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

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4 posters

    My first Crossbow Tell me what you think!

    Crossbowmen
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    • Post n°1

    My first Crossbow Tell me what you think! Empty My first Crossbow Tell me what you think!

    Post by Crossbowmen Tue Oct 30, 2018 1:33 am

    This is my first topic post and I'd like to show the crossbow I made in the last two vacations. Its a medieval inspired crossbow. Just a simple nut and lock trigger and a 130ish pound cheap recurve bow. The stock is simple white two by four sanded and stained. 
    Tell my what you think and give me some tips.
    I couldn't quite get the binding right when I was there so no real great target shouting.         







    Sorry for the broken links pictures are two post down.


    Last edited by Crossbowmen on Wed Oct 31, 2018 1:39 am; edited 1 time in total
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    stuckinthemud1
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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Tue Oct 30, 2018 2:26 am

    Might be just my phone but I couldn't open the images
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    Post by kenh Tue Oct 30, 2018 7:03 pm

    Can't see the images.  Best not to post links to pictures.  Best to post pictures themselves.
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    Post by Crossbowmen Wed Oct 31, 2018 1:39 am

    My first Crossbow Tell me what you think! IMG-20181029-WA0008_zpsycbicyphMy first Crossbow Tell me what you think! IMG-20181029-WA0007_zpsqfkrf6qyMy first Crossbow Tell me what you think! IMG-20181029-WA0005_zpsc0atym2sMy first Crossbow Tell me what you think! IMG-20181029-WA0006_zpsyqesbeb9
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    Post by kenh Wed Oct 31, 2018 5:09 am

    Not bad for a first bow.  Stock could use some serious design work;  certainly, but it looks as if you have everything in the right place and working properly.  I'm a bit concerned about all that mess of 'serving' wrapped around the string.  That is surely going to slow down the action.  Why have you put that there?  Is it because the string is skipping under or over the butt of the bolts?  I notice you have your bolts nocked on the ends -- something crossbows bolts don't normally have.  If the string is 'missing' the butt of the bolts what you can install is a 'bolt clip' to hold the butt end in place until the string hits it.
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    Post by c sitas Thu Nov 01, 2018 8:14 pm

    I'm just taking a guess at the extra stuff on the string. Might it be to protect the string from your cocking piece?I'm assuming that is what I see laying near the bow. Anytime you end up with a working machine, you have a feather in your hat. The more you polish , the shinier it will become.I like your effort for the first one. The trigger scares a lot of people, and, you made it work .Good job.
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    Post by Crossbowmen Wed Nov 14, 2018 3:06 pm

    Thanks took a bit long to get back to you
    The serving was nice and tight but after about 20 shots it looked like this. The coking device has steel hooks that push the serving apart. If I get to it I will put some leather on there to preserve the string. A better string is coming to, one were the padding is underneath the serving. Tried bending a bolt clip form a some old hacksaw blades but the kept breaking. Could bend some pvc pipes but that would contrast with the look. I was going for a medieval inspired bow that's why I made a octanol stock.

    Thanks
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    Post by c sitas Thu Nov 15, 2018 8:45 am

    If you can find some old steel ribbon from a shipping pallet. That stuff works pretty good. Good spring steel and can be cold bent. Trouble is most modern stuff is plastic now.Back to the PVC idea. Cut a piece of pipe about as long as you need . Cut it only once as to split it. Take a good heat gun and flatten the material. Make your hold down shape. This is pretty thuff and wears good.On your string cocker, polish the contact areas well so they don't upset the string so bad.Do you make your own strings?I might be able to help you.
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    Post by Crossbowmen Mon Nov 19, 2018 12:03 am

    steel ribbon would look great thanks. pvc is really nice to work with. I tried making my own string a long time ago but it didn't go so well. But now I know what length I need it should work. Maybe just twisting two linnen strings because the hooks on the bow tips aren't that wide. And the propper serving on the string and cocking device.
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    Post by kenh Mon Nov 19, 2018 5:50 am

    If you're in the States, you can get mild steel straps of varying lengths from place like Home Depot or Lowe's.  Brass strap (and maybe steel) can be gotten from hobby shops where folks build large flying model aircraft.
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