Medieval style crossbow using scavanged materials.

I have made my first rolling-nut style crossbow as a proof of concept. Due to budget constraints, all of the materials were under $10 dollars or scavenged off my farm. I am wondering if using non-period materials is taboo here as well as asking for advice and potential problems. that this crossbow may encounter over time

Criticism welcome.




The Finished Bow (Still Need to add bolt-clip and stirrup)

https://2img.net/h/i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/dmanx500/IMAG00511_zpsszu9cbuo.jpg

Close up of mechanism:

https://s304.photobucket.com/user/dmanx500/media/IMAG00551_zpskviojmo2.jpg.html

Top of the Nut:

https://2img.net/h/i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/dmanx500/IMAG00261_zpsiotxf5z5.jpg

Bottom of the Nut:

https://2img.net/h/i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/dmanx500/IMAG00301_zpsm5yhqaqa.jpg

Component parts before assembly:

https://2img.net/h/i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/dmanx500/IMAG00161_zps7jhasj2u.jpg

Close up of mechanism before assembly.

https://2img.net/h/i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/dmanx500/IMAG00081_zpsizd3ngn5.jpg

Another picture of component parts before assembly:

https://2img.net/h/i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/dmanx500/IMAG00041_zpsjtqeaiiw.jpg

-The parts were finished with canola oil cured with a heat gun

-The mechanism was lubricated with thick gear-lubricant

- The prod and lock-plates are PVC

-The Prod should be 100 Lbs. draw give or take 15 Lbs.

Love it!

Modern materials and techniques definitely welcome here, as well as asking for advice.

Keen to hear how she shoots (PVC prods are fascinating in their simplicity and ease of manufacture)

May want to keep an eye on that thin tin sear and string stretch.

Nice first crossbow.  Scavenged bits and pieces are good.  I would suggest that you use more seriously deep pin nocks on the prod rather than the shallow notch setup you have there.

Dmanx; I think you have a cool outfit. This is great,getting your feet wet and doing everything by hand. I have made several pvc cross bows.You can repair them also ,should you over pull one and it collaspes. One word of caution here, --you mentioned that you used a heavy lube on the moving parts. Sometimes that can make things very unpredictable. Things on the lock don't always grip and hold like they should. Only reason I'm mentioning it is, I have had things go off when they shouldn't have. Pin locks can do this also.Most times a little bit of sumthin is better than a whole lot of nutin.Good job ,I think you'll like it. Oh ya ,get some target points , those broadheads pull out of the target real hard.Shoot them in a sand pile.

To reply to the current questions:

The crossbow shoots quite reliably without any hiccups at the moment. (It currently has a pvc boltclip and a crude brass ring stirrup) The bolt clip is not quite long enough and stops the nut part way through its rotation - I have to reset the nut manually.

As for accuracy all of my homemade bolts have diffrent points and lengths so I can't seem to get better than 6" groups. The bolts are also 1/2in doweling which seems to be to heavy for the poundage; it reduces power and the bolts drop too fast, my next bolts will be consistent 16in 3/8 dowel with pex piles. (I tested it with a old aluminum field point arrow and it went through 1/2 splinter-board though do to the length of the arrow and the angle of the fleching it was rather hard to shoot.) It is also rather hard to sight along a straight back. I think I will curve the tiller downward on my next bow. Hopefully I will be able to get access to a steel or fiberglass prods soon.

I highly appreciate all your responces and apologise for the text wall.

I could just see some roadside bandit carrying this in an apocalypse. It's always great to see improvised works like this. I'm guessing the PVC is 1.5" diameter for the draw weight? What did you use for the tickler?

Xamllew wrote:I could just see some roadside bandit carrying this in an apocalypse. It's always great to see improvised works like this. I'm guessing the PVC is 1.5" diameter for the draw weight? What did you use for the tickler?

The one thing I find funny about post-apocalyptic books/movies is the ones were guns and ammo are super rare, and every body goes at it with melee weapons.   Crossbows can be made out of wood, steel, plastic and aluminum and the ammunition is easy to make. Ammunition for firearms is also surprisingly easy to improvise.

A common post I see on forums: "But my sword will be better when your guns run out of ammo". I always have to respond: Crossbows, I win.
 

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1" White PVC is used for the prod, DO NOT USE GRAY CONDUIT FOR THE PROD.


The Tickler is made out of a chicken skewer for barbecuing, bent by hand with a vice. I guess it is not overly outrageous as in its new form it can still skewer chickens.


This is actually my second crossbow. My first was built 3 weeks ago off a build along as a proof of concept (The concept being that I could actually built a damn crossbow.) I would recommend that this plan be used to introduce anybody who wants to start making crossbows due to its simplicity and cheapness. I will put links at the end of this post.


My first crossbow differs for the original plan in that I lengthened the tickler and added crude sights due to the fact it is almost impossible to aim over a straight spined tiller.

Pictures:

The Crossbow
https://2img.net/h/i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/dmanx500/IMAG0003_BURST0011_zpsupgzut4p.jpg

The Crossbow Sights
https://2img.net/h/i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/dmanx500/IMAG00411_zpsvn7srlak.jpg

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Links to the plan for the 100lb Medieval Style PVC Crossbow for Under S10

Part 1 - Shaping the Stock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQQjY-EOvdM 

Part 2 - Building the Trigger and Attachments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUQLQ--zm0k 

Part 3 - Building the PVC Prod
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhHcLVh7oEs

Part 4 - Paracord String and Bow Stringer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QX2qBKpfno

Part 5 - Making a Flemish Twist Crossbow String
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK6Ac4dN7f0

Part 6 - Making Crossbow Bolts with Wood Dowels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsco1pdXLjQ

Part 7 - Shooting the Finished Crossbow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0bUUPJtkCg