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

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    My first Guild Crossbow post

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    Post by AboMickey Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:33 am

    I just joined this forum because I wanted to share this project with you guys. Then once I started looking through other posts I realized how much more advanced the other members are. Hopefully this crossbow will become something as impressive as the other ones I've seen on here.

    anyway...

    I started with this...

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1826

    Just a rough sketch of a simple trigger mechanism.

    so today I set out to build me a crossbow and this is what I have so far...

    I made something that looked like this...

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1911

    Into this...

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1912

    I still have lots to do in the shaping and beautifying department but I want to make sure all my stuff functions before I get to crazy on the detail.

    It's gonna have a pistol-ish grip with a thumbhole stock. I've never made a thumbhole stock before but all I need is a good dowel sander or something along those lines and I think I can crank something nice out (I've done more with less).

    Here's what I have so far on the grip.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1913

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1914

    I also started by making the fletch groove thingie (you guys are gonna have to help me out with fancy terms) first, so that if I screwed that up I wouldn't have to start all over. I used a skill saw with the guard set so that it didn't go to deep. I still have to go a bit farther down the stock. I didn't know the trigger would be back so far when I made the groove.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1915

    You can also see in that picture, a big rectangular hole towards the back of the stock. That's where the trigger mech is gonna go. It's gonna be a bullpup style trigger, meaning (or at least I think it does) that the trigger sits in front of the release mech.

    I finished the trigger today, or at least the releasing end.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1916

    I made this thingie...

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1917

    Into this (springs sold seperatley)

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1918

    I made the sear (haha, I do know one fancy crossbow term, thank you Ivo!) out of the metal slab in the next picture.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1919

    and here they are all together...

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1921

    I'm gonna use small washers to space everything out and make room for everything to work properly of course.

    The coolest thing about all these things and parts is that I looked at no prints or plans. It's all coming from my noodle scratch Laughing

    Tommorow I'm heading to Home depot to get me a long ass drill bit to make the housing for the bullpup bar thing that goes from the trigger to the sear.

    The trigger is gonna be a double finger style like that on a paintball gun. With the spaning bar going underneath the thumbhole My first Guild Crossbow post 690274

    I'll try to keep you guys posted on my progress... wish me luck!My first Guild Crossbow post 570812
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    Post by Regerald Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:59 am

    Reasonable lock mechanism. And original. You can draw a string just over a nut, it will bend down and then rise again.. Smile
    If in any case this mech will have a heavy trigger, then I would
    recommend to move a pivot point of a trigger piece little downward, and
    also to make one arm of a L-shaped piece shorter (one that supports a
    nut).
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    Post by Todd the archer Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:05 pm

    Interesting project, what are you planning to use for a prod?



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    Post by AboMickey Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:58 pm

    Day two:

    Well it's actually starting to look like a crossbow!

    here's a group photo of all the pieces

    @Todd I'm just using one of those cheap taiwan fiberglass prods for this little guy.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1922

    Kindof a shitty pic but ah well I got more. As you can see I chopped the thing down a bit, the prod I'm using has a pretty short draw so this thing is gonna end up being pretty stumpy. It's got a shit load of power though. I got it to a point where I could load it today and it's a little bastard.

    I also found a neat set of round sanding tube things at homedepot so I was able to make the thumbhole look a little better.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1923

    Here's pic of the inside of the constructed trigger mech.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1924

    and a top view

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1925

    The best part of the day was having this work out. It's the bullpup mech that goes underneath instead of above the thumbhole.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1926

    I bought a long ass drill bit at home depot and also found this square bar. It took one try and crossing my fingers pretty hard but it worked out amazingly.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1927

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1928



    I was gonna make that video into a .gif file but I couldn't resist leaving that music in the background. Oh yeah Oh yeah!My first Guild Crossbow post 130643

    anywho...

    here's a pic of it all put together with what I have so far...

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1929

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1931

    I still have to do some finishing touches on it of course and a little fine tuning. The important thing is that it works! cheers

    tomorrow is another day and hopefully I can finish it up so that I can goof of over the weekend.
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    Post by WtsupDawg91 Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:22 pm

    That thing looks cool. what do use to make the triggers and stuff what tools
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    Post by AboMickey Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:56 pm

    A disc grinder, bench grinder, and a drill press. Gotta works with what ya got. My first Guild Crossbow post 728780
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    Post by Todd the archer Thu Oct 20, 2011 2:13 am

    pretty cool, let us know how it shoots. How is the trigger pull?



