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Crossbows - Everything about Building, Modding, and Using your Crossbow Gear

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» stirrup dimensions?
by stuckinthemud1 Thu Sep 01, 2022 1:49 pm

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Dark Factor
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    Medieval stirrup crossbow

    Dark Factor
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    Post by Dark Factor Sun Feb 18, 2018 12:48 pm

    Hello
    It was sunny today, so I made some pictures of the first crossbow I made... started 4 years ago (then let on the working place for years before I finished some month ago).

    Ash bow with flax backing (and leather protection) - beech tiller.

    more pictures here : http://www.licorneargent.be/les-arcs/arbaletes/reconstitution/arbalete-etrier/

    Medieval stirrup crossbow 31


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    stuckinthemud1
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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Sun Feb 18, 2018 1:44 pm

    Beautiful work, very nice.
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    Post by Dark Factor Mon Feb 19, 2018 10:45 am

    thanks Stuck...!
    (I've replied to your PM - we don't see clearly when someone send a message)
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    Andy.
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    Post by Andy. Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:54 am

    Very nice, well done!

    What approx. draw weight is the prod? Very elegantly recurved btw.

    Is the nut Lignum vitae, or Delrin?
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    Post by Daniel Levesque Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:12 am

    How beautiful.. I'm speechless really !

    Could we get some specs here please ? (Draw weight/length)

    Also, what did you use for the notches ?

    Anyway, It's a wonderful sight ! Very Happy
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    Post by Dark Factor Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:40 am

    Hello and thanks for all

    It's about 80lbs at 42cm draw length (longer than usual medieval crossbow, but I wanted better performances without too strong bow). bow about 100cm large from notch to notch... 110cm with horn tips.
    Tiller is about 100 cm long + 15 for stirup.

    the nut and the tips of the bow are made in a non-historical material which is called Trespa (in europe, not sure that's the same name in US - the generic name is "compact pannels" I think). there is a factory that made furniture with these pannels and I can take some offcuts. It looks like buffalo horn when you sand it and put flax oil on it, but it's stronger and so that's why I used it to replace horn for the nut (safer than horn)... but it's really harder to work this than horn.
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    Post by Daniel Levesque Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:59 am

    If it shoots as well as it shows, you've created a masterpiece ! I'm a tad jealous... Very Happy

    Really like the design of stirrup btw. Mind if I borrow the idea (at least, something more or less similar) ?
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    Post by Dark Factor Wed Feb 21, 2018 10:37 am

    Yes, it shoots well. but that was my first one, and I realised the string touch a bit too much the tiller and maybe I loose some speed because of this... hard to say how much I loose, I don't have enough experience. the distance I can shoot (direct shoot) is almost the same as a 60-65lbs bow (the most I can use)... but with smaller draw length and shorter bolt (than arrow).

    Stirrup wasn't the hardest to made... I split the metal plate with electric saw and then you need an anvil and hammer (a bit forge can help but I have made it cold).
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    Post by c sitas Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:58 am

    Dark ,you have a bow to be proud of. I agree with you on the string . Just a tad too much. It might wear the string early , but  you can stall that by waxing it good.Your sterrup is a work of art. A beautiful job.
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    Post by Dark Factor Thu Feb 22, 2018 10:27 am

    thanks Sitas, making bows is my hobby, so that was not really a challenge, but it looks fine. Maybe I had to make it bend a bit on one side so the string could go upper on the tiller. that's something we avoid when making bows because the bow turn on the hand, but with crossbow, this can't turn.

    I must confess the hardest for me wa to make the holes on the tiller for the nut and the lever to block it. I never make such things.
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    Post by c sitas Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:20 am

    Dark, you can be proud . Digging holes in wood is not particularly easy.  Always use sharp tools , start small , and work tight to your mark. I bought a cheap kit for my drill press, digging a square hole in wood is now easy.
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    Post by Gnome Thu Feb 22, 2018 2:10 pm

    That is pretty, and looks like a sweet shooter. If you wanted to take it apart I bet it wouldn't be too hard to adjust the angle of your prod mortise to reduce your string drag.
    That Trespa sounds like interesting stuff- phenolic resin impregnated with wood fibers. What wood is the tiller made from?
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    Post by Dark Factor Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:55 am

    Yes, sitas, I suppose making holes become easy when you have the good tools ! but I don't imagine making more than 4-5 crossbows, so I do with what I have for the moment... step by step, from small to bigger hole... till it's good even if it demands hours. That's a hobby, we both have time for hobbies!

    Gnome, I adjust the angle of the bow for the in direction of the nut, but as the draw length is important, the angle looks bigger when it's not bent.
    Yes, Trespa is interesting even if it's very long to sand it. But it can be glued with wood glues and it's resistant. But it's not homogenous, it's made with a lot of paper/wood layers glued together on a hard press, so that's closer to wood fiber than some other industrial materials.
    The tiller is made of beech
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