This is my first attempt at a bow, I have been inspires by many of you on his site! After reading Iolo's first book of crossbows I decided to give it a try. I started with the Alchem's basic plan that is posted on their site and then with my knowledge from Iolo I put in by own twists. I tried to go with a central European sporting look. I am also wood burning patterns into the stock, this was inspired by some of the bows on display at the Metropolitain Museum of Art.




The stock is oak and the table and side inlays are maple the nut insert and inlays are cherry. I made the tickler on my bench vice I wanted to give it a sharp return as most Central European ticklers but I don't have access to welding equiptment. I ordered a prod from Alchem and I am patiently waiting!!!
Hope you all like!! Please let me know what you think!
More to come......

WOW So far so good. I'll be following this builds closely

Hello there,

Looks very promising and I'm sure everyone here appreciates your good word about their work.

Alchem takes a while to deliver due to not always having every item in stock, so you can probably go ahead and continue with the build...burn-in decoration sounds excellent...possibly Ulrich Crossbow got you thinking about it?

PS: Once you are done with this one, we'll talk about a better set of plans for a "correct reproduction" truly worthy of the name...that is if you will be interested.

Ivo

Thank you all for the comments!!
Ivo you hit the nail on the head!! yes the crossbow of Count Ulrich is the inspiration! I wanted to build a crossbow for some time and did research and after a trip to the MET I found myself in the garage with pieces of left over oak maple and not enough cherry to make the whole tiller out of!! so I went with oak! I would definately be interested in those plans!

cmgower wrote: I made the tickler on my bench vice I wanted to give it a sharp return as most Central European ticklers but I don't have access to welding equiptment.

That sharp angle is a tricky one, isn't it?

You don't really need a welder, and not because I consider it "cheating" , but because some things are more fun to make the old way(and perhaps the old way can even be the easier way )

Look through this book (Link) ...pages 72 through 81( PDF search, not actual pages)...pages 76-77 have a good explanation of how to do sharp bends. And to add a bit, you don't really need to hammer steel right away, but instead practice with a piece of clay...kinda like this guy does it. (link)

Ivo

cmgower wrote: I made the tickler on my bench vice I wanted to give it a sharp return as most Central European ticklers but I don't have access to welding equiptment..

You can make the trigger out of two pieces, with a brazed joint. This can be done with a good propane torch. I will try to remember to take a picture of the one I made this way and post it.

Mac

OK I know it's been a while but here are some more pictures of my progress. These are of the tiller the wood burning is complete and the tung oil applied.

Very Nice The work below the table looks like inlaid banding.
Getting a lever welded to the shape you want could be done at a variety of places. Welding supply shops often have factory reps come in to demos of new equipment, art or industrial colleges probably have someone who will do it for you. Contact your local SCA group ( www.sca.org) and see if they have a contact person, plus they would love to see this masterpiece.

Wow that is looking really sweet. The wood burning is nice, good clean lines.

mac wrote:

cmgower wrote: I made the tickler on my bench vice I wanted to give it a sharp return as most Central European ticklers but I don't have access to welding equiptment..

You can make the trigger out of two pieces, with a brazed joint. This can be done with a good propane torch. I will try to remember to take a picture of the one I made this way and post it.

Mac

Mac - I'd like to see how you do that. I'm working on several crossbows right now and each one will need a slightly different tickler, none of which resemble the ready-made ticklers that Alchem sells. I don't want to pay someone to custom make the ticklers for me if it's something I can do myself, especially with a propane torch. I like Ivo's ideas about making bends with proper forging but that's something I'm not sure I can do because I'm pretty sure I can't get the metal hot enough given the limits of the tools at my disposal. Worst case scenario I find a welding shop and have my ticklers cut out from flat stock with a plasma cutter or get them to bend, weld and grind the joints for me.

8fingers wrote: Very Nice The work below the table looks like inlaid banding.
Getting a lever welded to the shape you want could be done at a variety of places. Welding supply shops often have factory reps come in to demos of new equipment, art or industrial colleges probably have someone who will do it for you. Contact your local SCA group ( www.sca.org) and see if they have a contact person, plus they would love to see this masterpiece.

Thanks 8fingers the burning looking like banding was a last minute decision, and was intentional. Last minute I decided not to go so crazy with the burning, it wasnt going the way I intended, and after all this is my first bow! I have resolved the welding issue now, however now I have grown fond of the tickler the way it is. I have also recently connected with my local SCA group and have yet to make it to any functions but I am looking forward to my first SCA archery shoot! Thanks again!

kiltedcelt wrote:

mac wrote:

cmgower wrote: I made the tickler on my bench vice I wanted to give it a sharp return as most Central European ticklers but I don't have access to welding equiptment..

You can make the trigger out of two pieces, with a brazed joint. This can be done with a good propane torch. I will try to remember to take a picture of the one I made this way and post it.

Mac

Mac - I'd like to see how you do that. I'm working on several crossbows right now and each one will need a slightly different tickler, none of which resemble the ready-made ticklers that Alchem sells. I don't want to
pay someone to custom make the ticklers for me if it's something I can do myself, especially with a propane torch. I like Ivo's ideas about making bends with proper forging but that's something I'm not sure I can do because I'm pretty sure I can't get the metal hot enough given the limits of the tools at my disposal. Worst case scenario I find a welding shop and have my ticklers cut out from flat stock with a plasma cutter or get them to bend, weld and grind the joints for me.

Celt,

Here is a pic of a trigger I made by brazing.



I think I probably used an industrial silver solder, rather than a brass braze. They work at a slightly lower temp and flow better. I used a commercial brazing flux. It goes on as a powder, and turns glassy at at dull red heat. The silver solder will flow at bright red. A good propane torch will give you enough heat to do it. If that won't do, try MAPP gas. That will get you a bit more heat.

Surface preparation is important. The better the fit of the joint, the smaller the braze line, and the stronger the results.

Mac

Celt,
Thanks for bringing this up!
Mac,
Thanks for the pic and expanation.
Where do you but the commecial brazing flux and silver solder? I am asuming this can be bought at a local welding supply house? The tickler in the photo is more of what i had origionally envisioned! Maybe on the next build!

CMG,

That's exactly right. Your local welding supply will have both. Silver solder is a bit pricey, but it goes a long way. Many industrial silver solders contain cadmium to bring down the melting point. I use a cadmium free solder...they're just as strong, and "better for ya'".

Here's a link to a similar product to the one I use. It's a little lower temperature.
http://www.comfortgurus.com/product_info.php/products_id/9506

McMaster Carr has a bewildering assortment.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#silver-brazing-alloys/=c27b4q

Do not be deceived by the tin/silver solders that you can get at craft stores. Those work at very low temperatures, and are not nearly as strong. There are things that they are good for, but this is not one of them...

Mac

Mac,
Thanks again! Looks like I'll have to try my hand at brazing that is one thing I've never tried! I've used cutting torches and welded but never brazed any thing just went right for the welder, but now I no longer have tose resources (for now that is!) I'm definatly going to try this out a few times and use it possibly on the next bow!