15 replies to this topic

[SKIZ]

I was looking a making a crossbow (just for fun) and was wondering what type of material i could use for the bow part. I got everything else figured out for now but will probally stumble across other problems. I know that a bow can use wood or carbon firbe but i just want something cheap, simple and powerful. If one of you suggests wood could you please tell me what type and how i should go about making it "elastic". Thank you.

[RaZeR ShArP]

Sassafrass makes amazing bows, great ranges, not fragile, and smells good too! You can find preprepared wood sections at sports stores that sell bowmaking materials.

[Flaming Hilt]

Spring steel is amazing for that kind of stuff, if you can find it. Hobby shops may have it... but otherwise try and get some spare off a friend, because it generally sells in bulk. Shouldn't be a problem though. It's more common than you think. And it's AMAZING for crossbows and stuff.

What are you using for the thread? Taught or untaught? I think untaught (bungees) is harder to do, but I've heard if you do it well it can jump your ranges a little...

[puggy]

http://www.nerfhq.co...opic.php?t=3345

[SKIZ]

Puggy- not quitw what i had in mind but thanks

Flaming Hilt- spring steel? and to be honest im still in REALLY early development stage so i dont no what im using. What do you mean by taught and untaught? And whos sasafras?
Thank you for your time you seem VERY helpful and i will problly be PMing you in the future.

[RaZeR ShArP]

Sassafrass is a type of wood. It's strong, flexible, and smells good too. You can buy pre-prepared peices of wood here.

Edited by RaZeR_ShArP, 19 May 2006 - 03:39 PM.

[euphemism]

It is also the tree used to make root beer. I would imagine yew would work too, it was very common for bows in the good ol' days (middle ages and whatnot).

EDIT: Make sure you don't eat any part of a yew tree, it is rather poisonous.

Edited by euphemism, 19 May 2006 - 02:59 PM.

[RaZeR ShArP]

Ah, root beer! Yum... Anyways, I also reccomend yew, as he said. I am buying a recurve bow that is made of yew, a medival style bow.

[Flaming Hilt]

Yea, spring steel. I shouldn't have to tell you what it is if you can read: "Spring," and "Steel." All I can say is it's amazing. If you can find it affordably, use it. I get scraps from friends (parents) occasionally and found it at a hobby store once but they ran out of business. Just look around.

[SKIZ]

Flaming Hilt: i knew what it was as such but didnt no were to get it from. I will just get one from a car (leaf spring). The one i have in mind should be able to have about 1/4 of a tonne of pressure. I will probally just go for real bow strings.

RaZeR_ShArP and euphemism: i will probally go with the leaf spring just i would feel abit safer unless you think there is more power in wood. Ive got ruff plans of a repeating crossbow which is pump action and should be pretty accurate.

OFF TOPIC: Tomorrow there is a gun show hosted by the SSAA (sporting, shooters, Assosiation of Australia) and i should be able to pick up some neat stuff from there. I am hoping to get a compound bow but, in NSW its ellegal to buy a crossbow so im forced to make one.

Thanks for your help and feel free to throw anything at all in this thread about bows. eg. plans, history, laws, etc.

NOTE: what type of program is the best for designing a prototype? like bolt and captain slug use?

Edited by SKIZ, 20 May 2006 - 04:42 AM.

[GeneralPrimevil]

Okay, time for me to shed some insight.


I have heard that ash is okay for a bow. That is just what I heard, so is double here-say


Now, to address that leaf spring suspension component...if that is a quarter of an English measurement ton, then that thing should displace 500lbs...hmm...
A quarter of a metric ton would be 250kg, or about 551lbs. That is re-damn-dickulously heavy, considering there'd be no let-off, one would have to hold back 550+lbs for however long required to take a shot. With it as a crossbow, or a bow, read the next paragraph.

Automotive suspension leafs are WAY too heavy of a displacement for use as a bow. Trust me on this. In fact, I am building a crossbow (I'll link to the boltsniper.com topic later) and have run in to that very problem. With a car leaf spring, if one can pull pack the 1/4" stainless steel braided cable (need min. pull strength of 1000lbs for safety), when the cable is released, well, you better have it secured to something at least 300lbs or the reverberation will kill you arm(s) and/or body. I mean, can (will) dislocate your shoulder if used like a standard bow. There is a rediculous amount of energy with those, which I have found out both easily and difficultly.

Now that I have said that, well...

When buying spring steel, the important thing to remember is that the higher the carbon, the stiffer it is. In other words, thinner high-carbon will have a displacement of thicker low-carbon.

Spring Steel is usually bought in a roll if strips (as in to make a bow) are needed. 400' rolls are not hard to come by. Most places will let you buy lengths of the rolls much like rope in a hardware store.

That's some of what I have at mind now. Gimme another couple hours and I'll have more.

Edit: forgot to answer SKIZ's edit...ALIBRE. Alibre is what CaptainSlug uses. I have since gotten it, along with RhinoCeros (do not get for prototyping) and have access to AutoCAD LS or LX or whatever those letters are...
Alibre is great because it is free and simple to use. Just Google 'Alibre design' or something like that.

Edited by GeneralPrimevil, 20 May 2006 - 06:36 AM.

[SKIZ]

Bassically what i had in mind (just download the small .pdf )
http://www.vintagepr...-bow-plans.htmlHowever going to modify the design a little bit to be just that little bit safer.

I live in Australia and have never seen spring steel in rolls at my hardware store?

PLEASE keep the info rolling i appriciate the help.
I have tried to use both rhino and alibre and am no good at them. I think ill just stick to good old paint and the tradition pen and paper...and rubber

Edited by SKIZ, 20 May 2006 - 07:51 AM.

[Carbon]

I have tried to use both rhino and alibre and am no good at them. I think ill just stick to good old paint and the tradition pen and paper...and rubber

As a suggestion for how to "ease into" 3D modeling, give a 2D vector based program a try (something like Illustrator). One of the biggest stumbling blocks in working with 3D is learning how to deal with Bezier points, and a 3D modeling program is essentially a 2D Illustration program with a third dimension. If nothing else, Illustrator will give you a way to make clean, infinitely scalable diagrams.

[SKIZ]

Carbon thanks but no thanks. I am really sick of computer drawing now
As for the leaf spring idea i think it may be pluasabile if i get the rite one as i have seen them used before. I will look out for spring steel though just in case. The plan i linked ot my last message could probally be used for nerf application as well. If only someone was to download the plans themself.....carbon maybe......or bolt......or captain slug you guys seem like the most creative. jokes

[Carbon]

Heh...looking at those plans, it's essentially davidbowie's KISS. The only difference is that this crossbow uses spring arms, while the KISS uses bungees. All the other features (magazine, pump action) are just about identical. The trigger mech is differenr, of course, but functionally it's all the same.

[SKIZ]

Carbon- i quess its similar but i still will go for that design probally as it seems...sexier. Also If i manage to get a good enough bow i should launch bolts REALLY fast and really far.