Mini Crossbow

cults3d

Have you ever had the sudden urge to storm castles and topple empires? Now, you can indulge that desire with this compact crossbow! In reality, the only fortresses you could damage with this device are those made of sand. This is a fun little weekend project I've been working on that will launch a bolt across the room and amaze your friends (if you have any). The crossbow is printed in multiple parts. The trigger spacer and trigger files need to be printed twice. Refer to the exploded diagram for assembly instructions. Once assembled, stretch a small rubber band from the back part of the trigger to the hook on the back of the main body as seen in the images (I used elastic bands). The trigger snaps together, but it will eventually fall apart, so it's a good idea to glue the two trigger spacers to the two trigger pieces and the hinge cap to the inside of the hinge together. Whether or not to glue the bow into the main body is up to you; it's a pretty snug fit, allowing for easy removal. I included two different bow files, each with varying draw weights (I'm not sure what they are). I think PETG is the best filament to use for the bow due to its flexibility. Print the bow at 100% infill. The most challenging part of the build was stringing the bow. It's best to find a thin string and be patient, especially if you have large hands like mine. Once assembled, pull it back and fire the bolt. You might need to lightly hold down the bolt to the main body if you use the stronger bow. I found that the string tends to slide around the bolt, failing to launch it properly. Do not perform a dry fire! If you're unsure what this means, do some research: shooting the crossbow without a loaded bolt can damage the bow and force you to print a new one and string it all over again (like I had to). Happy castle storming!