Crossbow Prod

[Wooden Spring]

OK, so I'm in the middle of drawing up a medieval style crossbow (see sketch below).

I've found online where I can get steel prods for as little as $65, but I want to make a wooden prod. I know this has come up here before, but does anyone have an idea of how to layout a prod of around #100 @ 12" or so?

As far as I can guess is to make it at 36" nock to nock, but wood species, thickness and width is up for grabs at the moment.

[bowandarrow473]

I would make it like any other bow, 1.75-2in at the stock tapering to 1/2in nocks, or mabye even 3/4 in nocks. I know nothing about crossbow building but I would think that you could make it out of any bow wood. hickory and osage seem ideal to me because they can take a great deal of strain, osage being the top choice because of its superior stiffness and elasticity. But I think it could be made out of any respectable bowwood. Just what seems to work best in my head though, Good luck!

[Del the cat]

This isn't 100# but if you follow the whole build it should give you some ideas.
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/graingram-scales.html
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/crossbow-prod.html
I'd suggest Yew, Laburnum, Elm, Hickory, Bamboo, or a combination of 'em.
Don't try and build in reflex.... I recommend some deflex to maximise draw length whilst keeping a compact prod.
Short draw length gives disappointing performance, there is some discussion of this in my blog.
A backing or binding of rawhide or some such for protection is recommended as if it blows when up to your shoulder, your eyes will be in line with the flying splinters.
Del

[stuckinthemud]

The Arbalist Guild has a couple of current threads on wooden prod medieval style crossbows:

 here at
http://thearbalistguild.forumotion.com/t1422-new-medieval-finished#13585

also

http://thearbalistguild.forumotion.com/t1421-wood-prod-ii

I have made a miniature yew crossbow prod, the important lessons I learned were to make the centre very chunky and to steam in a big amount of deflex in the bow  as the brace position for a crossbow can be as much as half of full draw - I snapped several ash and one yew bow before I steamed one to shape by trying to draw the bow too deep - of course I was using a short prod design, you can get around the problem by using a very long prod but IMHO they don't look the part.

[Wooden Spring]

HOLY UNDERWEAR that prod is THICK!!   36" long, 2"x1" in the middle to 1-1/4"x19/32" at the tips...  Then again, it is a 160# prod!

[Del the cat]

The Arbalist Guild has a couple of current threads on wooden prod medieval style crossbows:

 here at
http://thearbalistguild.forumotion.com/t1422-new-medieval-finished#13585

also

http://thearbalistguild.forumotion.com/t1421-wood-prod-ii

I have made a miniature yew crossbow prod, the important lessons I learned were to make the centre very chunky and to steam in a big amount of deflex in the bow  as the brace position for a crossbow can be as much as half of full draw - I snapped several ash and one yew bow before I steamed one to shape by trying to draw the bow too deep - of course I was using a short prod design, you can get around the problem by using a very long prod but IMHO they don't look the part.

Nice bow on that forum, but why do people spoil nice workmanship by putting on too little binding to hold the nut and prod? 
Surely they study the pics and bows in museums...
Just another one of my pet gripes
Del
(for a full list of Del's gripes write to Mrs Cat )

[Onebowonder]

<snip>
(for a full list of Del's gripes write to Mrs Cat )

Does the Cat lady receive a regular stipend for her administrative efforts invested in maintaining such a tome?  ...and is she obliged to keep an unabridged copy of said work at ready access or can she abbreviate as she sees fit? 

OneBow