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Old 01-22-2008, 07:56 PM
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Wyvern Crossbow
Fork Horn
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Posts: 478
Default RE: Making a home-made crossbow?

They are depending on the wood you use and if you tie on or bow iron the prod about the same or slightly heavier than a modern crossbow...

Well, cost of materials will vary depending on what you do. I sell my target ones for $435.00. The prods are only like $60.00(in steel) but there is a ton of labor involved and depending on how you make the bow it can "cost" you anywhere from $125-150ish to several hundred.

Go to Youtube and search Gunnvidr1 I have several videos up there that explain aiming and several other features of medieval crossbows...

Your milage may vary, but with a 454gr wooden bolt with a 105lb prod I clocked 164fps and my 185lb job hits about 200fps.

Check out http://www.alcheminc.com/crossbow.htmlfor plans and parts if you want to build your own. I have severly modified his original plan and have everything but the prod custom made by my machinist to my design, but his parts work well...If you want some options on parts, give me a shout I have my own inventory of components...

Personaly I am not a big fan of wooden prods. They have to be too long to work well on a medieval crossbow and in period they would either have been so heavy as to be impractical today, or laminated to last if they were not steel. Stay away from aluminum it breaks. I have seen some with fiberglass, but they were generaly very light prods.

A non laminated wood prod would eventualy take a set, so prolonged cocking would not be advised. I personaly use nothing but steel and have sat for hours with it cocked with no issues...

Hope that helps

Wyvern


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