What needs to be said in the very first lines of this article: in Russia, the CIS countries and most countries of the world, hunting with a crossbow is illegal, and the crossbows themselves (if their tension exceeds 40 kg) are equated to edged weapons. There is a fine for wearing and using them. Why, then, am I giving recommendations on how to make an objectively dangerous thing that can cause problems for readers? Because the ability to hunt using a wide variety of weapons, including homemade and even illegal ones, may one day be useful to each of us. Few people think about this while store shelves are filled with food products - but we live in too unstable times to full confidence saying that it will always be like this.
In one of the previous articles, I wrote about hunting: with the help of this seemingly frivolous weapon, it is easy to hunt small fur-bearing animals, birds and reptiles. You can shoot medium-sized game from a crossbow. Of course, we are not talking about toys from legal gun stores: you may have seen these on sale - elegant, light and low-powered. A weak crossbow is intended for sport shooting - you should understand how great the difference is between it and a real combat device. That is why the latter are prohibited. An arrow fired from a powerful combat crossbow pierces a person right through, even if he is wearing a Kevlar body armor.
But until the BP strikes, you and I are peaceful hunters, and we do not think about using lethal weapons against people. Why am I writing now about homemade crossbow for hunting? Why not buy ready-made or order from experienced craftsman? Because legally they won’t sell you anything worthwhile. And it’s better not to buy illegal weapons at all if you don’t want to get into trouble with the law. Yes, having something killer in your bins and knowing how to use it is useful, but not a single living soul should know that you have it. It’s better not to introduce even your friends and family to this, not to mention complete strangers like sellers and couriers.
How to make a crossbow at home?
So, how to make a crossbow with your own hands? First of all, decide what kind of power you need from the weapon - its design and materials directly depend on this. For hunting ducks and hares, the simplest device with a wooden bow is suitable. Larger animals already need a metal one. There are also so-called composite arches, which are a combination of several materials (traditionally - wood, antler, veins, but are now more often used various varieties plastic). Their specifications excellent, but it is almost impossible for a non-professional to produce such a part with high quality “on the knee”. In order to avoid injury among readers, I will not even give here a description of the assembly of a composite arc.
My opinion: it is advisable to use a metal arc. The power reserve will not be superfluous - besides, wooden parts fail faster, which also poses a risk of injury to the shooter. Since your goal is to make a fairly powerful crossbow, look for springs from Soviet ones among friends or on the secondary market for auto parts passenger cars. Humanity has not yet come up with anything better for use as an arc. But if you still didn’t manage to get this rarity, take any elastic metal strip 2-3 cm wide and 3-4 mm thick.
The stock is most often made of wood (spruce, aspen), less often of metal. The more powerful the crossbow is planned, the more durable and massive this part should be. The designs of the stock may differ, but there must be a groove for the arrow on it, as well as a butt and fastenings for the trigger mechanism, arc and other functional elements.
A non-elastic rope made of synthetic fibers, a steel cable or a guitar string is used as a bowstring. You may be surprised, but it is the first of the three options that demonstrates best indicator tensile strength. Durable, cheap and accessible - what else is needed?.. But here's what: beeswax impregnation will extend the life of a synthetic bowstring, protecting it from moisture and friction.
The crossbow mechanism, rollers and fastenings are the most interesting. It is difficult to make them “on your knees” if you do not have the skills to work with metal. Below I provide drawings of a homemade simple crossbow(1) and powerful combat (2). All parts that you cannot make yourself, order from the workshop, providing drawings of the parts you are interested in.
Drawing of a simple crossbow (1) *click to enlarge*
Drawings of a combat crossbow(2) *click to enlarge* 
How to make arrows for a crossbow?
Bolts - arrows for a crossbow, are easy to make with your own hands. For these purposes, wood is most often used, less often plastic and metal. Why is wood better? A wooden bolt has an optimal weight: a light plastic arrow quickly loses speed, and a piece of steel wire is heavy and will not fly far. The shaft should be planed along the grain for better flexibility, and then dried well. At the end we leave a cut into which the tip will be inserted.
The tip itself must be cut from steel sheet(thickness not less than 0.7 mm) with metal scissors and refine with a sharpening stone - smooth and sharpen the edge. We insert the tips into the cut, lubricating it with epoxy. You can also tie it with thread for strength, and apply a layer of epoxy on top.
There are also many options for making bolt feathers, but the best, in my opinion, is bird feathers. Ideally, goose, but even from the tail of a pigeon, which is much easier for a city dweller to find - they lie underfoot. We split the feather in two, cut each half in half and glue it to the arrow. For strength, we wrap it with threads.
Here's what we ended up with:
It is important that all the bolts are the same in weight and length - this will make it easier to shoot your homemade crossbow. But you definitely need to shoot him: the hunt can wait, first you need to master the new weapon well, get a feel for it. Even if you have experience shooting a crossbow, this one will be a little different, more “yours” - like any thing made with your own hands.
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To make a homemade crossbow you will need:
*A block of non-resinous wood, size 700x10x40 mm.
*The second leaf of the spring of the Moskvich car.
*Profile pipe 50x50x2 mm. 10 cm long.
*Profile pipe 15x15x1.5 mm.
*Small segment sheet metal 2 mm.
*Stainless steel metal 4 mm thick. and 0.5-1 mm. (for the descender).
*Steel corner 50x50x4 mm. 35 cm long.
*Rod D=8 mm. 40 cm long.
*Bolts with nuts D=8
*Stainless steel molding from VAZ-2106 door 2 pcs.
*Metal rollers 2 pcs., glass lifting mechanism from the door of a VAZ car.
*Cable D=3 mm. 3 m long, two terminal loops.
*Epoxy resin, wood stain, wood varnish for exterior use.
*Two small springs (working in tension).
*A dozen nails for roofing felt, one two hundred nail, tube D=6 mm, small washers.
We will use the following tools:
*Welding machine.
*Hand-held circular saw.
*Electric drill with speed control, carbide drills for metal D=3, 5, 8, 10 mm.
*Bulgarian, cutting discs for metal, grinding discs for wood.
*Keys, pliers, screwdriver, vice, narrow chisel, knife.
