cRossBow

II. YOU can't hit the bull's-eye with a regular archr er's bow and arro% tr5r one of these modern cnossthitting the'gold" almost bovrs and youllfindyourself ever5r time from distanc'es up to 60 yds. lhey are good fm hunting; too; a 160-lb. steel bow will stop anything short of an elephant Two models are deseribed in this storTZ,both very similar in construction slcept that one has a wood bow and the othen a steel bow. Comparative data is given in table of Fiet 5. Stock for wood bow: The stock of the wood bow can be made from white pine. Its shape ls very much like a modera rlfle as can be seen in Fig. 8. Start the iob by maldng a full-size drawing of the stock including the full detail at the trigger as shown in tr'ig. 9. Ttansfer the stock outline to lfie-in- white pine and sa\r lt out. I)rill the hole for the string release, using an expansive bit as in Fig.2. Recesseson either side of the hole are run in with a shaight shaper cutter, fig. 3, the guide collar rubbing the hole. Lacking sbaper equipment therecesses canbe cutwitha router bit in a drill press. Fig. 4 s*rows the mortise for tbe
WOODBO\^',DAAW|NC WEIGHT IO AEOT'T

Weight of gosbow Drowing wcigilrt ,vloximum ronge

Efftrlava lorgcl rongtr

fufa

WoodSolr 3 lbs
48 lbr. 160 yd3. About{OtCa zhry

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th

ll,'

llO lb!.

25Oydr"
Abo0t 6() tCt

F
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Penctrotion in whltc rrinr lenqth of stock tortglh of bow

Siza of arrow

37

tv 2E r"

5a 1#,x 23u2" 5J: X r3T2'

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trlgger being cut. Run in the arrgy a+d hand grooves, usfungsuitable shaper cutters. Then" shane allthe edges 16 in. round, sionpiie about 1 in. frorn the release hotE as indicated in Figs. 6 and.8. All working parts of the action are made from plastic. Dimensions given will provide suffieient qtrength for bows up to 60 lbs. drawing weight. Ovef this rveisht the release plates should be g{a-in. plastic and the trigger should be made from %e-in. metal. After fitting the release plates. the ton of the stoch is sanded down ti about the dotted line shown in
kloT

eoe#r.r?lendt
is required when bow pullr over l(Xl poundr. Bowr fhoi pull lesc thon thlr weight con ba sel by hond I'" EDGS ROUNDCD

t sroct( 'roNG

t3l 4l

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h tabh !i* fon 40, 60 qrd 80"fb. bowr ori bolow. low ir rtrengfhoncd qt crni.r 5y rrccl dcow AInowGn(XwE _ lilx 3- srO\G !O$

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DIMENSIONS OF 5,(" IEiAONWOOD BOWS

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the shaper cuts. Be care: ful in ftting the release plates so u*'ut screws will not interfere with this ssn.ling and rounding operation, in othen words. keeo the two ton screws-Iow. Ihe_plastic trigger has a'snail hrs on thi unclerside uear the uppeT end to fit inside the trigger Spring, as can be seen in FiE g. lhe wood bow: The bow-is made of lemonrrood to the. approxtonate sectioas given in the table. The 60-Ib. ou[ing weight is recornmended" Ilre 80-lb. bow is verlr'.los" to thp stress whidr can be imposed on fe*orrwood in this length_of bow. Shaping of'the bow i"Uo*s stanctanl practice, flat on the front round on the bellv. A section 2 in. long st the centen ii made full round b'v addlng a fiIler bloclg as shown in Fu. fe, tbis section beini enclosed fur a steel tube. Ihe completed bow is fitteE thrgugh {:he hole at the front of the 6tock and is fastd.d with a %-in. bolt as shown in Fie.s. 11, lZ, 18 and, ff. Uote in Fig. 13, that the bow is Ulted ;lightly rjo tbat the strins when puIed back comes to abouf thL top of the strini release. If desired" {fie bow can be mada bv trimmiai dovm a regular 6-ft. bow of about 30lbs. drawinE weidt] TVhen this is shortened and the ends trimmed-dowi a little, it will pull about 60 lbs. at 21-in" draw. E"urU; practigat a flat bow can be used instead of tbe stickei type shown, mountin$ the bow in a notdr cut at the end gf the stock. In any ease, the bow must be worked carefuIl_y and broken in gradually, hrgging a little on the strinE and then releasing until the full draw ts obtained The steel bow: Ihe steelbow, tr'ig. 1, does not have the siftr, srnooth shooting action of a-good nrood bow. snd pound for pound the wood bow will outshoot it. Aiainst this, the steel bow offers compactness and power, "ttE an

Sig.9. Fig. 10 showsthe operatiou. The sharp edgesare then faired in6

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yl. lffi
16"FoRsows IASI I TO60 LBS. !a'FoR80$rs ovEn 60 ms.

