This is a 850lb cross bow with an English windlass. Of course we associate the English with the longbow, but this style was indeed called the English windlass, so there must have been used enough to merit that. The other main type is called the German windlass where the two front wheels are smaller and side by side. Bias perhaps, but I much prefer this layout.
It is made to the usual specification, so that it has a forged steel bow, drawing 850lbs, the nocks are rolled and it is fitted with a waxed linen string. It is held in place with steel bow irons and wedges. The wedges allow east removal, but also importantly, hemp bindings can move in size and so the bow can loosen and in fact there are images of soldiers soaking their bows in butts of water to tighten the cords, as they shrink when wet. Incidentally why I think the accounts of Crecy (?) when the bows strings got wet and stretched I think are wrong as natural fibres shrink when wet. Much more likely to have softened the adhesive in the composite bows.
The stock is elm with a forward reinforcing pin, steel nut with hardened sear and steel sprung trigger, with steel cheek plates.
The windlass has spoked wheels and has box wood grips.
The bolts are poplar with steel Hector Cole heads, maple fletches and weigh in at around 75g/3oz. Cross bow bolts were (military) always fletched in wood and I think that is to make them last longer in magazines, though there is a video here where I waffle on for a bit about them https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDXdw22pPzA and another one here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM_7rUQaZpw
This bow has not been put on a chronograph, but it will deliver about 140J of energy.
I hope you like it. Comments, thoughts and whatever are very welcome.
Tod
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