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» [solved]Skane/Lillohus crossbow thread
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» What you building?
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» Crossbow Stock
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» Cocking - how
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» Questions around heavy crossbow lath buildin
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» Arab Crossbow
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» 400lb Windlass crossbow bolts weight and accuracy shooting high.
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» Codex Löffelholz crossbow
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» Troubleshooting
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» Wood Prods
by stuckinthemud1 Fri Dec 30, 2022 12:47 pm

» Colletiere a Charavines crossbow
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» Fiberglass H-bows
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» Anyone make their own bolts?
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» Qin/Han lock drawings
by kenh Fri Sep 23, 2022 8:16 pm

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

» Skane/Lillohus lockbow information needed
by stuckinthemud1 Sun Aug 14, 2022 6:23 am


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    ash lath and pin-lock crossbow

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    • Post n°1

    ash lath and pin-lock crossbow Empty ash lath and pin-lock crossbow

    Post by stuckinthemud1 Thu Apr 30, 2020 6:39 am

    Hi everyone, thought I'd post my crossbow build updates here. Plan is for an ash-lath and pin-lock medieval-ish target crossbow
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    ash lath and pin-lock crossbow Empty Re: ash lath and pin-lock crossbow

    Post by stuckinthemud1 Thu Apr 30, 2020 6:47 am

    First is the lath, currently 34 inches from nock to nock, 34mm wide with a constant chord for the central 8" where it is 21mm thick.  The tips follow medieval convention and are the same width as the centre is thick, so 21mm wide and 14mm thick.  Draw weight is 69lb at 9", 85lb at 10".  It is tillered out to 10" and will probably go further, this puts it well over 100lb but that is double the target draw weight so it has to go on a diet.

    ash lath and pin-lock crossbow 20200430_1236272571772818080907284
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    Post by banuvatt Thu Apr 30, 2020 11:02 am

    The belly looks very rounded like an English longbow is this what you were going for? If so you should maybe since you are planing to take wood off flattened the belly since white wood bows aren't good in compression.  I heard of ash long bows the bellies crystallizing because ash just can't handle that compression. You can also try firehardening or heat treating to prevent set.
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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Thu Apr 30, 2020 11:48 am

    Round-bellied bows I find difficult to make so first I wanted to practice that technique to make one in the style of the Glagow Museum bow. Now I will flatten the belly a lot and narrow the limbs a little and then heat treat it. Target weight is 45llb at 12 inches
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    • Post n°5

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    Post by banuvatt Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:09 pm

    Did you put a backing or you plan to put one?
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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:44 pm

    Not yet but as the bow is for someone else, and as it has 2 pin knots and 1 proper knot some kind of backing is necessary, maybe a piece of silk, but not sinew, not appropriate for something that will largely be a wall hanger
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    • Post n°7

    ash lath and pin-lock crossbow Empty Re: ash lath and pin-lock crossbow

    Post by banuvatt Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:57 pm

    How about raw hide? You can also use fiberglass cloth/epoxy, linen.
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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Thu Apr 30, 2020 1:26 pm

    They're all good options but I already have silk, although if I weren't in lockdown, I'd love to try eelskin
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    • Post n°9

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    Post by banuvatt Thu Apr 30, 2020 1:39 pm

    I think sturgeon skin looks really cool as a backing. What does the silk backing look like?
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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Thu Apr 30, 2020 2:26 pm

    White silk is supposed to be nearly invisible but I might try a coloured silk and see what happens
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    • Post n°11

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    Post by banuvatt Thu Apr 30, 2020 2:45 pm

    What color of silk are you thinking of? I've seen people back bows with silk ties.
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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Fri May 01, 2020 4:51 am

    Pale blue, but if it looks awful I will be painting over it, but I will need to waterproof it anyway
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    • Post n°13

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    Post by banuvatt Fri May 01, 2020 5:22 am

    Have you thought about making it look like a composite bow that's what Tod from Tod's Workshop does with his faux composite bows made from a piece of forged spring steel.
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    • Post n°14

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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Fri May 01, 2020 8:58 am

    The ash is a bit lumpy, a faux leather look won't really work this time
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    • Post n°15

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    Post by banuvatt Fri May 01, 2020 9:10 am

    What have you thought about painting over it? I've seen people paint over the backing of their composite prods it's like either ornate designs such as flowers or a snakeskin pattern.
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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Fri May 01, 2020 10:04 am

    Dunno yet, will get it all finished and see what I think
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    • Post n°17

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    Post by banuvatt Fri May 01, 2020 10:06 am

    Do you have the stock outlined yet?
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    • Post n°18

    ash lath and pin-lock crossbow Empty Re: ash lath and pin-lock crossbow

    Post by stuckinthemud1 Fri May 01, 2020 12:34 pm

    No, I want to match the tiller to the lath, once I am happy with it's size and draw-length I'll carve the stock. I have a good idea of where to go, inlayed bolt groove in buffalo horn or antler with bolt rest, pinch point and string notch in horn or antler. Maybe inlay some cheek flashes. Not sure what timber to go with, I have apple, hawthorn, mahogany and yellow pine to choose from.
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    • Post n°19

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    Post by banuvatt Fri May 01, 2020 10:19 pm

    It sounds good it will probably be very slick another thing you may want to consider is maybe making the pin out of horn as well it would slide through much easier. Do you have an idea what the shape of the stock would like?
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    • Post n°20

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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Sat May 02, 2020 3:45 am

    A horn pin is a very good idea, I will go for it.  I am basing the stock on this photo but with such a low draw weight I am using a wooden protective plate on the lath instead of a stirrup but if that is unstable I'll plait out a stirrup out of paracord.

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    • Post n°21

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    Post by banuvatt Mon May 04, 2020 11:09 am

    Paracord for a medieval style crossbow? Wouldn't you rather use some natural fiber like hemp or jute?
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    • Post n°22

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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Mon May 04, 2020 2:48 pm

    Yes, but would they be hard-wearing enough? Leather would work though.

    Lath nearly at full draw, now 45lbsash lath and pin-lock crossbow 20200504_1835176151400096081651384
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    • Post n°23

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    Post by banuvatt Mon May 04, 2020 3:10 pm

    Okay how about manila rope? It would be more durable and moisture resistant. I know it would be a concern since your stirrup would be on the floor and potentially on wet grass would eat away at it with time.
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    • Post n°24

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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Thu May 07, 2020 8:42 am

    Made a poor choice of timber for the stock with some pretty knotty mulberry, then managed to cut to the centre-line instead of the outside edge as I needed to resort to a chainsaw as the grain is so convoluted, fortunately I had just enough timber to work with but have ended up with a very delicate little crossbow, not quite what I intended, will post some pictures when the stock is finished middle of next week.
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    • Post n°25

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    Post by stuckinthemud1 Sun May 10, 2020 4:20 am

    Found 160m ball of jute twine for £3 in a local store, guess I'll be doing the binding and stirrup in jute then.
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