900lbs windlass bow -- myArmoury.com

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

Hi All,

I have just finished a 900lbs windlass bow and here it is.

This is the first one I have built with a full pulley system in a couple of years and I do like the look of them. The bow itself is actually fairly normal layout, so the ash stock has a forward reinforcing pin, which on bows of this weight is very required. If you do not have this pin and neglect observational checks, the front underneath of the bow can crack off and bad things would happen. The bow is clamped in place with bow irons and these need seating after the first few shots as things start to bed in. And bed in they do, as the bow will be under a near half ton load, so things do tend to loosen and settle for a while.

The trigger is sprung so you get a very positive engagement when it is spanned and the string is linen. The windlass system is the English style (don't think we English only ever used longbows) which I much prefer to the German style as I feel it is much more elegant and you get to have spokes!

The bolts are ash with maple flights and Hector Cole Quarrel heads; note the 'wing section' form of the flights which was normal and I simply love the fact that they understood that this form was good, but presumably not why.

The first picture is a 'kit of parts' prior to assembly, but with one component left off that I noticed after I took the picture - can you guess which? The rest of the pictures are it assembled.

If you wish to see a similar bow shooting, you can see one here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEOeZTV9wiA

If you wish to see me talking guff about medieval bolts, you can see that here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM_7rUQaZpw

I hope you like it.

Tod

Karl Knisley · Posted: Fri 12 Feb, 2016 3:59 pm Post subject:

Hello
Wow! Tank hunter...medieval style :-)

Glen A Cleeton · Posted: Fri 12 Feb, 2016 5:33 pm Post subject:

The words stout and cute come to mind Wink

Cheers

GC

Randall Moffett · Posted: Mon 15 Feb, 2016 6:42 am Post subject:

Leo,

That is lovely! I cannot imagine you making them look any more like they did in period unless you had a way to time travel.

You really got crossbows down to an art and science!

Well done!

RPM

M. Adair Orr · Posted: Mon 15 Feb, 2016 9:36 am Post subject:

Lovely work. That is one intimidating war machine.

In answer to your quiz: I believe the nut is missing from the photo.

-A.

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

Thanks for the feedback guys and Randall - one day. Thanks very much for the compliment though because I know you know your onions, so thanks.

Mr Orr - your are correct, not sure why I forgot to put it in, but I did.

Tod

Bob Haynes · Posted: Fri 19 Feb, 2016 7:14 pm Post subject:

Very nice crossbow, I'm no expert on them but still it looks like a functional work of art!
And 900lbs?! That has to cover quite some distance, and with megaton punching power in a manner of speaking!

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

This bow will go out tomorrow and so I just did some speed tests on it and it is shooting at 198fps and with an 80 gram bolt it delivers around 145j (107 ftlbs) of energy which is pretty good.

Tod