Red Oak Board (x)Bow.

Good Day,

This is a "little" project I'm working on and though it was meant for simple testing(and if all goes well a present for a good friend)... I started shaping it and got a little carried away.



A few quick swings with a rasp and then dremel came in for touch ups.



So easy to get carried away.

Anyways, this project wasn't really supposed to exist since it was meant as a testing platform for some designs and some video tutorials I'm putting together,...BUT...it's turning out so awesome that I just can't treat it like it's not worthy of your attention.

This crossbow is really tiny - being somewhere around 23" total in length! The arrow groove/track on this one is actually cut right in the stock...I like the removable tracks, but in this case I made an exception. It was done in two steps - first the slot was cut on a table-saw and next I used a router with a "v" bit to bring the slot to proper dimensions so that the center of the arrow nock is level with the string...which kinda looks like this.



Red pencil is just something I thought would be a nice touch since the lighting in my room is terrible enough to cause the edges to "blend" no matter what angle you shoot from.

Ok, moving on...

The trigger that I have planned is actually kinda radical in a sense that it basically a piece cut from a square pipe... yeh...it's pretty flimsy looking stuff, but that's where I remind you and myself that this project was started with testing in mind...and not to be built like a tank....so here is the basic concept and the few parts I've cut and case hardened.





Now, before you guys ask me about those aluminum trigger housing walls - those are only for fitting, the housing will be made from steel. The only aluminum part in this trigger will be that piece of aluminum channel which will act as a lever extension that will be linked to the trigger...should be fine(I think ).

This project has been dragging turtle style mainly because I work and barely have any free time, but I hope I get more time to work on it in the next few days...the neighbors aren't complaining yet.

Ivo

PS: And yeh...of course let me know what you guys think.

Ooh a little pistol bow! I like it.

...Wow! It takes my breath away! Bullpup stock! Give yourself a big ATTABOY1

Thanks guys, I like the smooth curves - it just flows...and what even I
still can't believe... is I free handed it all with a bulky ass dremel.

---

For the limb on this one I have this little guy planned...



It's just a cut down version of the 150lb fiberglass prod that right now
draws probably somewhere around 180-200lb and needs to be powered down
back to 150lb, this will be done by sanding off some material on the
inner side of the limb...so basically I need to re-tiller it, shape the
tips, cut the nocks, and paint it.

Tillering will definitely be fun since a part of it will actually be a tutorial video I've been meaning to put together for some time now on the subject of measuring draw weight using a set of pulleys to get some mechanical advantage over the load and allow the use of lighter spring scales.

HOWEVER...I do have a little cold wind in my back about it not working out, so my second choice will be to actually press my own limb from uni-d prepregs and action-boo.



A toughy for me at the moment, so I really hope the first one works out.

---

Now...The limb mount is something you will reeeaaally like!...I'm sure.



I've thought it up recently, a really simple semi-quick release
contraption. Basically there are two freely rotating rods with a
threaded holes in the middle, the bracket that will be holding the limb
has a slot cut in it and as the screw is tightened(forgot to draw a washer there ), the friction between
the bolt and the bracket will force the pin to rotate and thus pull the
bracket - tightly securing the prod. It's amazing what you can do with a
simple bent piece of metal. ...I'm finishing up the sheet metal brake to bend that piece, so I'll have that part made in no time.


Ivo

I really like the trigger mechanism. I had a the start of a similiar idea but I really like how you fleshed it out.

I like that trig too...alllot actually.

It's a version of the one that we were talking about over PM -I just want to test out how it holds up over all and then move on with larger scale testing.

Made a little progress on this build too...

Ivo wrote:I'm finishing up the sheet metal brake to bend that piece, so I'll have that part made in no time.

>>>Sheet Metal Break

Ivo

What's up guys.

I would have thought it's a curse - all in one day practically every essential to this project piece of equipment either broke down or needs replacement of consumables. Drill chuck locked up, belt on the sander ripped, dropped a file and the damn thing shattered, vacuum suction stopped and dust collector ripped when I was cleaning it out, caliper just died on me...these are only a few things not including a few broken/dull bits and some cuts I got as these things broke while in use...Now I "would have thought" it was a curse, but I don't believe in curses...so it's just a hard detour my shop is telling me to take.
I was stuck with the sheet metal brake for some time and the failures in that field were my primary excuse not to do anything else in this project...now since all my tools broke, I guess that's out of the way. So I went ahead and continued with other things.

On the router table with a drum sanding head I reduced the thickness of the cut down 150lb Taiwanese prod to what seems to be the perfect weight for target shooting (no idea really what the weight is, couldn't find my scales, but it's light...I'd say too light actually - age old problem of under powering the bow while tillering )



An interesting detail was to see these weird lines running perpendicular to the limb in certain areas, at the moment I'm assuming these are the different length bundles used to get the limb taper during the limb pressing process, that I've exposed by sanding down some material. Moving on...

The new string(10.5 loops of B-50, BCY Halo serving) on my string jig(piece of 1.5"x1.5" oak and two metal posts)



The tiller seems to be off by a tiny bit with one limb bending better than the other, but hopefully I'll be able to correct it without much loss in power of this already a tiny bow. Also, "Note to Self" - Glue on some limb tip reinforcements...too much string wear and just looks flimsy.



