Yesterday @ssaner help me CNC my crossbow lower channel out with the Shopbot!
I also cut out the notch that helps hold my spring steal.
Today I hope to slim down the stock, cut out the firing nut’s hole, and work on attaching my upper barrel.
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The Crossbow is almost finished. The foot plate needs to be welded on, the pvc needs to be jb welded to the stock. Add a screw to the front to make sure the arms can’t slide sideways, press a metal tube into the part that guides the ball out the barrel. And I need to get a bow string that’s about around 50in to 52in long.
CNC Plasma cut parts.
Jig to help cut final stock shape.
Everything fits together.
And I still need to do my sewing on my cloak and some leather working this week.
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When you’re ready for practice, your targets are in the lounge.
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Okay, the foot plate has been welded on, I have also pressed my metal tube into my part that slides down the barrel. And the spring steel can’t move side ways.
I need a 52in bow string to make the crossbow work in it’s current state for testing.
Bad news. The spring steel is probably way too strong, if I stand on both ends of the steel with the footplate on the ground. It bends about 5 to 6in down with a 1in space to spare before touching the ground. And that’s 135 pounds on it.
Not sure if I can solve this issue before the festival.
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The only way to remove spring from it would be thru heat. You might be able to talk to the resident blacksmith at cowtown or see if you can contact one of the black smiths thru the Central States Metal Artisans “CSMA”. The CSMA has a black smith shop in Haysville Park and used to meet every Monday Night.
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They meet every Monday and Wednesday from 6-8 or 9 and the First Saturday of the Month they have lessons at noon $20 per person. It’s $60 a year for everyone in your household who wants to learn plus a few bucks each time you come for water and coal.
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It’s a great group! I took lessons from Bill Moffet when it was just Great Plains Black Smith Association several years ago and still practice from time to time when I’m out at Cowtown. Unfortunately my knowledge on removing or reducing the spring is when I screw up and make a sparkler out of the metal!
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Might be able to heat and bend it with the rosebud tip on the oxy/act torch. You’ll have to find some way to get a uniform bend in both limbs or at least “closenough” spec.
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I don’t think I could do a good job at that, I doubt I would get it to bend evenly.
I guess I could take it too them tomorrow, and see if they could do anything on such a short notice.
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Okay, updates on my crossbow, now aiming for September 30th the Fall Renaissance Fair.
I found a way to attach a bow to the stock about two months ago. Need to make the masonite parts out of metal. The bow is a lot better than spring steel.
The trigger mechanism is now going to be a gate latch. I bought a gate latch but I took it apart to turn it upside down so I can still use the lock hole, and then I design a new latch arm today. I also took apart a double pulley for the wheels to guide a string down to the trigger last weekend.
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