Small pistol crossbow

by JoaoLS Wed Mar 11, 2015 4:58 pm

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Age : 33
Location : Lisbon, Portugal

Post n°1

Small pistol crossbow

by JoaoLS Wed Mar 11, 2015 4:58 pm

First topic message reminder :

A couple of days ago i came across a bundle of coiled steel sitting in a dumpster. Said bundle turned out to be a broken bandsaw blade. Logically, living in a city where metalworkers are rare, i took it home, cut it to pieces, filed away most of the teethy parts and assembled a miniature loose laminate prod.

The whole thing measures 31cm in lenght, bends smoothly to a 18cm draw, and, despite its mighty 8# weight, is obviously stockless and therefore pointless.

Today, some more filing and chiselling turned into a wee little roller nut.

Next step is to carve out a pistol stock out of some sapele i have lying around...

Any advice on designing the trigger and/or the stock is most welcome!

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The prod!

The tiny nut!

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And the tiniest sear plate.

by kenh Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:43 pm

kenh

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Post n°16

Re: Small pistol crossbow

by kenh Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:43 pm

I've done both the hole an the dowel, and I gotta say I prefer the dowel. It's less "fiddly" since you aren't passing cord ends back and forth through the increasingly small hole.

Just make sure that the binding cordage doesn't look "out of scale" with the rest of the build. Since this isn't a magnum power build, I think I would find some nice packaging string and just a thin slip of leather wrap.

by JoaoLS Tue Mar 24, 2015 6:42 pm

JoaoLS

JoaoLS: Fresh Blood
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Post n°17

Re: Small pistol crossbow

by JoaoLS Tue Mar 24, 2015 6:42 pm

I'll keep an eye out for that Kenh, that is part of my fears regarding a binding.

That's a very nice bow you got there Gnome, i think i'd seen it before on my wanderings around here. The whole "binding side plate" is appealing, though i don't have enough wood to make it properly i think.

Took your advice on the wood bits, and after sanding a milimetre off of each side of the nut, managed to get a good fit. Looks pretty good as well! Thanks man.

I need to find some decent screws, a new file and some quiet time to make this one really shine!

Beginning to like this piece quite a lot, Very Happy

i'll keep you posted.
As always, pics!

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by Euell Tue Mar 24, 2015 9:36 pm

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Post n°18

Re: Small pistol crossbow

by Euell Tue Mar 24, 2015 9:36 pm

Nice work can't wait til its finish. I'm doing a 29" crossbow for a first build, its not done but adding pic as I go so everybody can see my progress.
Euell

by JoaoLS Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:20 pm

JoaoLS

JoaoLS: Fresh Blood
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Age : 33
Location : Lisbon, Portugal

Post n°19

Re: Small pistol crossbow

by JoaoLS Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:20 pm

Hey guys! Just did a test shoot after tying the prod, and I like what i see! My flimsy 16cm homemade bolts (made for the first pistol crossbow i made a while back) work like a charm, though i think they are way to light for this. One of them pierced through 5mm high density resin MDF though.

Out of camera battery, but i managed to film another shot. String is crappy still, so are nocks (need to cover them sharp edges.) but it already promises fun!

Trigger is still lacking a spring, there is no trigger guard, no final shaping, no lots of stuff. Still, couldn't resist trying the little thing! Razz

by kenh Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:47 pm

kenh

kenh: Crossbow Junkie
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Post n°20

Re: Small pistol crossbow

by kenh Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:47 pm

Hurrah! I love it when a plan works out!

by JoaoLS Fri Mar 27, 2015 3:42 am

JoaoLS

JoaoLS: Fresh Blood
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Age : 33
Location : Lisbon, Portugal

Post n°21

Re: Small pistol crossbow

by JoaoLS Fri Mar 27, 2015 3:42 am

Here is the shot i mentioned, managed to salvage and edit it.

by JoaoLS Wed Apr 01, 2015 2:30 pm

JoaoLS

JoaoLS: Fresh Blood
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Age : 33
Location : Lisbon, Portugal

Post n°22

Re: Small pistol crossbow

by JoaoLS Wed Apr 01, 2015 2:30 pm

Sooo here's where it stands at the moment:

I'm working on a bolt clip, a trigger guard and a small plate to cover the trigger mortise just right, so the trigger itself doesn't wiggle a bit. So far, the mech works pretty good, and those wood strips on the side really helped tone down the string wear, so many many kudos for that Gnome!

Can´t wait to get it finished so i can really make that grain shine, i'm getting to like this wood a lot!

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