A must read!
Making homemade weapons, in particular crossbows and bows, less often knives, are usually engaged in teenagers and young people up to twenty, twenty-three years old. Older people prefer buy factory-made branded weapons. However, there are exceptions.
For example, an older person may be fascinated self-made weapons at the level of hobby and collecting. But more often than not, his passion for becoming closer to professional work, as it is not a one-time impulse. According to statistics, this site is visited mainly by young people from fourteen to twenty-eight years old (according to Yandex metrics). They are mainly interested methods and methods of making any homemade weapon.
However, with an unprofessional attitude to the subject of interest and a lack of technical skills, the creation of homemade products can lead to undesirable traumatic situations that can harm the health and even, in some cases, the life of young experimenters. Therefore, if you are on fire with the idea, by all means purchase one of types of permitted weapons, then it is better to buy it in a store, or contact a qualified specialist. Of course, in this case, certain costs will be required, but they are not as critical as it seems at first glance. That is, your health is much more expensive than a certain amount of money spent on buying, for example, a crossbow.
Naturally, not all young people have available funds for the purchase of weapons, and not everyone has the right to use it, even if it belongs to the category of sports, due to their age. Therefore, in specialized stores it can only be sold to a person who has reached the age of majority and has an appropriate document authorizing the purchase and use of weapons for personal purposes.
Otherwise, the case with online gun shops, for which it does not matter to whom weapons are sent, and all surveys during registration have a formal look. But as mentioned above, adolescents under the age of eighteen rarely have their own income and therefore in most cases sporting weapon is acquired with the knowledge of the parents and with their direct participation.
More for fans of ready-made stock drawings
Please note that the crossbow is made “from the bow”. That is, what kind of bow is, the crossbow will be adjusted to its parameters, because each bow has its own unique parameters - the pulling force, the length of the pull, the length of the shoulders, finally. Further, the castle also meets the given requests, it has its own geometry and it may not always be suitable for the desired type of box. So there is no point in such drawings and they can only be considered as an illustration for understanding the general principle of the layout of parts.
Some features of the manufacture of stocks for crossbows deserve closer attention, allowing you to save material and nerves. When making a stock for a compound bow, please note that the groove in it for the intersecting sections of the bowstring must be extended towards the lock, since when pulled, the ends of the bow with blocks are bent back. Sometimes an incorrect cut causes a radical change in the location of the nodes, which entails a change in the design of the product as a whole, sometimes not for the better. Do not forget to leave at least a millimeter in reserve. By milling, you can only set the initial shape, for example, of the key groove, and finally finish it with the help of a small chisel and files with needle files.
A small note about the final processing of stocks
The question is often asked about where to get the drawings of the stock, the stock can be made even from the leg of a chair, but the crossbow itself, in the end, should not be just a designer of ridiculous details, but should be a product made in the same style. For example, crossbows in the style of the Middle Ages with a powerful bow, forged fittings, a rigid lock and a rough wooden stock look holistically and balanced; or a light and elegant sports crossbow with optics, a thin and biting bow, an anatomical stock; not to mention the futuristic crossbows with polished metal surfaces, laser pointer, titanium-cast stock and super complex lock. In other words, the final finish depends on your taste, but remember that it will be judged by your crossbow.
More about guides
High-quality guides are the most important element that affects the accuracy of shooting, as they set the initial orientation of the bolt (arrow). They can be made from any material, desirably having a low coefficient of friction. Although the guides receive almost no load, they must have sufficient strength to maintain straightness. Therefore, it is not bad to make them as a separate part, attached to the stock at points at its ends. This makes it possible, if necessary, to easily change it, for example, in case of damage or switching to another type of bolts, moreover, such fasteners allow you to “untie” the guides from the deformable stock. The longitudinal guide groove for the bolt is usually one-third the diameter of the shaft so that the plane of the bowstring coincides with the axis of the bolt. It is convenient when a narrow groove for the lower plumage passes through the guide, then random needles when shooting in the forest, for example, will not interfere with the bolt stroke.
