Author Topic: Bamboo wheelie crossbow  (Read 7149 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Dauntless

  • Member
  • Posts: 282
Bamboo wheelie crossbow
« on: February 22, 2013, 11:26:03 am »
I debated a bit before posting this here. I wasn't sure if wheels were too modern for the forum. If they are, this can be placed elsewhere or simply deleted.

It's more of a prototype toy than a serious weapon. The bow draws 4lbs at 12" and shoots bamboo skewers. I wanted to see if a simple roller nut mechanism could be done with crude materials (worked fine with a 25lbs draw) and if I could wrap my little head around how wheelie bows work (still not too sure).

There is no liftoff on these round cams, but they do allow a much longer draw length for a short prod. The cams are made of apricot wood; slices I took from a branch to make buttons... The roller nut is a section of an oak branch. Trigger pull is very light and there is no safety either  ???

It's almost all made of scrap wood and bamboo. I've got an ipe backed bamboo one in the works too.







The starving grad student with too many hobbies.

Offline bushboy

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,256
Re: Bamboo wheelie crossbow
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2013, 12:04:03 pm »
Neatto ,I think it was cavemen that invented the wheel!lol!
Some like motorboats,I like kayaks,some like guns,I like bows,but not the wheelie type.

Offline Stefan

  • Member
  • Posts: 167
Re: Bamboo wheelie crossbow
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2013, 12:23:42 pm »
I like it. It's cool. If you want to try to understand the concept of a wheelie bow I would start by making a bowsting that you can attach to the cams (not a loop that goes around the cams). A compound also has two cables a split yoke cable and a normal cable. Hard to see from the foto but it looks like the bow string isnt attached to a cam but to the axle?? 

no lift off --> no let off?

Iron rusts from disuse, water loses its purity from stagnation... even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.

Leonardo

Offline Dauntless

  • Member
  • Posts: 282
Re: Bamboo wheelie crossbow
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2013, 12:33:00 pm »
I have to say I based my design off a homemade reverse draw crossbow at The Arbalist forums. The design used the pulleys to pull two limbs together when the string was drawn.

You're right about the string being nocked at the axles, not on the cams. Is it still a compound bow or just some wheeled ugly child?

Also yes let off, no lift off  ::) I'm either too low on caffeine or too French.
The starving grad student with too many hobbies.

Offline Buckeye Guy

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,033
Re: Bamboo wheelie crossbow
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2013, 01:26:06 pm »
It is always fun to play !
Play that strengthens our mind is the most fun !
Guy
Guy Dasher
The Marshall Primitive Archery Rendezvous
Primitive Archery Society
Having  fun
To God be the glory !

Offline Slackbunny

  • Member
  • Posts: 866
Re: Bamboo wheelie crossbow
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2013, 01:52:37 pm »
So friggen cool! I love handmade crossbows. I've been wanting to try one for months but I can't work up the courage yet. Nice work.

Offline Dane

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,870
Re: Bamboo wheelie crossbow
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2013, 10:29:43 pm »
Dauntless, this is very cool. I saw you post this on Arbalist Guild. You have nothing to feel insecure about.

Slackbunny, the best way to build a crossbow is to start building :)

Dane
Greenfield, Western Massachusetts

Offline Dauntless

  • Member
  • Posts: 282
Re: Bamboo wheelie crossbow
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2013, 09:42:24 am »
Thanks Dane! I really like the Arbalist Guild. It's a slower pace forum, but the work presented there is phenomenal.
The starving grad student with too many hobbies.

Offline Del the cat

  • Member
  • Posts: 8,322
    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: Bamboo wheelie crossbow
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2013, 10:08:38 am »
Yup, definitely worth posting.
Good to see experimental stuff.
A while back I saw an article about evidence of a medieval compound bow which had been unearthed and was being recreated by a well known bowyer. I was suspicious of it, then I noticed the date on the article... April 1st  :laugh:
Del
P.S.
One of my back burner projects is a primitive crossbow which will meet NFAS spec's (e.g Safety catch and trigger guard)
« Last Edit: February 23, 2013, 10:12:29 am by Del the cat »
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.