*File, sandpaper.
*Safety glasses.
Point 1. Making a stock.
Let's take a well-dried wooden block, mine was made of birch, and sketch out a sketch of the bed on it. We customize the size of the butt for each individual (according to your height), and the stock depending on the length of the arrows you will use. I use 440 mm arrows, but I had to save money on the stock, I left only 300 mm, so the total length turned out to be 740 mm, I didn’t dare to do more.
Let's draw a marking for the guide sample, for the arrow fletching, width 5 mm, depth 10 mm.
Using a circular saw, we cut out the groove the entire length, to the end of the trigger (lock).
It should look something like this.
Using a drill D=12 mm. We select a cavity for the trigger, level the ledges with a chisel and knife. We drill a hole for the trigger, bore it with a chisel and knife.
Point 2. Making a lock or trigger device.
Let's take the "walnut" type as the basis for the lock. To prevent anything from rusting, we will use stainless steel, take a sheet 4-5 mm thick, if you can’t find one, make it a composite of several sheets glued together and taken with rivets. Draw the shape of the parts on the metal.
Using a cutting disc and a grinder, we cut out the workpiece according to the markings.
In the center of the “nut” we drill a hole for the axis of rotation, D = 6 mm.
We process all sides with a file.
We sand with sandpaper, achieving a completely smooth surface.
It should look something like this.
We grind out the remaining elements of the lock, the sear.
I lengthen the trigger with two thin sheets of stainless steel and secure it with homemade rivets.
On sharpening machine we are achieving the desired shape blanks
From thin sheet metal we make the housing of the trigger mechanism.
We drill three holes D = 2.5 mm in the body of the sear, one for the fastening axis and two for fastening the springs.
Let's attach the trigger spring into place.
Let's see on the table how the parts become in the cocked state.
And like after the shot.
Let's place one side of the case on the inside of the mechanism and drill holes in place for all the axes.
From a two hundred nail, 6 mm in diameter, we will make an axis for the “nut”.
Saw off the sharp end of the nail.
We measure the length of the future axis and saw it off.
Using thin nails for roofing felt, we will make the remaining rivet axles. Use a grinder to remove the shimmer on the nail heads.
Now they will fit well to the body.
Let's install the sear on the axle in the body, use intermediate washers.
We saw off the excess length of the nail, leaving 1 mm. on both sides for rolling.
Using an anvil, hammer the end of the axle.
We drill a hole for the axle with a spacer to attach the sear spring.
From a suitable tube we cut off a spacer sleeve for this axis.
We move one side of the body to the side.
We install the axle, bushing and engage the spring.
We assemble the body halves together.
We saw off the excess length, leaving a protrusion of 1 mm. under the hammer.
Let's roll it.
Now you can install the largest rivet axle of the lock. Aligning the holes.
Let's take the previously measured and sawed-off axis D=6 mm, and immediately tap it a little with a hammer on one side.
We install it in place.
And we’ll roll too, the main thing is not to overdo it, so as not to pinch movable mechanism inside.
Point 3. Installation of the lock mechanism in the stock.
If something prevents the lock from sitting well in place, we modify it with a chisel or knife. After installation, check how the trigger moves.
If everything is fine, you can drill holes for the mounting screws and screw them into place.
Now we need decorations from the door of the VAZ-2006, they are also made of stainless steel, which is very good. To give them additional rigidity, epoxy resin was poured inside.
After complete hardening, in a day, we will drill four holes D = 3 mm in each for fastening screws.
Using a large drill, we will make hidden places for the heads of the screws so that the bowstring cable does not get caught when it slides along it.
We polish the hole exits with fine sandpaper to remove all burrs that damage the cable.
We install the finished guides on the bed.
We make sure that the screws do not go through in thin places.
We check that the lock moves without snagging on the guides.
Point 5. Making an arc or shoulders.
From the same donor doors, using a grinder, we extract the rollers of the glass lifting mechanism.
From these we will make blocks for the shoulders, and the arc itself from the second leaf of the spring, vintage car Moskvich.
We will make pads to attach the spring to the stock.
To do this, from a 50x50 mm corner. Let's cut out the component elements to assemble them using welding, like this mount (block).
We will process the welds with a grinder. Let's drill mounting holes D=10 mm. under the bolts.
Based on the finished sample and the dimensions of the resulting block, we make grooves for mounting in the stock. We try on the fit, achieve a tight fit and fastening. According to the calculated position of the future bowstring, we outline and make a through groove in the sidewall of the stock, 70 mm long. 10 mm wide, the lower bowstrings will go here.
We bend and weld the leg bracket (stirrup).
Ears for blocks.
From profile pipe 50x50 we will make eyes for attaching the roller blocks to the arc (spring).
The most difficult thing in making the arc itself from a spring at home is drilling holes in it. It is necessary to drill with a drill at low speeds so that the drill does not burn, and constantly use water. If possible, drill with drills different diameters, from thin to thick in increments of 0.5-1 mm., constantly sharpen the tool.
We fasten the brackets with short M8 bolts and grind off the caps.
We attach the spring to the block with two M8 bolts, followed by a small weld along the edge of the fastening.
Now you need to open the bed with varnish and dry it.
We install the block with an arc on the stock, hammer down the metal-wood for a tight fit.
Insert and tighten the M8 bolts.
From long M10 bolts we will make axle bolts reduced in length with a short thread for blocks.
Let's take a tube from the anchor and use it to make spacer bushings for the block axes.
Let's drill holes D=10 mm in the ears. to install blocks. We install rigid loop ends on the cable.
We install a block with a cable on one side of the shoulder. Do not tighten the nut too much, so as not to jam the rotation of the roller.
Drill a hole in the nut and bolt for the stud.
We install the stud and press it with the nut in the direction of unscrewing.
We push the cable through the hole in the stock and do the same with installing the roller on the other side of the shoulder.
Point 6. Upper part of the lock.
From a profile pipe 15x15 mm. saw off two 120 mm sections. Using a grinder, we cut out two (L) shaped blanks from sheet metal, one rectangular plate (on the top) and a triangle (on the back).
We connect all the parts together by welding, and clean the welding seams with a grinding disc to make it look like a solid part.