As already mentioned, it is convenient to make guides separately from the stock. The material can be metal, plastic or wood. The necessary thin longitudinal groove can be made with a thin hacksaw blade of an electric jigsaw or by making a guide from two halves, which is also very convenient and has its advantages. A particularly important factor in the manufacture is the observance of absolute straightness and parallelism. Naturally, you will have to apply sandpaper or a polishing hairy circle. The dimensions are not critical at all and are determined only by the length of the stock section from the block to the lock, corresponding to the running (landing) part of the bolt, as well as the diameter of the bolt shaft and the type of its plumage. The bolt should lie freely, but without backlash, in the guide groove, the plumage should not touch anything. The guides are installed in such a way that the axis of the inserted bolt coincides in the front part with the fastening of the bowstring (! Nuance) on the bow, and in the back part, passes through the filling cutout of the lock. The nuance lies in the fact that it is precisely the front part of the guide that should be slightly higher than the indicated plane, which ensures some sliding of the bowstring pushing the bolt. Naturally, everything should be within reasonable limits, and the wooden surface of the guide must be protected from abrasion by the bowstring with additional metal plates.
Lock
A lock made of clothespins and tin can hardly deserve any attention. The crossbow lock is a very important detail. There is an opinion that the simpler the lock, the more reliable it is, but I would interpret it a little differently - the better the lock, the more reliable it is. The manufacture of the lock should be treated with special attention, because convenience and reliability, as well as the accuracy of operation, and hence the accuracy of shooting, depend on its operation. A little about the functions of the castle. A good lock should provide a guaranteed retention of the bowstring on an equipped crossbow, as well as a clear descent at the required moment of aiming. It is in accordance with the first paragraph that additional interlocks and fuses are introduced into the design of the locks, and with the second - intermediate unloading levers and repeaters. The choice of lock design again depends on your locksmith capabilities and needs, and here you can show your creative inclinations to modernize existing samples and develop your own. Personally, I liked the design of professional locks presented on one of the sites. The bicycle has been invented, but has it been invented yet?
To make it easier to embed the lock, it is necessary, even when designing it, to try to give it the simplest possible shape. That is, locks with various depressions are unlikely to be neatly packed into the stock, while at the same time, flat, rectangular locks in this regard do not cause any special problems when cutting into the stock. It is important to take into account that the locks must be securely fastened, without backlash, have a maximum contact area with the stock to relieve the load. Often overlooked is the simple fact that the lock bears the entire tension load. That is, if you are making a crossbow with a bow of 300 kg (probably for an elephant), then, of course, all 300 kg + shock load and so on will come from them to the details of the castle, but the stock must manage in its thinnest place (usually where it is weakened by the keyway), survive the same 300 kg + twisting and other non-parallel loads. Again, in some drawings, the locks have attachment points too close to the edges or small diameter holes for thin bolts or screws. If for metal this value is acceptable, then for wood it is necessary to provide for some margin. So, summing up all the factors, we can conclude that the lock should have a minimum size, in particular, a width, have a maximum surface of contact with the groove, that is, it should fit snugly with its front surface in the groove, and only be fixed with bolts on the stock. In addition, the stock itself must have sufficient strength in its weakest part in order to calculate the bow tension load. So for monsters, it’s better to make a stock from a metal profile, and put linings from beautiful durable wood on the body kit. To the extent of my incompetence on this issue, I cannot give special recommendations regarding the choice of wood, although I personally prefer beech.
For those who do not live in the regions where this wonderful tree grows, I advise you to pay close attention to the old pianos of your acquaintances and friends. In them, beech is found in the form of massive power beams for hanging frame cast iron. At the risk of angering the aesthetes, a piano is easier to find these days than a piece of good wood. Let's write off this barbarism as a by-product of art. For metal lovers. Excellent aluminum and alloy profiles can be found in office furniture. Rigid rectangular profiles are now ubiquitous in some machine tools. A wonderful thin-walled pipe made of blackened metal is in .... large inclined tablet like designers or draftsmen. I don’t know what the warriors have to do with it, but such a pipe can also be used in powerful pneumatic and light firearms systems, as well as for mortars for fireworks. You can also cast stocks from aluminum and alloys, followed by milling grooves and other things, but this is more a matter of technology and taste.
Let me remind you that the bow tension force acts on the lock! This means that the lock must withstand the impact of large loads without loss of performance, so that tin as a material is immediately excluded. The proposed mm steel, after processing already 0.8 mm, can only be used on crossbows of small power, otherwise the lock will simply deform. The details of the castle are also worth a closer look. The main hook works under full load, so use stronger steel and a thicker axle. On the release, releasing the hook, depending on the design and the lever, a smaller force acts. Other parts can be made already on the basis of their purpose and the load on them, while not forgetting about the margin of safety and wear resistance. Gunsmith designers have a technology for designing the mechanisms of real weapon locks “on pins and needles”, this is when the contours of the alleged parts of the lock are cut out of cardboard, pinned with pins at the points of their axes to plywood. At the same time, it is possible to immediately see the interaction of parts with each other, correct, and then embody everything in metal. In principle, it remains only to choose a suitable lock, further modernization can be achieved by using high-quality steel, some modification of the escapement and equipping the lock with additional devices, adjustments, etc.