'6., IF CENIERIS IIA" !4" tr CEF{TR l" oR I 14' rs

PLASNC

1le rfal lraa'ff:#,i";1",:,ii obtoined from- o light outomobilc spring,

which is sswad witft high-speed rneel hockssw blodc lo fhe rhope shdwn obovo

things considered, makei rnuch the better crossbow. The spring stocli can be obtained from a light automobile leaf spring. It will cost tical, however, to make two or three bows you two high-speed steel haeksaw blades of different weightg all interctrangeable to-saw it to shape, Fig. 19. ff the spring is on the same stoch. a little wider than needed, it is a good idea Bow shings: Bow striags for wood. bows to leave the extta metal intact at the cencan be purchased or made from 6-cord flax ter, as shown in Fig. 16. The bow tips arre thread. T'his kind of thread is used in cut from sheet plastic, riveted in place and stitching machines by shoemakers. Twelve filed to take the string. Ihe steel-bow will threads will hold wood bows to 80lbs..the have an initial fixed jet of about Z-ira. deloop at the end being made by turning the flection, and should be braced at 3%-in. whole string back on itself. The string for deflection as shorvn in Fig. 16. lhe table, a 23'in steel bow is made on a simple Fig 20, shows approximately what leafyoqden form, as shown in Figs. 1? and 18. s_pringsteel will pull in pounds at 11%-in. In this case, the string is dividA into equal draw. A L00 to L60-lb. bow is recommend- parts to make the loops. Both loops ana a ed. Extremeiy heavy bows over 800 lbs. distance of 4 in. at center are wrapbed. and drarving weight make nice exhibition the completed string is waxed wiih 6eespieces for light or penetration shooting, wax. Ihe string can be shortened by givbut are no fun to shoot as you seldom reing it several twists before fittins to the trieve the arrow intact if at all ft is pracbow. lhe triangular-boxed figrres-in table

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NOUND GTIP WNH FIC

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sIN|NG IRACK

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NAEASE PTATE

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fhe bow lr houred in o notch cul in forword cnd. All po*: of lhc oction nu*t bo matnl ond ccrcfully modc ond fincd ro thry will wl$:rond lhc rfrong pro3iurrN of thc rtcsl bow

8lo& lovrfed ha':l,f5,T,ni'fffiXl

tion even with the flax string, although not es.seutial All parts of the action are metal" steel for the release, Fig" 23, and trigger, and aluminum or brass for ielease plates and string traek. the bow is housed in a notch cut in the end of the stocls, and is held by means of tlu'ee locating pins and a bolt, as shown in Fig. 25. The carriage bolt is ground round under the head, which is sawed to forsr a screwdriver slot. The r.elease pin is Y+-ut- diametgr, slotted on one end for a screwdriver and thn'eaded on other end to fit a tapped hole in the release plate. All metal parG are of ample strength for bows up to 400 lbs. drawing werghL Follow the release and trigger design closely; these parts are nicely balanced to provide positive holding while retaining a light trigger pull. Arrows: Arrows for both bou's are %cin. birch dowel. Vanes are plastic, celluloid or metal glued in grooves crrt in the shaft.

F ry

Fig. 20 are lihe number of threads of 6-eord flax required to hold a bow of the drawing weight indicated- Stepping on the center of the bow while the ends are supported on wood blocks will bend the bow enough to permit slipping the string in place. Stock for steel bow: Because of the heavier drawing weight, the stock for a steel bow must be made from walnut or other hard, strong rvood. The stock should be laid out full-size, Figs. 21 and 24, then transfen'ed to wood, cut out, and then machined in much the same manner as the wood-boq'stock already describbd. An addition is the metal traek on each side'of forearrn, Fig. 22. This originally was to protect the wood from the rubbing action of a metal bow string. The metal shing (6-strand, l9-wire flexible cable %z-in. dia.) did not stand up under actual shooting and was discarded for the flax tlrread. lhe track, however, is worthwhile protec-

t}6'xlw

from 5/16orc &rywra, modr dowsl. The inch birch

vona! o?c cul

frorn cclluloid cnd ore

ftncd In fhe groover cut in ths rhofl

Fig. 2? shows one way ot cuttinE the grooves, -$g shgft b*t!g held in the lathe, positioned by the indeiing head, rvhile a rotary hand tool mounted in a slide rest does the cutting. Vanes are mounted at right angles, Fig. 26, instead of the usual triangular pattern used for long bow ar'rows. lhis method of mountini -straight orovides perfect ruddering for smootlt, flight and, at the same time. fits the mechanical construction of the crossbow. , Cocking lever: Borvs up to about 100 lbs. &awing yreight can be slt by handl over this weight it is necessary to use a cocking lever. Fig. 28 shows the construction anii dimensions of a coeking lever for 11%-in. draw. lltre galvanized-wire hook which slips under the bow will automatically assume a bent position the first time it is

used. Photo Fig. ? shows the manner of uSing the lever. If the release is set slightly forward, the trigger rvill cock automafrcall lq ryhen -the string engages the rear prong ot the release Sho_oting: After cocking the bow, the cross bou' is shot very much like a shotgun, sighting down the arrow to the target. A little practice will enable you to judge the range and drop of an arow very nicefu. When hunting, the bow can be-canied eocked but without arrow. When not in use, the steel bow is left braeed, but the wood bow is unstrung. Needless to say, an31low over 100lbs. packs a terrific clivb, and the utmost caution should be exercised in its use- Never fit an arrow in place until you are ready to shoot, and dont point the gun in any other direction than toward the target whe{r the arrow is in place.