To pump some fresh blood into this forum I will begin with my little creative process. For some time now I have been working on my little brothers crossbow that he intends to take with him on his first rabbit hunt. Why not just buy a crossbow and go hunting the next day? Well that is a question I can not answer without looking in the eye of the asking with regret of another mind lost to consumer sickness...but really why build your own? I'll try to answer this question some other time, if ever at all, but for now...Lets begin!
When building a crossbow it is best to envision the design and the process before even moving a finger. I will do my best to help everyone with this first step by filling the Technology section of our forum with all kinds of use full info.
The idea. Most people design their stocks first and it is a common mistake of a beginner. I know this, because I made that mistake once by starting with the stock and not the bow.
I based my design on what was readily available in the nearby hardware store and bought some parts from E-bay and Amazon.The best way to design is really up to you, it can be done on paper or in a CAD program...check out Technology>CAD
When designing and building a crossbow we ironically start by making or in any other way acquiring a bow or as it is called in crossbow speak - prod (prodd). Bow came before the crossbow and it has it's respect in that sense, but it isn't the only reason why we begin with the bow and not the stock/tiller...the primary reasons is everything that comes after the bow must match it's draw length and draw weight. Every bow has a maximum draw length that it can not and should not exceed and the stock/rail/and trigger should be built to handle the draw weight of the bow. To make things simple I will begin with a regular fiberglass prod that has a 14" draw lenght and 150lb draw weight. Such a prod is also found on many Chinese/Taiwanese made crossbows and is easily purchased separate. If you can not find this type of prod I will be posting measurements in the design section as well as a way of making one in "Composites" section of Technology.
~Little Rabbit Hunter~
by Ivo
by Ivo
When building a crossbow it is best to envision the design and the process before even moving a finger. I will do my best to help everyone with this first step by filling the Technology section of our forum with all kinds of use full info.
First Things First
The idea. Most people design their stocks first and it is a common mistake of a beginner. I know this, because I made that mistake once by starting with the stock and not the bow.
I based my design on what was readily available in the nearby hardware store and bought some parts from E-bay and Amazon.The best way to design is really up to you, it can be done on paper or in a CAD program...check out Technology>CAD
When designing and building a crossbow we ironically start by making or in any other way acquiring a bow or as it is called in crossbow speak - prod (prodd). Bow came before the crossbow and it has it's respect in that sense, but it isn't the only reason why we begin with the bow and not the stock/tiller...the primary reasons is everything that comes after the bow must match it's draw length and draw weight. Every bow has a maximum draw length that it can not and should not exceed and the stock/rail/and trigger should be built to handle the draw weight of the bow. To make things simple I will begin with a regular fiberglass prod that has a 14" draw lenght and 150lb draw weight. Such a prod is also found on many Chinese/Taiwanese made crossbows and is easily purchased separate. If you can not find this type of prod I will be posting measurements in the design section as well as a way of making one in "Composites" section of Technology.
Last edited by Ivo on Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:29 pm; edited 5 times in total