Structurally, locks with a so-called “nut” or a similar hook design are more suitable for crossbow sniping. The hook rotates freely on an axis close to the center of mass, which results in a very soft, jerk-free descent. Such locks will appeal to fans of high-precision shooting and the fairer sex (there are also such people in this business!), But aggressive locks clanging and clattering like Hollywood will be more useful in systems of a threatening militaristic or medieval style of execution. In one of the “pro” locks, the design of which I took as the basis of my own, there is a safety lock and a blocker that excludes the lowering of the bowstring without a tucked bolt, which is quite thoughtful for preserving the bowstring. By adding a slot in the upper part of the hook, it was possible to ensure the impact-free interaction of the bowstring on the knock, the rear end of the bolt, in the common people “butt”.
Block
Designed for fastening the bow or its limbs directly to the stock. The block works in a very stressful mode, experiences shock loads, therefore it must have a significant margin of safety. It is made of aluminum casting or metal, calculated depending on the bow used. The block for separate limbs of the bow is affected by more forces with different vectors. When designing pads, it is necessary to correctly use various slopes and triangles, which can significantly save in weight with the same rigidity of the part. The block can be removable to reduce the dimensions of the crossbow when carried. There is a certain peculiarity in the way of fastening the limbs to the stock, which is that it is preferable to use fastening on threaded clamps than on rivets, but it is better not to weaken the limbs with holes at all. (!) Pay special attention to the fastening of the bow arms, take into account the rule of leverage, which, coupled with the pulling force of the bow, adds up to an immodest amount. It is most convenient to make a block from thick sheet steel, bending the workpiece like origami.
The bow is the main part of any crossbow.
Structurally, it is easier to use a mono bow made of strong and elastic steel, however, some plastics are also applicable. The simplest thing is to use ready-made bows for shooting sports. Can be made from any elastic spring steel, such as springs. We used a powerful spring from some kind of relic hell trap. A stacked bow, consisting of a pack of stripes, has huge friction losses between the stripes. Even if you lubricate the strips with something like "ER" to reduce friction, the use of such a bow is not practical. If you want to make a detachable bow with snaps, then I advise you to fasten the bow to the block tightly, but the block itself can be made tightly fastened to the stock. In general, analyzing the physics of the bow, it can be noted that a bow with developed shoulders, which have some narrowing towards the ends, is better. Such a bow, evenly bending, accumulates a lot of energy. However, longbows require a longer stock due to the increased draw travel, which is unacceptable. Ancient crossbows, judging by the sources, hit 200 paces. So it was they who “beat”, knocking riders off their horses, and for a longer firing range, perfect sights are already needed, and even now no one shoots from machine guns at a greater range, it makes no sense. We’ll talk more about firing range in the paragraph on bolts.
If possible, then you can forge a bow from a suitable metal, and it is better to immediately provide for the fastening points of the bowstring on the block. Again, making a block diagram is better if the bow has a lot of power.
The brackets of the blocks, the blocks themselves work on the bow tension force + bowstring compression force + shock loads. Blocks can be machined from a material of suitable strength, however, it is necessary to unload the shoulders of the bow as much as possible. In most cases, the choice of aluminum as block material is very successful. For those who have difficulty making blocks, I recommend looking into old reel-to-reel tape recorders. In some models, there are wonderful blanks for aluminum alloy blocks, you just need to cut off the excess. To facilitate the blocks, holes are drilled in them or windows are cut out. You can also look into old receivers, where the vanier is based on a cable system. The warriors have a lot of old radio equipment with such blocks. There are small blocks on ancient dental burstans. On professional crossbows, the blocks are oval. This is due to the fact that the block rotates only a small angle. I think that the fact of some gain when using the block scheme versus the usual, recursive one is obvious, but a further increase in the number of blocks gives less and less result. So there is no point in collecting a garland of 6,8,10 blocks. A four-block crossbow is capable of pulling even a child. I note that a compound bow works softer than a recursive one, which improves the accuracy of shooting, besides, the force to break the bowstring on it is less, apparently due to the loading of the bowstring with blocks.
