How to make an aluminium crossbow?

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I have been hunting with blowpipe and stuff... no gun powder... not allowed.( dont have one anyway)Now I know there is a couple of nice crossbow made in USA...I dont think its a hard thing to create from Al (body)... I can cut,mill and shape and weld the al... The problem is the mechanical of the piece and the metal of the bow... tensile steel ok?I know there are alot of professional hunter in USA... maybe a kind pointer? I would like to use a crossbow for this summer as game are abound...Thanks in advance...Unit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...
Reply:Most hunting crossbows are compounds. That means the use pulleys to decrease the weight that you have to pull back in order to load the bow. Take a look at some of these. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...entId=cat21424I would look at using spring steel for the bow limbs or some sort of laminated material. The limbs will be the hard part. The firing mechanism is relatively simple. There is usually a slot in the stock for one of the fletchings to rid in. I sold my old bow or I would post some detailed picts for you.Hope this will help you out.
Reply:Most bow limbs are fiberglass/ carbon fiber to reduce weight, and keep constant memory in the material.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:DSW:Thanks for the link... that is very hi-tech stuff with the tensioner and carbon parts...Rojodiablo:Metal feeling with rubber would be a heavier but nice weight to it beside carve one out of good timber...Carbon and fiber would be tooo light and the twang (power) would cause verticle motion... I think...What metal thinkness should I use for the bow?P.S. Is it viable to contruct crossbow fire by CO2 hi-pressure? Attached ImagesUnit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...
Reply:Rojodiablo was right about most commercial bows having carbon fiber for the limbs (the "BOW" portion). If I was going to try and build one I would start with an old steel leaf spring from a truck or trailer to build what you showed in the picture.I guess you could build a CO2 powered crossbow but I don't have any suggestion for how to get the fletchings for the arrow in the barrel and make a good seal. How about a big air gun. like a BB gun?Here's some that I found on a quick search.http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/bandit_1.htmlhttp://www.pyramydair.com/cgi-bin/model.pl?model_id=486The firing part of the air gun would be easy. Basically a lead slug in a metal tube, IE big blow gun. The trigger mechanism and the valving / storage part would require a lot of thought. Most HP airguns in this class use a scuba tank to push the air pressure up to 3000psi to fire them.
Reply:In Indonesia... anything that is above 4.5 std would be breakin the law... for airgun... STD pellet only...Problem is using a 4.5 restriction we can only tune or upgrade the length of the pellet not the diameter... and upgrade spring and power...That even couldnt kill a wild boar unless u r a perfect sniper that hit the animal eyes all the time... our hunting schedule mostly in the night... phew...I have a pic of cylinder that I can carry on my back... from a safety breathing apparatus Attached ImagesUnit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...
Reply:The US gov tried to design a weapon system using "flechetts" in the 60'ss or 70's. Basically small steel arrows that would get fired from a gun. The original idea was to put them in a shotgun shell so that there would be multiple projectiles but give better penatration than a lead ball. They also tried this with a single projectile in a rifle. They enclosed the "arrow" in a plastic sabot that fell away after firing. It worked but accuracy was less than a std. bullet. The same idea is used today for anti armor tank projectiles, so the idea will work. I have a feeling that you will run into restrictions on this also, since it has posible military applications.
Reply:Ha... I am not really building a mass killing weapon... like a AK-47...The current law in my place do not restrict people hunting with a bow... unless u hand carry it open with arrow loaded in a dense populated area or like to flash your gear on the good position top floor of a resident housing...The law really dont care for flying blade yet... opps... I am getting worried now... I may hunt next using toothpick as a javelin...Unit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...
Reply:Westlawn, you should consider buying a bow assembly and making your own stock. The bows are mostly carbon/ glass, because imagine #1. how heavy a steel bow-ie. leaf spring type steel would be on a long, sweaty hike through the jungle up and down mountains. Then, #2. Lift that heavy bow as it protrudes out in front of you, and hold it steady for a shot on a running boar. Believe me, if "Light is right...then Lighter is RIGHTER!!!!!!"And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:nah... if it is that hard and heavy might as well make a nice PVC flamethrower... that way u have an instant BBQ deer and boar and save on the freshness of the meat... found below thread while I was googling...http://forums.somethingawful.com/sho...0&pagenumber=1http://science.howstuffworks.com/fla....htm/printableOR...Multi- bolt crossbow... made of lumber and a few light pieces of metal... darn inaccurate so that is the main flaw...http://www.hilium.com/archive/f-24.htmlhttp://www.weaponscombat.com/improvisedweapons.htmlhttp://authors.history-forum.com/lia...h12122007.html Attached ImagesUnit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...
Reply:Laminated bamboo can be a light but strong substitute for bow material but doesnt scrarifice  the strength for weight...Last edited by Mandau; 05-25-2008 at 06:52 AM.Unit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...
Reply:Mmmm... what happen with the movee where the hero kill vampire with an automated gas started crossbow? I forgotten the name of the title...Last edited by Mandau; 05-25-2008 at 06:58 AM.Unit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...