From an old folding steel meter, we make an elastic boom holder.
The photo shows the mounting bolts for the rack for the optical sight.
The same thing, only the bolts also clamp the boom holder.
The sight rail itself ( dovetail) from the same 2 mm sheet metal, with ground off sides for mounting optics.
Visible square lining along the optics rail to raise the rear part and thereby tilt the scope down for correct aiming at a target further than 25 m.
We install the lock bracket on the stock and drill holes for fastening, self-tapping screws and an M6 bolt.
We tighten the small screws so that they do not go into the arrow feather channel.
We tighten the back screw.
Additionally, we drill a hole and install the last bolt.
We install an optical sight.
Each of you, since childhood, knows what bows are and what they look like. Let's say even more. You've probably tried to make a bow yourself more than once, and then, holding a homemade weapon in your hands, chased cats through the trees and scared the girls. Some people ran with a bow, while others found it easier to make a slingshot, especially since the principle of their operation is almost the same. Moreover, even a girl could make a slingshot.
How to make a simple crossbow with your own hands
For this all you needed was a suitable stick and an elastic band. Then they tied an elastic band in a forked stick, took a small pebble and went to hunt sparrows. To successfully shoot from a slingshot, you had to take a small pebble, place it in the center of the rubber band, pull it with all your strength and quickly release it, in a similar way to shoot from a bow.
photo. Homemade crossbow
Today we just cheerfully remember our childhood fun, homemade weapons that brought so much joy, although in adulthood we replaced toy bows and slingshots with more modern and serious weapons - crossbows, hunting or sports bows. Let's just say that the design is practically the same, only more advanced, with many important elements, sighting and block mechanisms.
You can buy such small arms at any specialized store, but our desires do not always coincide with financial capabilities. Therefore, we are not at all surprised that many fans of shooting with crossbows and bows want to make homemade small arms with their own hands. Despite the fact that this is not so simple, since you need to have the correct crossbow drawings, it is much more economical. Well, if you feel that you can make a crossbow yourself, then why not try it!
What is needed to make a homemade crossbow?
Bows differ from crossbows in their design; they are a little bulky and inconvenient to transport, which is why most hunters give their preference to the second weapon option. But if you decide to make a crossbow with your own hands and are ready to get to work, even now, we must stop you. After all, in order to make such a weapon, desire and hard work are not always enough; you need to be at least a little prepared financially and technically.
It is also not enough to take the first drawing you come across and start drilling, cutting, planing, sharpening a crossbow from scrap materials. Believe me, the result may bring little joy, because as a result, the crossbow may turn out to be either too heavy, not very convenient, or may not meet your requirements and dreams at all.
So, what do you need to make your dreams, which would satisfy you? First of all, decide which model you want to make. After all, today there are many options for crossbows that differ in their design, features and characteristics. Then you need to think about what available materials you will make it from.
photo. Homemade crossbow made of wood
How to make a crossbow trigger at home, a sight, a rod, a lock, a reel, a crossbow stock for a crossbow with your own hands - required parts and spare parts for a crossbow
Well, now you need to remember something about crossbows. So, what does a crossbow consist of:
- bed;
- guides;
- trigger mechanism;
- tension device;
- bowstring;
- arrows.
In addition, such small arms differ in the level of tension of the shoulders:
- crossbows with a tension level of about 20 kg. These are models used for recreation and entertainment;
- crossbows with a tension level of up to 20-55 kg. The target range of such devices is about 60-80 m;
- crossbows with a tension level of more than 55 kg. In such devices, the tension of the bowstring is performed using special devices called cocking.
According to the type of shoulders, crossbows are:
- block;
- straight;
- classic.
The stock in crossbows can also be of different types:
- traditional;
- ancient type;
- sports type.
Having a basic understanding of crossbows, you can make a choice of design drawings for small arms. But before that, we recommend that you pay attention to one more important detail, namely your technical capabilities. Of course, you can make a crossbow with your own hands from scrap materials, using wood and metalworking equipment. Such machines are necessary to produce important details, requiring machine work.
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Image of a handmade crossbow
How to assemble a crossbow: an antique wooden medieval crossbow or a homemade modern six-shot combat crossbow according to the simplest schemes with proportions and dimensions
As a rule, making a crossbow begins with a stock, and for this you need to select wood. The wood used to make the stock must be strong, not splinter or warp. Birch, beech, walnut, and ash are considered excellent options. There should be no problems with choosing a tree.
As source material For a stock, a wooden board with a thickness of about 30 cm is suitable. Next, you need to decide what dimensions the stock should have. How to choose the right size can be seen in the table.
The stock is measured starting from the trigger to the points located on the back of the butt. Let's also give an example table different sizes, in order to correctly make the bed, taking into account the parameters of your own physique.
| Arm length cm |
Stock length up to middle of the back of the head butt, cm |
Pupil height above collarbone, cm |
Vertical bend from the extension of the aiming line to the upper ridge of the butt, mm |
Chest Width between axillary depressions, cm |
Lateral removal of the butt from vertical aiming strip, mm |
||
| at the neck | at the back of the head | in the heel of the butt of the head | in a sock | in the sock in the sock of the back of the head butt | |||
| 42 | 38-40 | 23 | 42-44 | 66-70 | 50-52 | 18 | 6 |
| 41 | 37-39 | 22 | 41-43 | 65-69 | 48-49 | 17 | 5,6 |
| 40 | 36-38 | 21 | 40-41 | 64-68 | 46-47 | 16 | 5 |
| 39 | 35-37 | 20 | 39-40 | 63-65 | 44-45 | 15 | 45 |
| 38 | 34-36 | 19 | 37-38 | 60-62 | 42-43 | 14 | 4 |
| 37 | 33-35 | 18 | 35-36 | 58-59 | 40-41 | 12 | 35 |
| 36 | 32-34 | 17 | 34-35 | 57-58 | 38-39 | 10 | 3 |
| 35 | 31-33 | 16 | 33-34 | 56-57 | 36-37 | 8 | 2,5 |
| 34 | 30-32 | 15 | 32-33 | 55-56 | 34-35 | 6 | 2 |
| 33 | 29-31 | 14 | 31-32 | 53-54 | 32-33 | 4 | 15 |
After you measure your body, according to the table, you can choose the most suitable sizes for the bed. If you take into account all the nuances, then the bed will suit you in the best way.