Springs are sometimes used as a propellant on some exotic models, but they have a lot of weight, volume, low speed and huge energy, which in turn entails a complication of the design and requires high-quality steel for locks. A compressed automobile damper spring can easily tear off a person's arm or leg. A shot with such a spring into a bag with caked cement pierced it, and the spring itself flew away behind a row of neighboring garages. Very dangerous and inconvenient thing.
Bolt - an arrow for a crossbow
The bolt is the striking element of this type of weapon. It has a greater (emphasis on the first syllable) stopping effect than a bullet (!). Kevlar vests also lose their effectiveness against such a hello from the Middle Ages. So it would be appropriate to once again remind you of the observance of safety rules when shooting from a crossbow, despite the fact that the article is devoted to a slightly different topic. A bolt wound can often be fatal! The lethal outcome of the victim can be caused even just by the sight of a bolt sticking out of the body!
So bolts. They are made of any durable material with low weight and sufficient elasticity. Can be made from suitable blanks of straight-grained wood, with the layers of wood arranged lengthwise to give the arrow flexibility. It is difficult to do without small-scale mechanization in the form of at least an electric drill. The bolt must have a perfect shape, the center of gravity is usually between the first and second third of the bolt, and already assembled (!), However, it is possible to vary this parameter at your discretion. You can change the mass of the bolt by choosing different material for the shaft, the dimensions and material of the tips and socks. To protect against moisture, wooden shafts of bolts are impregnated with protective compounds and are usually stored in a horizontal position. Wonderful bolts can be made from sections of broken fiberglass telescopic rods. They have great strength with low weight and are not afraid of dampness. I draw your attention to the fact that all bolts should be as close as possible in weight and size, otherwise with each new shot you will be in for a surprise, especially when shooting at maximum range. In general, the crossbow itself allows you to shoot quite heavy arrows, even with welding electrodes, so it is rather difficult to clearly determine the optimal bolt. When choosing by experience a lot of bolts for your crossbow, do not forget about the golden mean: a light bolt loses speed faster, and a heavy bolt does not fly far. Instructions for self-made bolts -.
About firing range
Crossbow, there is a crossbow. The bolt, like an arrow, is launched with a relatively low initial speed, has a sufficiently large air resistance and a small mass, so that purely physically it cannot fly very far, one must be realistic. There are firearms for such things. By the way, looking back in antiquity, the crossbow was valued precisely because it was used exclusively for the extermination of heavy cavalry at medium distances, having a short and heavy arrow in its arsenal. Articles that mention shooting for almost a kilometer, I consider purely humorous.
Bolt tips are made based on the task for this type. Hunting bolts are generally equipped with creepy-looking four- or three-blade harpoon-like tips. For sports shooting, almost any solid material is applicable. When shooting at hard targets, bolts often break. It is better to make tips with a recess for mounting on the shaft of the bolt. Tips attached to the pole cut will usually split the pole when it hits a hard obstacle. Rubber tips don't make sense. The diameter of the tip may exceed the diameter of the bolt if the shaft is longer than the guide.
bowstring
A good bowstring with proper care will last a long time. It is made of steel (cables, strings), polymer wood or woven from silk. I don’t know about the latter, now there is a huge amount of synthetic materials. Kevlar for the manufacture of bowstrings should go as a material with high tensile strength. For powerful crossbows, you can use a thin steel cable for the bowstring. It is found everywhere in motorcycle and automotive equipment. I note that a braided bowstring more easily tolerates breaking loads due to the fact that part of the energy is spent on friction between the braided threads. Protect the bowstring from abrasion against the stock with special overlays made of metal or plastic.
