2

Intro: Ultimate Crossbow V2

It took me long enough to find time to post it, but here it is, the V2 crossbow improved on all aspects. It can use thick rubberbands as well, because it has two strings.
I won't explain all steps in detail, but in return I made clear pictures showing what to do in order.

The main thing about this crossbow is the trigger, which improves and replaces the old design.
This crossbow is not meant for 250+ feet ranges or something ridiculous, its shooting about 120 feet depending on how long the middle piece is. Power is alright, shoots easily through cardboard.

Pro's:

Very compact
Doesn't have exotic pieces/broken pieces
Lightweight
Very low amount of friction adds to arrow acceleration

Con's:

Reduced range/power due to being smaller

STEP 1: Piece Count!

Starting with the 'fun'part, collecting pieces.

Counts in text because pictures seem a bit vague:

Small Wheels:-------------------4
Blue Spacers:--------------------22
Wide Spacers:-------------------18
Yellow Connectors:-------------65
Dark Grey Connectors:---------5
Green Connectors:--------------16
Red Rods:--------------------------22
Blue Rods:-------------------------36
White Rods:------------------------98
Light Grey Connectors:----------7
Blue Connectors:-----------------18
White Connectors:----------------16
Purple Connectors:---------------16
Red Connectors:------------------19
Yellow Rods:-----------------------12
Green Rods:------------------------122 

STEP 2: The Bow

Just follow the pictures.

STEP 3: Middle Piece

The middle piece, often referred to as handle.

STEP 4: The Trigger

Time for some hard stuff.

STEP 5: Assembly

Yay you get to put it together!

STEP 6: Finished!

Go and shoot some stuff! If not satisfied with the range, just make it longer ^^

I just keep recycling that ammo picture xd

PS: I'm gonna have a small war soon, see picture =d
PSS: Phone camera didn't do too bad =o

Comments

[danroy99]

First of all, great gun 5*. Just 1 thing. Is there a way to brace the what you call "handle" of the crossbow? Because when I load it the handle snaps and the whole thing explodes and almost kills me. Thanks to anyone who helps.

[Wicky]

Yeah, dangerous stuff =d

This 'handle' (dunno what to call it) is not meant for extreme amounts of tension.
You could look at the other instructables I made and see if there is a way to reinforce that part, like adding more layers.

[spacebanaan]

Ooh men, it's awesome!

[giomavvi]

Crossbow + knex = Awesome!

[giomavvi]

Awesome corssbow man!

[Knex_Gun_Builder]

I made it, and it is awesome! it gets a confirmed 150 feet(from a laser rangefinder) with 2 strings of #32 's, So I was satisfied with it for about a day, but then I had the urge to modify it, so I put the 3 shot mod on it, and a middle barrel panel, and it works like a charm! It doesn't shoot quite as far as the single shot, but it has the cool factor! I might write a review if I get to doing it, overall, another awesome crossbow wicky, 5 stars and well done!

[matgag]

I tried to shoot with the arows that have blue rods but they're too short and the tip actually gets in the way...

[Wicky]

Have you tried putting the rubberbands in the small triangle grooves close to the rod? Thats where I usually place the bands.

[matgag]

That's not what I meant. I meant you know those arrows made with the short blue shaft? Well when I try to load them the red connector at the head gets in the way and I can't reach the place I need to reach on the trigger to lock it in place, so I can't get a good shot as I can't reach the trigger with it so it doesn't hold still and I can't put the rubber bands. Here is a picture of what I mean:

[Wicky]

Ow yeah that! I forgot that that does not fit. I had that same picture on a different instructable where it did fit. I don't recommend shorter arrows anyway, they seem to fly very oddly =s

[matgag]

Well I think shorter arrows are better because they shoot a lot harder and faster...

[Wicky]

Yeah, but tend to have less weight behind them, I just make the weapon itself longer to max out the rubberband tension.

[matgag]

I don't really get what you mean. My shots are much more accurate when i use the arrows with yellow shafts because the other arrows go down because theyre heavy...

[Wicky]

I never put much thought behind the arrows. You could very well be right, but the red rod connectors are just what I have always used.

[matgag]

I just tried and the arrow with a red shaft is more accurate but slightly less powerful, so both are really good. About the arrow with the gray connector, it really is too weak both in power and accuracy.

[matgag]

I need to know how to fire it... In my opinion, it's the only thing that is missing in this tutorial, even though for some it could seem obvious.

[Wicky]

Do you see the top red connector on this picture? (The horizontal one) Between that and the white connector sits the back of the arrow. (A gray connector). And the two strings of rubberbands, hook to the top and bottom of the red connector on the arrow.

[matgag]

Thank you very much. I tried it and my reaction was "Wow! That fires really hard!".

[scaryboo]

I haven't found out how to shoot with it

[welwyn]

hey Wicky, I built this last night and was shocked by the power of it! so I did what all knex weapon builders do. Make it more powerful ofc. First I doubled up the elastic bands, I added them as 2 extra strands for custom strengths. Where you had the wheels in a grey S,blue S, blue S, wheel, blue S, blue S, wheel, grey S grey S grey S blue S from bottom to top I have blue S, wheel, grey S, wheel, grey S, wheel, grey S, wheel, blue S , blue S. doing that I can use either 2 strings and have normal power or I can have 4 strings and double the power. This came with some problems as in firstly it would pull the bow apart when the bands got tight. I fixed that with an extra front bar. as in an extra yellow rod with connectors each side to hold it onto the frame. Then came the harder part with the arrows, unless I used a grey rod it pulled the arrows apart! now I like to use red rods outside as they are easier to find ( oh and its more powerful as they have to pull strings back further!) so I remade the arrow into a super strong arrow with a flight style rear section. ( I shall take some pics tomoz to post links to on here) The new arrow didnt fit in your trigger section so I had to rebuild that too wider and more reinforced as the bow pulled that apart too... I completed it with a safer actual trigger, when i put the older bow down when loaded it would sometimes fire . so I remade that so it pulls down further so when its laid down it cant fire. I now have a bow that can fire into plaster and with a sharpened end to the arrow it gets stick inside the plaster. It can pierce cardboard with the flat arrow.. not been outside to check the range yet but judging from the tests so far.. its a beast! As I say I shall try and take some photos of this tomoz and post them up, maybe even a firing video if I can and the phone quality isnt too bad ( its 8 mb camera so it should be fine) Hope the message wasnt too long, i just got excited after i fired it and had to tell you!