Next, you can begin the process of making the stock. First of all, we recommend that you create a template from paper. To do this, you need to draw a bed on paper according to the measurements taken. But if you think it’s too complicated or unclear, you can use ready-made options boxes, drawings of which are presented on Internet portals.
photo. Homemade arrows for a crossbow
Next comes the turn of making the arms of small arms. Need to pick up required material. You can make shoulders from an old, long-decommissioned sports bow; if you don’t have one, textolite or fiberglass will do. True, from such materials only arms with a small tension force are obtained; in the future you can use such a crossbow only for entertainment purposes. An old, unnecessary car spring is considered an excellent option. It can be found at any car scrapyard or neighbor's garage. In addition, if you are not too lazy to go to the store, you can buy fiberglass, carbon fiber or other composite materials to make shoulders.
It is worth saying that shoulders made of fiberglass or composite materials turn out good. If you decide to make a crossbow with your own hands from scrap materials, then for the shoulders the best option a car spring will serve.
Drawings of a crossbow, what a crossbow can be made from - a crossbow from a saw, board, plywood, bow and other materials. We make a crossbow with specified characteristics
So, you already have an idea about the types of crossbows, you can say that you are technically and physically prepared, you have collected all the necessary materials at hand and are ready to start working right away. So, let us help you a little by providing the necessary drawings for making a crossbow with your own hands, which will have the following characteristics:
- weight up to 3 kg;
- dimensions 960*820 mm;
- tension force up to 40 kg;
- target firing range is approximately 100 m.
Let's start making the mount. To the part as in the figure, you need to attach the stock and shoulders of the crossbow:
The part needs to be cut from metal sheet, which will have a thickness of 2.5-3 mm. Then it needs to be bent and welded welding machine. We insert two bolts into the hole in the center of the fastening element and at the end of the stock of the crossbow structure. You need to weld a stirrup to the fastening element as in the picture to make it easier to tighten the bowstring.
The stirrup can be bent from wire having a diameter of 6-8 mm.
To make the shoulders you will need a car spring 6 mm thick.
On the wide part of the shoulder you need to make 4 notches, slightly semicircular. These will be the holes for the bolts that will allow you to attach the arms to the mount. Drilled holes can weaken the shoulders and lead to deformation. Let us give you an example of a drawing of the shoulders and deck of a crossbow device:
photo. Crossbow drawings
A stock taken from small arms will reduce the time and costs of making a crossbow. The main thing in this is the correct selection of the size of the bed. If there is a trace left from the trunk in such a stock, then it can be hammered in with wooden blocks using epoxy glue. In addition, if you want to make a crossbow with your own hands, you can use wooden parts. The buttstock must be attached to the guide and serve as the basis for the trigger device. We present to you the drawings of the butt:
The crossbow that we propose to make yourself is a block one, so to make it you will need drawings of the block mechanism:
Also in your work, drawings of block elements and individual parts will greatly help you:
The guide lines must be processed very carefully, because they must be perfectly smooth and straight. The guides will also need to be polished. You can see the dimensions of the groove for the guides for the arrows in the presented drawing.
The crosspiece to which the shoulders are attached must be installed at the end of the stock. You can make a cross from aluminum or wood. The sighting mechanism consists of a rear sight and a front sight. You can make a crossbow with an optical sight, although for this you will need to include an aiming bar in the design of your homemade weapon. After you have made it according to the drawings, you will have to make its vertical and horizontal adjustments. The presented drawings are suitable for making a crossbow, which can be made from any available material.
photo. Ready homemade crossbow
It is worth saying that the options for drawings are the most various models You can find crossbows, compound crossbows, and recurve crossbows on the Internet. Making them with your own hands is not so difficult, the main thing is to have a great desire and no obstacles can hinder you in your endeavors. If you don't try, you will never know whether it is difficult to make or not. Therefore, we recommend, not to miss your chance, to prepare necessary materials, arm yourself the right tool, print out all the drawings and start making a homemade crossbow with your own hands. Good luck to you!
Watch how to make a simple but powerful crossbow with your own hands video - the simplest six-shot crossbow from a saw:
Designer and gunsmith Bogdan Khmelnitsky often has to deal with mistrust. Having seen his bows and crossbows, people refuse to believe that the inventor made them with his own hands and that the development and manufacture of weapons is just a hobby for him, and not his life’s work. Indeed, with his high-tech samples in his hands, Khmelnitsky looks more like the head of a design bureau or the owner of a small arms factory. So the master has to constantly remind him that he makes his prototypes exclusively at home, and his house is very ordinary - without CNC machines, spray booths and “clean rooms”.
Although it would be possible not to explain anything: Bogdan Khmelnitsky’s weapons can withstand the harshest criticism of an industrial scale without any discounts on the hobby. We could verify this by studying the bows “Phantom” (PM No. 5"2011) and “Cobra” (No. 1"2014). The inventor's know-how is to use steel or gas springs instead of traditional flexible arms as energy sources for the shot. The result of this approach is a weapon that is as close as possible to sports bows in terms of characteristics and shooting technique, but is much more compact and easy to transport.
Khmelnytsky's bows are complex and elegant designs with paradoxical properties. For example, the stroke of the Cobra's string tension significantly exceeds the dimensions of the weapon itself thanks to a block with parallel grooves (the string rests twice on the same block) and a composite eccentric module of a complex shape.
This time Bogdan brought a crossbow to our editorial office, and, at first glance, there is nothing complicated about it: no eccentrics, just a few simple pulleys. However, Condor is not as simple as it seems. To figure it out, it’s worth remembering what crossbows of classical design are.
Member of the Russian national team and European champion in crossbow sports, Vladislav Liber, like no one else, is able to understand and appreciate the inventive talent of Bogdan Khmelnitsky. After all, he also holds a crossbow of his own design. Vladislav's know-how is rigid aluminum guides combined with a narrow runner made of good sliding resin.
Get itchy, shoulder!