Sights
Actually, it's a matter of your taste. The use of certain sights depends on the range and nature of the crossbow shooting. Optical sights for weapons at a hundred meters or less are generally somehow ridiculous, although a crossbow with optics looks pretty predatory. They have a large mass and exorbitant cost, require a standard mounting bar, and are convenient for firing at a static target. The installation of collimator sights in this case is more justified, in addition, it becomes possible to shoot offhand. Simple diopter sights are even simpler and better for crossbows, and the simplest open sight is not difficult to make at all. I’ll keep silent about optics for now, but you can stop at the manufacture of open or diopter sights. The fact is that there is some difference between the axis of the bolt flight and the axis of the crossbow, not to mention the hinged trajectory of the arrow flight, so for sights it is necessary to provide for the possibility of fine tuning using the appropriate screws. To do this, the mount of the sights is made with oval holes that allow some displacement, or adjusting screws with fine threads are installed in the body of the mounts, which displace the sight itself during rotation. Sighting of sights is best done indoors or in calm weather. In this case, the crossbow itself is fixed on a massive fixed base, for example, with clamps. Next, trial shots are made with one reference arrow. The difference between the aiming point and the actual point of impact of the bolt at a given distance is corrected by the adjusting screws of the sight. Then the shooting distance changes and the process repeats. Thus, any sight can be calibrated for any shooting distance. Similarly, corrections for the wind are made (frontal against the wind, at an angle towards, at an angle downwind, sideways, downwind).
Tensioners such as various "goat legs" are easy to make from a suitable metal by resizing the data to fit the geometry of your own crossbow, however, such devices are rather necessary for cocking very powerful crossbows with recurve bows or are simply a convenient overkill, since compound bows are even a fair amount of power can be cocked by hand, albeit with gloves.
This completes the theoretical part of the instructions on how to make a crossbow, see the photo and explanations below:
To make a crossbow we need a wooden stick and a piece of iron
The stick is made approximately according to these dimensions.
One spring plate 650X100X8 was taken. Bulgarian slowly separate the right. The dimensions of the arch in the middle - 35 mm., And along the edges - 18 mm.
On the emery we narrow the shoulders, evenly from the center to the ends until we reach 5 mm. in thickness. On the arch in this form we stretch (cable) steel wire. We clamp it in a vice. We will insert a round timber strictly in the center so that it does not interfere with the arch when bending. We stretch and at the same time check the force and distance of the tension. From these parameters we will dance in the future.
As in the "Golden Calf": we take a weight and saw. And that's what happened. The most important detail in a crossbow. Toe or cat.
But in order to make a normal lock, we need a sear and a trigger. A hole is made in the upper part of the pin so that the bolt of the strip spring falls into this hole and fixes the pin from moving.
Let's start making the lock case
We carefully try on all this and drill holes for the pins
We proceed to the manufacture of the protection of the trigger. We take a wooden stick and try it on.
Hollow out a place under the castle
We insert the lock
To attach the rear sight we make a dovetail. And solder. I did it with PSR, but you can also use POS. It all depends on how we burn (what temperature it will be).
In the arch, we drill two holes at the edges for fastening the clamps. Many people ask if it is possible to drill a spring. I answer freely. A Pobedite drill adjusted on a diamond wheel.
We grind rollers
We grind rollers
We adjust the clamps to the desired size. We proceed to the manufacture of the arch mounting clamp.
Making a stirrup
This is how I close the ends of the bowstring. Do not beat, but crimp with a lathe chuck.
Under construction and finished look
Ready view
We proceed to a very serious operation - bluing. I specially show unsuccessful bluing.
And here is a successful bluing
We take a stick and make a channel for the guide
Glue the plank
Now we take up the butt, but carefully with the tools
We remove the excess. The stick I took is a wild cherry. Suitable for birch, walnut, etc.
Varnishing. But then who gives preference to what varnish.
Excess. But, in my opinion, pleasing to the eye.
It is important that the gap between the bowstring and the bed is 2 mm. The calculation is simple - the middle of the bolt diameter.
Bottom view
And he pulled a shrink film over the arch. And it gives the appearance and protects in case of breakage of the arch from splinters.
Ready view
After 40-50 shots, the string broke.
I decided to add 2 more videos.
To facilitate the design, the rollers were replaced with caprolon ones. With a distance of 30 cm from the string to the hook and a force of 85 kg. with the addition of rollers, the force on the arch is reduced and the boom speed is increased.
Source www.ucoz.com
Another selection - professional drawings of a homemade block crossbow (free download)
To view in full size click on the image.
Do you want to make a real crossbow that will not only look like it, but will also shoot? Then do not pass by and read our article on the topic of how to make a crossbow with your own hands. In the article, we will not only talk about the intricacies of this case, but also show the whole process in the photo. The topic is especially relevant in the summer, when you can go out into nature and shoot at targets. And a hand-made thing will please not only the eye, but also your friends or acquaintances, who, having seen such a product, will certainly set themselves the goal and desire to possess it!