Next...Cut the slot in the stock and fitted the prod in place. Nice and tight fit...




...and that's a wrap for the day.

This addition was made possible by my tools going on a strike and my brother waking me up at 3am, in distress that his Xbox(Live ID) got hacked and that I must help him get it back, which we finally did at around 6am...so I'm wasted...no point of going back to sleep(I'll just be late for work that way), so I went down to the shop and got busy. Got some more stuff on the sheet metal deal, so make sure to check that out too.

Ivo

Ivo, this is really really cool! Did you design it? And the pattern for it as well? You have a very nice eye for the shaping...

Here's hoping your tools decide to cooperate, and we get some more pics, soon..!

Best;
Lightly

Hi Lightly, Thanks(again) Have you ever seen "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" ?



I'm getting better bit by bit and starting to put my earlier stocks to shame, drawing inspiration is becoming easier too as even smallest details will do it for me now. Thanks for the encouragement Ranger Lightly.

Gotta tell you, I got home really late (3am) so my photography was pretty lousy to say the least, but the finished mounting bracket (even in it's unfinished state is wickkked!)...here goes >

So everything starts with a quick template...and a bracket is made (didn't have the time to fix the brake, but I'm growing accustomed to how it works, so I basically eyed out the bend allowance and it still turned out precise...easy stuff ).



Next I made a drill guide(which is basically a piece of maple with a piece of aluminum screwed to the side of it and the whole thing is clamped to the work piece for drilling) - drilled the holes for the posts...followed by cutting the blanks for the posts.



After that did the layout of all the openings to be cut in the bracket for the bolts and the prod, drilled a few corner holes, cut out the unneeded material using a dremel, and filed the openings clean.



Really wished I had my chainsaw sharpening file (round rat tail) for the
rounded corners, but used a 117 Dremel cutter bit which turned out to
be even better(product link)...but more about that later...now the "posts"

After cutting and cleaning up the posts I inserted them in the holes I drilled for them in the stock earlier and used the bracket as a template to drill the opening for the bolts and also drilled 1/3 of the way through the posts (not all the way - not to lose control of the bit as it exits the back of the posts and go through the soft wood behind it...the amount of pressure taking to drill through metal slowly is more than enough to put a hole all the way through the stock). Then I put the posts in a vise and finished drilling all the way though, cleaned up the holes a bit and started tapping threads *broke the tap* then re-drilled the holes with a larger diameter bit and tapped them with a larger tap (I'm doing all of this by hand by the way )..after tapping the thread I used a counter-sink bit to allow easier location of the holes once everything is being assembled.



So all the parts are practically done and fit is adjusted...



All that's left is to assemble it - proving the concept.

Before you guys watch the vid and give me beef about me mumbling...keep in mind - I got home at 3am, gave my dog a bath, then did all that work and the vid was shot around 6am...so I'm reeeeallly tired. So if you didn't get something - just ask, I'll be happy to explain.



Now here's a quick sneak peek of what I did before I called it a "night" and went to work...



Above is a jig I made to help position the scope before I get into all that (16ga) sheet metal origami again. It's basically a pivoting set of aluminum angles and plates riveted together...I don't know what I'm into with this (in theory everythign easy, but the math behind it is a bit intimidating)...anyway... we'll see how it works out in the end...wish me luck.

What gauge sheet metal did you use for the bracket?

my friend , did you happen to notice the date on the post your working with?

I know this post is old but I just want to build a crossbow with a similar attachment with this.

I am glad you replied. I spend a lot of time just reading on these old posts. This place is a gold mine of knowledge. I've built several units. Some turn out better than others. For what you want to do I would think .100 or .125 steel would be good. If you can't work that heavy of metal, back off on the thickness until you can work it. I can't vouch for that style of anchoring the bow. I have already completely tore the end of the stock clean off. Main thing is to be tight but, I can't say for sure that solid is the answer. I tend to favor the lacing method . The stock that I tore the end off of was solid , similar to what you were viewing.Aluminum might work but, it has a tendencey to work harden when bent real tight. You would just have to lookiit over good when you were done.

I am not a big fan of cord bridals on crossbows specifically crossbows that have a rifle shaped stock and aren't based on medieval or renaissance designs. I don't know why it's just I don't it looks very appropriate. You probably already know this but cord bridals are good for crossbows that prods aren't made of steel like wood, or a composite. Steel wedges will dent and damage a natural prod if it's wedged in too tight. Wooden wedges are good for non steel prods though. A good method I have seen someone do was cut a slot in front of the crossbow for the prod as you would normally do. But make it deeper then put a block in front of the prod. Then drill two holes through the block also through the top of the rails to the bottom in front of the prod. Put two dowels through the holes to match them up in place.

Check out "Todds stuff". He's a modern --"old timer". Works only on medival stuff. Very cool.I'm 76, but not into  medival. I still hunt ,therefore I like my bows like my ladies, hot and fast. I only hunt with what I make.

I like Tod's Workshop I subscribe to his YouTube page specifically because he makes crossbows.