A classic crossbow is also called a recurve crossbow. In it, the bowstring is attached directly to the ends of the flexible arms. The shoulders obey the same physical law as a spring, the elastic force of which is greater the more it is compressed. This means that the crossbow only develops maximum force when the bowstring is fully drawn. As soon as the arrow begins to move, the force begins to drop rapidly, so the speed of the arrow in recurve crossbows is relatively low.
To somehow combat this annoying effect, the Japanese made their two-meter (and sometimes larger) “yumi” bows. The long and very powerful arms had a small stroke, so the force remained more or less uniform throughout most of the bowstring's stroke. With recurve crossbows, everything is the same: the wider the shoulders, the more effective the weapon.
Compound crossbows (like bows) use a pulley system. The bowstring in them passes through rotating eccentrics, which work like a lever with a shoulder that changes along the tension. With the help of a chain hoist, the force curve can be adjusted to your liking. After the shot, the force on the bowstring constantly increases, and the arrow accelerates with effort throughout the entire stroke. Therefore, block crossbows can boast of high arrow flight speed with the most compact arms.
In terms of its properties, Khmelnitsky’s “Condor” is something between a recurve crossbow and a “block gun”. It does not have eccentrics, but the gas spring itself has a much more even force characteristic than a flexible arm. At the very beginning of the stroke, it already develops more than 75% of the maximum force, so during acceleration it is able to transfer much more energy to the projectile than traditional shoulders. At the same time, the width of the Condor is smaller than that of the most compact block cars. But in terms of weight (4.5 kg), it is definitely closer to “block crossbows” - recurve crossbows are much lighter.
To charge the Condor, a tensioner is used - special device, which is a strong cord with handles at the ends and hooks in the middle for gripping the bowstring. A stirrup helps hold the crossbow motionless.
Of course, Bogdan is thinking about installing eccentrics instead of conventional pulleys. With them, the Condor could demonstrate miracles of efficiency. The law allows citizens to operate crossbows with a force of up to 43 kgf without a permit, and it is better to have these 43 kg at the end of the stroke than at the beginning - after all, this gives up to a 40% increase in the speed of the arrow.
Word to the champion
“Who are the judges?” — we remembered the classic and decided to turn to the Russian Crossbow Union for expert comments. On the territory of the Hunter shooting center, Condor met face to face with professional crossbows of the Russian team, and Bogdan Khmelnitsky met with Vladislav Liber from the Cheetah team, an international master of sports, a member of the Russian national team, and European champion in the team championship. At first, Vladislav also mistook the inventor for an enterprising businessman and did not make any concessions to the weapon.
Bogdan Khmelnitsky // Age: 37 years old // Profession: milling operator // Hobbies: archery, invention of weapons. Bogdan became interested in archery as a child. Soon his interest grew into a serious passion for sports shooting. Bogdan even trained at work during his lunch break, but in a cramped room it was difficult to turn around with the Olympic bow. This is how a professional milling machine operator came up with the idea of inventing a compact weapon for archery athletes.
The athlete's main criticism was that the guides were too long. “The longer the arrow moves along the guides, the longer the shooter must hold the weapon motionless after firing. This is not an easy task, so the longer the weapon and the greater the stroke of the bowstring, the lower the accuracy,” explained Vladislav.
Looking at the Condor disassembled, it is easy to understand that the length of the crossbow is dictated by the dimensions of the gas spring. But the stroke of the bowstring tension can be reduced by using additional blocks or by installing wider “shoulders”. However, it should be remembered that extra blocks will reduce the speed of the arrow due to friction, and increased “shoulders” will deprive the weapon of perhaps its main advantage - compactness.
Criticism also affected the material of the guides. According to Vladislav, aluminum is not the best choice for them. Firstly, it is far from ideal in terms of friction. When abraded, microscopic irregularities form on it, which prevent the arrow from sliding freely. Sports crossbows use polymer resins and plastics, which, due to their molecular structure, remain smooth for a long time.
Secondly, with prolonged use, a barely noticeable depression is machined into aluminum guides, and a vertical component appears in the trajectory of the arrow, which negatively affects accuracy and takes away some of the energy. Vladislav himself designs sporting crossbows and uses hybrid guides with external aluminum rails and a resin head. Hard aluminum bears the main weight of the projectile, and soft resin is responsible for sliding.
Of course, members of the Russian crossbow sports team noted high quality production of the Condor, and head coach Sergei Chikishev even suggested that a reliable and unpretentious crossbow with long guides could be useful when training shooters - to train hand steadiness.
Exactly!
When shooters talk about weapons, even nightingales fall silent. Bogdan and the members of the team enthusiastically discussed the features of the Condor, shooting at targets from 25-50 m. Having reached a consensus on the issue of zeroing the weapon (strictly at the center of the target!), they decided to give the newcomers a chance.
The first to go to the firing line was our photographer Dima, who that day picked up a crossbow for the first time. I remembered all the shooters’ recommendations, held my breath, pulled the trigger and... hit the target at a distance of 25 m right on the bull’s eye! It is difficult to describe how wildly Dima rejoiced at such a pleasant “accident”.
Then it was the turn of your humble servant, who had also never held a crossbow in his life. The result is the same - right on target. Agree, a repeating result can no longer be attributed to chance. Despite the criticism, Condor proved its worth in action.
We will be looking forward to Bogdan's visit for the fourth time to shoot from another hitherto unseen weapon.
The editors thank the President of the Russian Crossbow Union Valery Ashikhmin for his assistance in preparing the material.
27.06.2019
In this way you can make a bowstring for a crossbow. If your goal is the question of how to make a crossbow, then you should pay attention to the bowstring Special attention. On this site you will find a lot of useful information for you on how to make a crossbow with your own hands.
For a good quality bow, you need a good quality bowstring, which we will now manufacture. But people interested in making a real bow will definitely pay attention to these recommendations, unless, of course, they are planning to buy a bowstring in an online store.
To wind the bowstring we will need nylon, silk or nylon thread. All this can be purchased at fishing, hunting, and hardware stores.
But a bowstring that is too thin will cut your fingers when firing. These are the contradictions that await you when choosing a material for a bowstring.