How to make a crossbow with your own hands
Among the simple tools created by oneself, the bow definitely wins. However, crossbows are also very popular. If you want to make a crossbow with your own hands, you should only read the instructions below. As an example, a medieval construction was chosen due to its simplicity. Such a crossbow does not require metal welding, it can be made at home, it also does not require the presence of springs, as in its other, more advanced variations.
All it takes to make a simple medieval crossbow is the desire to craft. Initially, you need to find a suitable stick for the base of the structure. It is recommended to use bird cherry, as after drying the wood retains good elasticity characteristics. When a suitable branch is found, it should be carefully sawed off, the bark completely removed and left to dry in a warm place.
Usually the drying time is about 5-7 months.
Step-by-step instruction:
In addition, it is recommended to immediately bend the stick so that in the future it does not crack during processing and fixation, as well as during operation. If there is no bird cherry in the area, you can use elm or other alternative wood.
It should be remembered that for good strength, durability and elasticity of the launching part of a home crossbow, you need to stand well. Moreover, in this case, the chances of a crack during the operation of the crossbow will be significantly reduced.
To be able to practice and to eliminate the need for repeated waiting, it is recommended to prepare several sticks at once.
On the bed of a homemade crossbow, you can use any type of board or dry wood. It all depends on how accurately you want to repeat the medieval model of the gun.
When the wood is selected and processed, a recess must be made in its front part to accommodate the crossbow bow. You can make a recess with any tool from a metal saw to a regular knife.
The next step in making a do-it-yourself crossbow at home is to drill holes for the bow bolts. They are placed at a distance of 8-10 cm from the front of the bed. Previously, holes were made with red-hot metal, so you can also use this method if you don’t have the right tools at hand.
Moreover, if you don’t have bolts at hand, you can use the same tree.
The upper plane of the bed should have a groove in which the crossbow bolt will be placed. Often such a groove is made round, but it is recommended to cut it triangular in order to increase the accuracy of the bolt.
When everything is ready, you can fix the bow. It is applied to the cut made in the front of the stock and tied tightly with a rope to the previously installed bolts or their wooden alternatives. This will be enough, but for a tighter fixation, it is better to use glue.
The last element of a homemade crossbow is the organization of the trigger mechanism. Usually the simplest lever type is used. The crossbow drawing below shows how such a system works.
When the lever bracket descends, the pin instantly starts up, and it launches the bolt forward. It is important that this system does not have any safety mechanisms, so you need to install the bolt only before firing.
The created crossbow must have a pulling force of about 40 kg, so the design will not fall into the list of melee weapons. The tension of the bowstring is carried out by hand, so additional mechanisms are also not required.
Drawings for making at home
The photo above schematically shows a crossbow with all the necessary dimensions. Its main value is to understand what size its parts should be in relation to each other. Its entire length is 732 mm, with a height of 223 mm at the point of attachment of the sight. The drawing shows a “pistol” handle (shaped like a pistol), for a secure and comfortable grip.
The second hole is made to facilitate the construction, since the total thickness of the plywood handle (can be made of wood) is 30 mm. Shoulders with a length of 302 mm, are a universal option, their total length is 532 mm. For the first time, it is enough to make exactly according to the dimensions indicated in the diagram, and after testing, make adjustments.
Are you interested in medieval culture? Do you want to get a fashionable accessory, impress your friends with an exclusive souvenir? Decided to give an unusual gift to a loved one? Then you can easily make a magnificent crossbow right at home! It is this type of sporting weapon that is now rapidly gaining popularity, and people are happy to purchase it for themselves as a souvenir, a catchy design element. Why do you need a bow, what to do with it? Here are just a few of the most common ways to use a crossbow.
- An excellent solution is to use a crossbow on shooting ranges. Here is what an archery lover says: “You can arrange marksmanship competitions with friends, shoot at targets with pleasure, organize role-playing games. A bow will always come in handy for such a hobby, it will allow you to develop attentiveness, the ability to concentrate, and respond quickly.”
- Nowadays, crossbows are increasingly used for hunting. It is enough to load an arrow into such a bow and shoot accurately to become the happy owner of a partridge, a hare.
- Crossbows are also in demand as sporting weapons. There are professional athletes who regularly take part in competitions and constantly train. They also often make bows with their own hands.
