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A Simple ballista (Read 4669 times)

Castle7

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A Simple ballista
Sep 13^th, 2005 at 6:40pm

This is a very simple ballista I made out of boredom and so that I would have a better idea for my next one. I didn't have any instructions, only went by a couple pics I've got.
This is more for more experianced builders to critique my work. Though if anyone would like to know in detail how I made this just pm me.

It shot a thin arrow about 35 or 40 feet (approx. 11.7-13.3 meters) at about about a 35 degree angle and about 5 feet above the landing area.

I built it out of several kinds of wood. Logs mostly that I found in the woods. Only the peice on top was pre-shaped. I used only a saw, chisel, hammer, knife, and drill with bits. That's about all I have for now.

The area the arrow rest on is 40 inches long. The arms are 25 inches long total. But less is actually in use for the firing. I'd guess 17 inches.
A total of 31 inches make the width.
The rope I used is unknown. Some yellow packing rope and the other is some kind of nylon.
Here are some pictures I took this morning.
Sorry for the poor quality of the photos but this was done with my webcam.

Ignore the yellow writing

Thanks ya'll.

If I build it, they will run.&&-Mikeel&&&&

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ben_banned Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Posts: 1272 Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #1 - Sep 13^th, 2005 at 7:26pm nice but, iwant to see you damge something
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Castle7 Senior Member Offline I'm on fire today!! Posts: 453 GR, Michigan Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #2 - Sep 13^th, 2005 at 7:36pm happy to comply. thinks to self: What can I get away with
Back to top	If I build it, they will run.&&-Mikeel&&&& IP Logged

ben_banned Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Posts: 1272 Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #3 - Sep 13^th, 2005 at 7:39pm make a pouch and you could shoot water balloons,paintballs or lightbulbs
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Castle7 Senior Member Offline I'm on fire today!! Posts: 453 GR, Michigan Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #4 - Sep 13^th, 2005 at 7:45pm Lightbulbs!!!!!! I love that. I can prob. find one somewhere.
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ben_banned Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Posts: 1272 Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #5 - Sep 13^th, 2005 at 7:53pm gut the bulb. fill it with bbs and close it with a soda bottle cap. it works in my spud gun like a shot gun maybe it will work maybe you will get sprayed....and die
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ben_banned Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Posts: 1272 Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #6 - Sep 13^th, 2005 at 7:54pm another good thing about bulbs is that thier free
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Gun Interfector Viris Spurii Past Moderator Offline Slinging Viking Posts: 1089 The Ozarks of Ark & Mo Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #7 - Sep 14^th, 2005 at 12:32am a trash can would make a good target. I know that wine has takes it from about everything inculinding my ax.
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Douglas_The_Black Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Hakkaa päälle! Posts: 3491 Salineville Ohio Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #8 - Sep 15^th, 2005 at 8:11pm looks pretty good. me and you need to get together to make one large enough to shoot spears
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Castle7 Senior Member Offline I'm on fire today!! Posts: 453 GR, Michigan Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #9 - Sep 16^th, 2005 at 4:31pm I like the idea. Where in Ohio is Salineville I have to build a bigger one now. Began to tighten up the ropes real tight and well........I was stronger than the wood.
Back to top	If I build it, they will run.&&-Mikeel&&&& IP Logged

Douglas_The_Black Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Hakkaa päälle! Posts: 3491 Salineville Ohio Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #10 - Sep 17^th, 2005 at 7:38am up in the northeast corner of ohio i was going to make a new ballista too. I wonder if longer arms would add more power? i think i will test this.
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Castle7

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I'm on fire today!!

Posts: 453
GR, Michigan
Gender: male

Re: A Simple ballista
Reply #11 - Sep 17^th, 2005 at 11:12am

I think it will. I thought about that too. I mean a longer bow, in most cases, means more power, doesn't it?
I've got to get some more wood to build a new one. I'm hoping I'll move soon. Because I know as soon as I do I'll be able to actually buy pre-cut wood. Get a little practice in then after awhile and I have the proper tools, I'll go back to using logs

If I build it, they will run.&&-Mikeel&&&&

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Douglas_The_Black Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Hakkaa päälle! Posts: 3491 Salineville Ohio Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #12 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 9:28am i wish that pre cut and shaped wood was cheaper. Buying even pine 2by4's cuts a hole in your wallet.
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Demagogs

Tiro

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Re: A Simple ballista
Reply #13 - Sep 20^th, 2005 at 5:00am

I thought i'd share my ballista-crossbow with you.

Here is a link to .wmv file. File size is 600kb.

Ballista-Crossbow

It's made entirely out of ash. Just some scrap pieces that i had piled up. The frame is made out of one piece, and is just 15cm(~6in)*15cm*5cm(~2in) in size.

Stock is also ash, and it's crooked (?)- that is it's not straight. Because of this i have to use non-feathered arrows- the hole for the arrows is too small.

I started this ballista in spring actually but couldn't find arms for it - i wanted them to be recurved. I made 2 pairs, but the first one was too short and the second (birch) got crushed by those twisted ropes. Then the summer came...
Well, now i just inserted some scrap wood for arms and voila- at last it was done.

The ropes are... emm.. i forgot, but it was some poly-something (but not polyester) and they are 1mm (~0,04in) thick and some 7m (~23feet) long.

Firing mechanism is like a rolling nut used in crossbows. I just didn't want to cut into the stock, so i attached two seperate pieces of accordingly shaped wood.

Overall lenght is 110cm (~43in) and the lenghth of arms is ~30cm (~12in), with drawlenght of 35cm(~14in). Right now the draw weight is ~20lbs. I'm gonna tweak arms a little bit and then i hope to get 30-35lbs out of it.

I have just shot with it in my flat so i don't know how far it can shoot.

I'll actually get to shoot people with it- i'm gonna use this beast at a LARPg (live action role playing game).

« Last Edit: Sep 20^th, 2005 at 11:37pm by Matthias »

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Douglas_The_Black Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Hakkaa päälle! Posts: 3491 Salineville Ohio Gender:	Re: A Simple ballista Reply #14 - Sep 20^th, 2005 at 4:39pm link did not work
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