At the ends of the block we drill holes along the diameter of the sticks at a distance from the length of the future bowstring. If it is thin, then ten, twenty or thirty turns, depending on the thickness, see for yourself, but the bowstring must be at least two millimeters in diameter.
In order for the arrow to immediately fall on the middle of the bowstring when shooting, we put on thick rubber rings opposite the bow shelf between which the arrow will be inserted. Our almost professional bowstring is all ready.
With the help of a bowstring, the tension of the arms and the acceleration of the arrow take place, so the quality of the bowstring affects many of the characteristics of the crossbow. An important requirement for a bowstring is that it does not stretch during use, and the durability of the bowstring will depend on what material it is made of.
It’s not difficult to make a crossbow bowstring yourself; suitable materials include threads such as lavsan, dacron, kevlar, deinema, SVM, fastflight and others made of synthetic fiber. After the machine is made, you can begin making the bowstring.
How to make a crossbow at home
On the middle part of the bowstring you need to make a transverse winding again, because it is most susceptible to wear and tear.
Another step on the path to making a crossbow has been taken, it’s time to move on to the next one. The design of a crossbow consists of three main parts: the stock, the arc and the trigger. If you want to make a crossbow with your own hands, start from a blank for the arc. The parameters of the remaining parts will depend on its size.
How to quickly make a crossbow with your own hands, video and photo
A crossbow is a small weapon. The principle of shooting is similar to archery. Nowadays, crossbow shooting is a fairly popular sport. But the cost of a crossbow starts from several tens of dollars. Therefore, many adherents of the crossbow try to make it with their own hands, at home.
Let's look at what components a crossbow consists of:
- Bed;
- Trigger;
- Bowstring;
- Arrows or bolts.
What do you need to make a crossbow from wood with your own hands?
Minimum set of tools:
- Very sharp knife;
- Drill;
- A grinder with a wood disc or a regular hacksaw;
- Hammer;
- Plane;
- Chisel.
To make a crossbow you need a piece of wood. It is advisable to take a tree:
- hazel,
- ash,
- poplar.
You can also use birch or oak. The wood of these trees is more resistant to moisture, viscous, does not splinter and is beautiful. Wood blank should have a length of about 900 mm and a thickness of 30 mm. Coniferous wood cannot be used.
To make a crossbow, the wood must be properly prepared. Only from the “correct” wood will a crossbow shoot for a long time with great power. Having cut a tree trunk or branch to the required length and thickness, the cuts must be painted over. This is done so that moisture leaves the wood gradually, and, therefore, the wood will dry more slowly and evenly. The clogged branches will be placed away from sunlight. They stay like that for about a year. After a year, the bark is removed from the blanks, and it dries for another week. And only after all these procedures are completed, the branch is sawed lengthwise and the making of the crossbow begins. Of the two parts of the branch, take the northern one, guided by the annual rings. On this side, the fibers fit closer to each other, which means the material will be stronger.
photo: correctly carved wood for a crossbow
On the board, draw the shape of the future base and cut it out using a grinder or a hacksaw. Make a groove on top for the arrow. A groove is cut on one side to secure the arc. If knots or chips appear during the work, they must be processed with a sharp knife and then with sandpaper.
The second step will be making an arc. For it, take a board with a thickness of 20 mm and a length of at least 750 mm. The board must be smooth and free of knots. The board must be thoroughly dried, left for several days, and only then trimmed. The width of the arc is approximately 40 mm in the middle; towards the edges its width decreases to 15 mm.
photo.string of a homemade crossbow
An arc for a powerful crossbow can be made from a spring leaf of a UAZ car. Using a grinder, we cut an arc from the spring. Its dimensions are as follows: length 850 mm, width at the ends 15 mm, and in the middle 30 mm. Next, using a sharpening stone, bring the thickness to 8 mm in the center and 4 mm at the periphery. Drill holes for fastening with a Pobedit drill
Preparing the groove for the arc. We make a hole for fastening from a rope, at a distance of 100 mm from the cut groove for the arc. We insert the arc into the groove and secure it with a rope. Or you can make a metal frame that will cover both the stock and the bow. The next step is to attach the bowstring to the ends of the bow, using the cuts made in advance. Stretch the string as you would when shooting. Thus we will find the most distant point. After this we determine optimal size a crossbow that is as long as your forearm.
We will make the bowstring from lavsan or fastfly. You can use a thin cable. Wrap the threads stretched between two nails, and make loops at the ends for putting on.
We wind the threads to a thickness of 5 mm. Then, without removing the threads from the nails, we wrap the threads once so that they are tight to each other. After this, we collect both halves of the bowstring at the first nail, and wrap it tightly again to the second nail. As a result, we got a bowstring with loops at the ends. The middle part of the bowstring must be wrapped very carefully, since a very large friction force acts on this part. The cut threads must be coated well with glue so that all the threads are monolithic. We tighten the bowstring using a stirrup made of wire. Having secured the bowstring, we adjust the degree of its tension. If the bowstring is too thick, the force of the shot will be reduced, and if it is too thin, it will break. Therefore, you need to make a bowstring of medium thickness. You can make a bowstring in the likeness of sports models.
photo: crossbow trigger
An important step necessary to make a homemade powerful crossbow
And so, we come to the most important part of our design. We will make a crossbow trigger mechanism. This will be a pin type lock. To do this, drill a through hole at the point of maximum tension on the bowstring. Make a transverse recess in the upper part of the bed. The next step is to secure the lever at the bottom of the crossbow. We make the axle out of wood and fasten it with wire.
Another type of trigger is called a nut. It consists of a cylinder that rotates freely around its axis. On one side it has hooks for the bowstring, and on the other side there is an L-shaped trigger stop. If the crossbow's power is up to 30 kg, the cylinder can be made of wood, but with a power over 30 kg it must be made of metal. Make the “nut” that will hold the bowstring from a piece of iron without welding to make it stronger.
We fix the stock and the lever with ropes so that the lever moves with minimal friction.
For the boom, the groove should be located from the top hole of the lock to the leading edge. The depth of the gutter is equal to a quarter of the diameter of the boom.