- The bow can be made the central detail of the interior. Designers note its versatility: “The crossbow looks amazing in any room. In the corridor, he has a particularly formidable look, meeting everyone who enters the house. In the hall, he emphasizes the solemnity, focuses on the character of the hosts. In the bedroom, the bow hints at a passionate relationship, the power of love. In the kitchen, a crossbow might well be hung next to a hunting painting of game.”
- Increasingly, people are acquiring, making crossbows with their own hands to please their acquaintances, friends, colleagues with an unusual gift. Such a souvenir will be surprisingly original, will definitely come in handy and will evoke vivid emotions. It is especially appropriate to present a present to a man.
Now that you know how useful an onion is, how it can be used in many ways, it's time to familiarize yourself with the basic principles of its manufacture. How to make a crossbow at home, what you need to know so that it looks good, shoots well, can become a worthy weapon, souvenir and accessory? We'll find out very soon. The algorithm will help you, useful recommendations.
We make a crossbow with our own hands
You will need a good selection of wood. You can not take conifers, too old, dry branches. The crossbow consists of three main elements. It is necessary to make a high-quality trigger, stock and arc. Act strictly according to the algorithm, do not confuse the steps. You will succeed!
- You need to make an arc. It is advisable to take yew, hazel or ash for her. The board should be flat, without slant and knots. Make a thickness of about 2 cm. A piece of wood must be dried, kept for several days, and then cut evenly. The length of the arc is approximately 75 cm, the width can be made about 4 cm, the arc should gradually become thinner towards the edges. Thickness from the edges - 1.5 cm.
- Now you need to make a bed. For it, you will need hardwood, which is quite hard. Take a board of such a size and shape that it is convenient to hold it in your hands. Remember that from one edge you need to make a special groove where the arc will be inserted.
- It's time to machine the groove for the arc. You need to make a hole for fastening from a rope at a distance of ten centimeters from the cut groove for the arc. Now insert the arc into the groove, and then fix it there with a rope. Now attach the bowstring to the ends of the arc using the cuts made for this. Stretch the string as you would while shooting. It is necessary to designate a point that is as far away as possible. Now determine the optimal size of the crossbow - it should be equal to your forearm in length.
- A responsible task is the manufacture of the trigger for your bow. Previously, pin type locks were made. You will have to familiarize yourself with the distinctive features of such a mechanism. When you have already made a mark at the place of the maximum tension of the bowstring, you need to drill a hole through there. A transverse recess must be made in the box, in its upper part. Then fix the lever at the bottom of the crossbow. Most often, the axis is made of wood, and attached with wire.
- Now the bed and the lever must be folded together. Fasten the elements with a rope. The lever should move on the axis with minimal friction.
- Now you need to make a small pin, thanks to which the bowstring will be pushed out of the bow. The pin should be round, it is better to make it from oak. The pin will pass into the recess of the lock freely, without getting stuck due to the fastening. When the lever is raised, the plane of the bed and its upper edge should be equal. It is the pin that will push the bowstring.
- For the arrow, you will need to make a special chute. The recess extends from the top opening of the lock to the leading edge. The gutter must be laid at a shallow depth, approximately like a quarter of an arrow.
- Then it's time to work on the details. All elements must be walked with sandpaper. Sometimes parts are covered with egg white, after dissolving it in water.
- Secure the arc in the groove using a strong rope. See if the lock works well. All elements must be finally adjusted so that the mechanism is as strong as possible.
Well, well, searches on the Internet gave their results. I finally found normal drawings in compliance with GOST.
With the available material and some equipment, it will not be difficult to make a real (or almost real) one.
At the end of the page is photo of homemade crossbow made according to these drawings from improvised materials.
Naturally, it will not replace a purchased crossbow (after all, the build quality and structure of the material in the factory version are not an example higher), but shoot at
So, before you is the general scheme of a homemade crossbow.
What does this type of crossbow consist of:
Stock, shoulders, butt, trigger, sighting device, block system.
The bed is best made from natural hardwood, solid or glued beams. Choose the size of your choice, but
Shoulders and decks at the crossbow
If there is a stock from small arms, then this would be an ideal solution, but you can try to cut out Pinocchio yourself.
Block design of the crossbow facilitates the cocking of the bowstring, but perfectly retains power and allows you to wear it cocked for a long time.
The processing of the guide boom must be carried out especially clearly. The lines must be smooth and straight. This affects the accuracy and
bowshot. It is best to do this on a milling machine, and then carefully process it with sandpaper. Then polish the groove.
