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Author Topic: Ash crossbow cross-section?  (Read 1518 times)

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Offline Bootthrower

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Ash crossbow cross-section?
« on: April 16, 2018, 08:21:25 am »
How should the cross section of an ash crossbow look?
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Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: Ash crossbow cross-section?
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2018, 10:05:41 am »
Back following a ring. Wide as possible thick enough to give the draw weight you want.
Personally I wouldn't use Ash. It's hard to get a decent draw length at a decent weight without ending up with a V long bow.
It can help to start with some deflex in order to maximise draw length.
(E.G it only takes a tiny bit of extra bend to brace it)
It's good to make the prod with the tips coming up a little to minimise friction on the track, or at least only taper the width from the bottom edge.
There are some posts on my blog about one I did:-
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/crossbow-prod.html
What draw length/Poundage are you aiming for?
Del
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Offline Bootthrower

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Re: Ash crossbow cross-section?
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2018, 12:48:37 pm »
I'm not aiming for any particular poundage. I was trying to make a stave for an English longbow, but it had a big knot and a nasty bend on one side (Never made a bow before so it looked a bit too scary), so I cut of the bad part hoping to save the remainder of the stave and use it for something! Since I've never made a bow before I thought it could be some practice, so the expectations are pretty low! The reason I was thinking of a crossbow is simply because of its length..

So the cross section is similar to an ash bow? somewhat rectangular with a chased ring back?

What's a V long bow?

Forgive me for all the questions! I'm new to this..
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Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: Ash crossbow cross-section?
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2018, 01:06:29 pm »
"V"... abbreviation for "very"
Anything over about 36" becomes a tad cumbersome and ugly for a crossbow (IMO)
Del
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Offline Bootthrower

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Re: Ash crossbow cross-section?
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2018, 01:51:34 pm »
Oh, I see! Thanks for clearing that up!
I can see how it would look peculiar if it was too long..

Just one last question; did I understand you correctly about the cross section? Rectangular like an ash bow, but with a chased back?

Thanks for all the information and helpful replies!
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Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: Ash crossbow cross-section?
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2018, 02:37:09 pm »
Yes, corners rounded of course and maybe a very slight curve to the belly as a dead flay belly will tend to become concave as it bends...
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Offline Bootthrower

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Re: Ash crossbow cross-section?
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2018, 02:41:19 pm »
Thanks for the wonderful advice!
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Offline turmoiler

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Re: Ash crossbow cross-section?
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2018, 05:05:31 pm »
Maybe you would be interested in downloading this book: https://archive.org/details/Book_of_the_Crossbow_The_by_Sir_Ralph_Payne-Galloway
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Offline Bootthrower

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Re: Ash crossbow cross-section?
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2018, 10:50:19 am »
The book seems great! Thanks for showing it to me!
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