Bamboo wheelie crossbow

[Dauntless]

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.

[bushboy]

Neatto ,I think it was cavemen that invented the wheel!lol!

[Stefan]

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?

[Dauntless]

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.

[Buckeye Guy]

It is always fun to play !
Play that strengthens our mind is the most fun !
Guy

[Slackbunny]

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.

[Dane]

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

[Dauntless]

Thanks Dane! I really like the Arbalist Guild. It's a slower pace forum, but the work presented there is phenomenal.

[Del the cat]

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 
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)