A cross with shoulders installed from the end of the bed is best made from an aluminum plate, but you can also make a wooden one.
Do not forget to make an aiming device consisting of a rear sight and a front sight. You can make a mount for an optical sight.
where you can order the execution of any drawings.
It remains to take the tool in hand, recharge with a good mood and set about fulfilling the goal. Good luck!
P.S.
The article is a rewrite. The administrator is not responsible for the accuracy of the information. Everything you do, you do at your own peril and risk.
If you do not want to buy an expensive crossbow (and prices sometimes exceed $ 1000), you can make a crossbow with your own hands. It is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. The design of the crossbow is quite simple. A crossbow can be made from what is at hand, replacing the missing materials with similar ones. For target shooting, a homemade crossbow is quite suitable.
General view of the crossbow, which you can do with your own hands according to the drawings
The design of this crossbow uses the achievements of manufacturers in the field of weapons. The drawings show a crossbow block design. By following the instructions and observing all sizes, you can make a high-quality and good crossbow with your own hands, even at home.
The general scheme of a homemade crossbow in the assembly:
To begin with, it is advisable to carefully study the drawings of the crossbow and proceed with the assembly with your own hands. Making a crossbow with your own hands is not an easy task. But this increases the interest in the work! After all, a homemade crossbow can bring great joy and respect to the performer.
Crossbow device: bed, shoulders, butt, trigger mechanism, sighting devices, block system. For the manufacture of the bed, natural wood, solid or glued laminated timber, mostly hardwoods, is used. The exact dimensions of the crossbow can be seen on the drawings. You choose the shape of the crossbow yourself, guided by the convenience and ergonomics of the stock, the desired image. When choosing, you must also consider whether you can make such a form correctly.
Drawing of shoulders and crossbow deck:
The use of a stock from small arms can significantly reduce labor costs for the manufacture of a crossbow. The main thing is to choose the right size. The trace from the trunk, remaining in such a box, must be hammered with wooden bars, firmly planting them on epoxy glue. The butt and underbarrel pad of the crossbow can also be made of wood. The butt will be attached to the rail and serve as the basis for the trigger.
Butt drawing:
Offered for assembly with your own hands, the crossbow has a block design. This allows you to compensate for the load when cocking the bowstring and save power. Block crossbows are the most popular among hunters. you can carry the crossbow in the cocked state for a long time. This design is actively used by Horton in the production of its crossbows.
Block assembly details drawing:
Pay special attention to the processing of the arrow and bowstring guides. The clarity of their finish greatly affects the accuracy of shooting. The lines of the guides must be perfectly straight and smooth. The best choice would be grinding on a milling machine and subsequent processing with fine-grained sandpaper. Next comes the polishing of the guides. You can see the dimensions of the boom guide groove in the drawings. The cross, with shoulders attached to it, is installed from the end end of the bed. Usually it is made from an aluminum blank. Wood can also be a suitable material.
The crossbow sight must consist of a rear sight and a front sight. Also, you can install an optical sight on the crossbow, providing a mount for the aiming bar. Vertical adjustments are carried out as a whole, mounted on the trigger cover, and horizontal - with a front sight mounted on the bracket of the elastic element.
There can be many design options for sights and sights for a crossbow, depending on the possibility of manufacturing, the availability of ready-made sights from conventional weapons (air rifles), etc.
It should be borne in mind that the flight path of the crossbow arrow (crossbow bolt) is quite high, so the rear sight must be installed well above the front sight. The angle of elevation of the sighting line depends on the weight of the arrow, the tension of the bowstring, the shooting distance, etc. In our crossbow at a distance of 50 m, it is approximately 6 °.
Convenient are the designs of the rear sight, which allow it to be removed or folded during transportation. It will also be convenient if the rear sight can be adjusted manually by raising or lowering the bar. Thus, you can shoot the crossbow under different conditions (distance to the target, arrow weight).
The crossbow, the manufacture of which is described above with your own hands, is designed for shooting with bolts with a diameter of 8 mm and a length of 450-470 mm. They can be easily made by yourself from a duralumin tube with a wall thickness of 0.5 mm. A tip and an inner are attached to the bolt in front, plumage is attached to the back, as is done for archery. It should be borne in mind that the shank of a bolt for a crossbow, unlike an arrow for a bow, should not have a cutout for the bowstring, it should be flat. It can be carved out of wood in the form of a cork and inserted into the end of the tube, previously lubricated with glue.