The wooden crossbow is ready. Now let's start processing the details. First, we process all the parts with sandpaper. After this, they can be coated with protein mixed with water. Then check how the lock works. Make sure the mechanism is as strong as possible.
To make the crossbow more beautiful, cover the wooden parts with stain and varnish, and the metal parts with black paint.
Now let's move on to the arrows. You can also make them yourself. To do this, you can make blanks from an ordinary board. Then these blanks need to be carefully planed. It is recommended to choose light wood. When making the tip, you should not drive nails in, as if it hits the target, the arrow may split.
We looked at how to make a regular “medieval” crossbow.
The crossbow can be block. It can also be made at home. It is made of fiberglass, 10 mm thick.
First, fiberglass shoulders are made. To do this, you need to cut from 30 to 40 strips from fiberglass or Kevlar. Glue them together with epoxy glue and place them under a press until completely dry. After 24 hours or more, these structures need to be leveled and thoroughly cleaned.
photo.mounting a homemade crossbow
The bed, as in the previous case, is made of wood.
The blocks are made of aluminum. It is better if they are on bearings. The middle parts of roller skate wheels are perfect for these purposes. The axles for them need to be taken with a diameter of 5 mm. They can also be taken from skates. Fasteners are made of steel or other durable material. If, when making the shoulders, the ends are made thicker, there is no need to make fastenings. The next step will be to install a trigger mechanism with a trigger and an arrow holder on the crossbow. All this is connected using bolts and washers. In block-type crossbows, the bowstring is slightly longer and is tensioned differently. It seems to cross, and the arrow flies with double energy. A thin cable is used as a bowstring, which can withstand sudden pressure when fired.
Read how:
To conduct targeted shooting from a crossbow made by yourself at home, you need to adjust the stock. It needs to be adjusted taking into account the flight path of the arrow. The bed should be at an angle of 5-6 degrees. It’s even better to decide on the shooting distance and zero the crossbow you’ve made, after each series of shots, changing the angle of the stock.
photo: homemade wooden crossbow
The trigger mechanism can be anything, as long as it does not fire prematurely, under the force of the bowstring. The string should, after the shot, return close to the stock, but without strong friction.
If you don’t want to buy an expensive crossbow (and prices sometimes exceed $1000), you can make a crossbow with your own hands. It's not as difficult as it seems at first glance. The design of the crossbow is quite simple. A crossbow can be made from what is at hand, replacing missing materials with similar ones. A homemade crossbow is quite suitable for target shooting.
General view of a crossbow that you can make with your own hands according to drawings
The design of this crossbow uses the developments of manufacturers in the field of weapons. The drawings show a crossbow of a block design. If you follow the instructions and observe all the dimensions, you can make a high-quality and good crossbow with your own hands, even at home
General diagram of a homemade crossbow assembly:
To begin with, it is advisable to carefully study the drawings of the crossbow and begin assembling it yourself. Making a crossbow with your own hands is not an easy task. But this increases interest in work! After all, a homemade crossbow can bring great joy and respect to the performer.
Crossbow structure: stock, shoulders, butt, trigger mechanism, sighting devices, block system. It is used to make a stock natural wood, solid or laminated timber, mainly hardwood. Exact dimensions The crossbow can be viewed in the drawings. You choose the shape of the crossbow yourself, guided by the convenience and ergonomics of the stock and the desired image. When choosing, you must also consider whether you can make such a form correctly.
Crossbow shoulders and deck drawing:
The use of a small arms stock can significantly reduce labor costs for the manufacture of a crossbow. The main thing is to choose the right size. The mark left by the barrel in such a stock must be hammered wooden blocks, firmly placing them on epoxy glue. The butt and under-barrel pad of a crossbow can also be made of wood. The stock will be attached to the guide and serve as the basis for the trigger mechanism.
Butt drawing:
Offered for DIY assembly, the crossbow has a block design. This allows you to compensate for the load when cocking the bowstring and maintain power. Compound crossbows are the most popular among hunters because... You can carry a crossbow in a cocked state for quite a long time. Horton actively uses this design in the production of its crossbows.
Drawing of block assembly parts:
Pay special attention to the processing of the arrow guides and bowstring. The clarity of their finish greatly influences shooting accuracy. The guide lines must be perfectly straight and smooth. Optimal choice there will be polishing on milling machine and subsequent processing with fine-grain sandpaper. Next comes polishing the guides. You can see the dimensions of the boom guide groove in the drawings. The crosspiece, with the shoulders attached to it, is installed at the end of the stock. It is usually made from an aluminum billet. Wood can also serve as a suitable material.
A crossbow sight must consist of a rear sight and a front sight. You can also install an optical sight on the crossbow, providing a mount for the aiming bar. Vertical adjustments are made entirely, mounted on the cover of the trigger mechanism, and horizontal ones - with a front sight mounted on the bracket of the elastic element.
There can be many design options for sights and sighting devices for a crossbow, depending on the possibility of manufacturing, the availability of ready-made sights from conventional weapons (air rifles), etc.
It should be borne in mind that the flight path of a crossbow arrow (crossbow bolt) is quite high, so the rear sight must be installed significantly higher than the front sight. The angle of elevation of the aiming line depends on the weight of the arrow, the tension of the string, the shooting distance, etc. In our crossbow at a distance of 50 m it is approximately 6°.
Convenient are the designs of the rear sight, which allow it to be removed or folded during transportation. It will also be convenient if the rear sight can be adjusted manually by raising or lowering the bar. Thus, you will be able to shoot the crossbow under different conditions(distance to target, arrow weight).
The crossbow, the manufacture of which is described above, is designed for shooting bolts with a diameter of 8 mm and a length of 450-470 mm. You can easily make them yourself from a duralumin tube with a wall thickness of 0.5 mm. The tip and liner are attached to the bolt in front, and the feathering is attached to the back, just as they do for archery. It should be borne in mind that the shank of a bolt for a crossbow, unlike an arrow for a bow, should not have a cutout for the bowstring; it should be flat. It can be carved from wood in the form of a cork and inserted into the end of the tube, having previously been lubricated with glue.