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    Post by AboMickey Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:46 pm

    Day three:

    Today I built some of the crossbow neccessitys, a foot stirrup and a bolt holder down thing. I also painted it and I'm sorta happy with how it came out.

    Again, I started with this.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1932

    did an enamel red base coat.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1933

    Layed down some masking tape in a random pattern... mmm... bacon.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1934
    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1935

    Then went over everything with black.
    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1936

    I also painted the stirrup black.
    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1937

    I made the tongue out of a saw blade (my favorite source of spring steel)
    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1938
    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1939

    Slap everything together and it's looking pretty awesome if I do say so myself. Although The red pattern could've been a little better.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1940
    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1941
    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1942

    I'm having a major issue that makes this thing a little slow to reload. Everytime I shoot it the spring that keeps the rotating nut up and down explodes and becomes unusable. Meaning I've had to take it apart all three times I shot it.
    What's happening is that the 150lb bow is so powerful that it makes the rotating nut spin so hard that it rips the spring all the way around it and basically stretches it out to become useless. :dno:

    It's the only hiccup I've had on this build and I'm trying to think of a solution.

    Rubber bands would work but they lack longevity.

    I have to work all weekend so the project will be put on hold until hopefully next wednesday. Then I'll make a video for it. It's been a while since my last vid so it's about time for a new one. tongue
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    Post by Basilisk120 Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:22 pm

    Need to put a stop in. I think about were your thumb is would work, well lets say at the tip of the thumb at 2 O'clock or so. Other wise it looks pretty dang stylish

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    Post by Ivo Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:38 pm

    Basilisk beat me to it. Smile Inertia is to blame.

    If you take that tywanese bow you got lying around there and look at the trigger...if you try to rotate the nut past horizontal position, it just won't go - the rod that keeps the torsion springs loaded blocks the nut... Haha, Bastards thought of everything.Laughing I'd also switch up to the lighter nut design(tywanese style)...HD has this square pipe that is just the perfect size. *I'm on the phone, so reminder to insert an image of the latches that just came back from sandblasting*

    It's a minor hick up, the build is going great...and fast! sander That's got to be some kind of record. scratch study Laughing

    Love the bacon joke by the way, with that mind set you'll be Master Chef in no time. jocolor

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    Post by jake-owa Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:35 pm

    I would try heavier springs but to me the position of the springs looks unworkable. The dilemma is if you make the springs too strong you will cause the string to jump the catch a little. I would think of another way to reset the catch.
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    Post by 8fingers Sat Oct 22, 2011 10:04 am

    If the action is a little heavy / slow would lightening the transfer bar help? I was thinking drilling holes in or fluting the bar might reduce its mass enough to make a difference in trigger pull/ lock time.
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    Post by jake-owa Sat Oct 22, 2011 3:16 pm

    To lighten your trigger response file carefully shaping both surfaces to keep minimal contact while still keeping the loads where you want them. Drilling parts to lighten them is not a good idea in this type of trigger in my opinion.
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    Post by Ivo Sat Oct 22, 2011 10:14 pm

    reminder to insert an image

    My first Guild Crossbow post Photo_10 My first Guild Crossbow post Photo_11

    This might look like it's not much, but it's quite sufficient for low to medium draw weight (I never went past 175lb during testing) and the lightest latch that I know of....here's the material/layout.

    My first Guild Crossbow post Photo_13My first Guild Crossbow post Photo_14

    For this build what you already have is plenty good and I love that spring idea...just needs a stop - keep rolling man! jocolor Good luck.

    Ivo

    PS: I remember the days...feeling like I was this world's one and only crossbow creep on the net...here I am now - being proven wrong more and more with every post....you guys are awesome!!!
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    Post by Guest Sun Mar 11, 2012 7:59 pm

    Another bullpup? cyclops

    mmm... bacon.

    My first Guild Crossbow post 576186My first Guild Crossbow post 576186My first Guild Crossbow post 576186My first Guild Crossbow post 576186My first Guild Crossbow post 576186My first Guild Crossbow post 576186My first Guild Crossbow post 576186My first Guild Crossbow post 576186My first Guild Crossbow post 576186My first Guild Crossbow post 576186

    not JUST bacon. That looks like Daedric Bacon. My first Guild Crossbow post 141400

    My first Guild Crossbow post Img_1941

    Spoiler:

    My first Guild Crossbow post 3517052187 I pronounce today (or the day this topic was started) a Holiday - !!!The Daedric Bacon Bullpup Day!!! My first Guild Crossbow post 141400My first Guild Crossbow post 141400My first Guild Crossbow post 141400It's going on our forum Calendar, lol. My first Guild Crossbow post 2860157027

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