Would be a great gift for a child. With it you can organize a small shooting range. The power of the crossbow is not great, since it uses an elastic band as a bowstring. Such a crossbow shoots almost anything; the author, as an option, uses small arrows made from the shaft of a ballpoint pen and a tip in the form of a syringe needle. The crossbow is assembled quickly and easily; it requires a minimum of materials.
Materials and tools for homemade work:
- steel strip;
- wooden plank;
- an ordinary wooden clothespin;
- handle from ski pole;
- a thin spring or elastic band;
- a piece of steel wire;
- trigger from a children's toy gun;
- sheet iron or elements from a mechanical designer.
Tools you will need: drill, hacksaw, pliers, fastening tool and file.
How to assemble a mini crossbow:
Step one. Crossbow shoulders and stock
How the shoulders and stock of the crossbow are made and attached can be seen in the photo. The stock is very easy to assemble; you will need three boards. They are connected to each other with ordinary nails.
As for the shoulder mechanism of the crossbow, it is made from a piece of steel strip. The shoulders should not bend, since an elastic band or spring is used as a bowstring. Screws are used to attach the arms to the stock.
Step two. Device trigger
The trigger mechanism for a crossbow is also very simple to make. For these purposes you will need a regular wooden clothespin. You need to cut off one gripping part from it. You can see exactly how in the photo.
Step three. Crossbow handle
To make the handle for the homemade product, the author used a handle from a ski pole. It can be attached to the stock using glue.
Step four. Additional crossbow arms
To make the crossbow a little more powerful, a second mount for elastic bands was made, that is, a second pair of shoulders. Such parts were found in old parts. How to attach them to the stock can be seen in the photo.
Step five. How to make a pusher
To make a pusher you will need a piece of wood. It must be carefully adjusted to the clothespin. To secure the bowstring, a groove is made in the pusher. As a result, paired with a clothespin, the pusher works as a very simple and practical trigger.
Step six. Bowstring
The author used an elastic band as a bowstring. This can be found in a fishing store. In the middle of the elastic band, which will go into the pusher, you need to put a tube (cambric). This is necessary so that the rubber does not wear out due to friction against the wood.
Step seven. Making the trigger
As a trigger for a crossbow, a trigger from children's pistol. You need to attach a thin metal mount to it. An element from the designer is well suited for these purposes.
Step eight. We begin to assemble the structure
In the photo you can see what the structure will look like after installing additional shoulders. A top view and a bottom view are presented.
At this stage, you can already install the trigger mechanism. It is attached with a screw.
That's all, now the crossbow is almost ready, you need to connect the elastic band. The elastic bands are attached to the shoulders, as well as to the pusher, which moves freely in the groove of the crossbow stock. This design allows you to shoot almost anything from a crossbow, you can even shoot balls. A clothespin is used to secure the pusher. To shoot, you need to press the clothespin.
Step nine. Final stages assemblies
As you can see in the photo below, the author decided to equip the crossbow with a sight. It was decided to abandon the elastic band; it was replaced by a thin spring.
Once the trigger is attached, it needs to be connected to the clothespin. To do this, you need to make a rod from steel wire. As a result, when you press the trigger, the clothespin releases the pusher and a shot occurs.
For a crossbow you can make small arrows (bolts), for this you will need ampoules from ballpoint pens or other suitable tubes. They need to be weighted at the ends by placing a piece of steel wire or another weight inside. As a tip, syringe needles are put on the tubes and placed on the glue.
That's it, the crossbow is ready, it is safe enough as it has little power to cause serious injuries. For greater safety, you do not need to use arrows with a sharp tip. Another advantage is that the crossbow is easy to load, meaning that pulling the string and shooting will not be difficult for a child.
Below in the video you can see how the most powerful crossbow in the world works. An experiment was conducted to see if a crossbow could penetrate armor...
Initially, a self-made crossbow weapon was called a crossbow. Another meaning of this word is in the name of a homemade weapon that operates without human intervention. This is a hunting item designed to be installed on deserted trails in deep forests. But it is not advisable to use this crossbow, since there is a high risk of injuring another person. Any crossbow, like any weapon, can cause significant harm to health if it is used incorrectly or left to children unattended. To know how to make a crossbow at home, you should listen to some of the recommendations listed below.
Do-it-yourself homemade crossbow
A crossbow-type self-propelled weapon for hunting is a kind of special type of trap with a guard. This weapon has been used for a long time in Rus', installed near animal trails. An animal passing by could touch the guard or grab the bait, which would trigger a simple weapon that would hit the target. Such a crossbow was installed at a distance from several tens of centimeters to several meters.
The simplest hunting crossbow consists of the following parts:
- The basis
- bow string
- Cord or rope for attaching the gatehouse to the base
- Gatehouse
- Alert thread
- Arrow
A loop of guard thread is installed on the long end of the guard. When she pulls it off, the guard turns under the action of the bowstring, it is released, and a shot is fired. The longer the guard, the easier it is to shoot from a guarded wooden crossbow.
A homemade hunting crossbow can be installed not only on the trail, when you can catch prey in front, behind or from the side, but also on tree branches. An animal that has climbed a tree must touch the warning thread of the crossbow. Self-propelled weapons are mounted on branches for hunting small animals. It is also mounted suspended on trees for hunting wolverines, wolves or wild dogs. Stones, shortened arrows (so-called bolts), peg arrows, etc. are used as a throwing projectile.
Homemade crossbow
Firearms are rarely made for hunting because, like any weapon loaded with bullets, they are very dangerous. As a rule, such traps are installed near an animal trail, near which signal signs are placed warning a person about the presence of a crossbow nearby. The simplest option for making a self-propelled weapon is to use a ten-gauge metal tube 20-25 cm long, with one end welded and the other ending with a brace. The starting device is equipped with a capsule. The made crossbow is loaded with two bullets, found suitable tree near the animal trail, they screw it into the trunk, and make a stretch on the trail. The weapon is aimed at the trail, the hunter is located near the hunting site. You can use this method of hunting, but crossbows are a much safer type of self-propelled weapon.
How to make a crossbow at home
Making a crossbow at home
Making a crossbow with your own hands is quite simple. To do this, you first need to leave a drawing of each part. The weapon consists of a bowstring with shoulders, a stock and a trigger mechanism. Steps on how to make a crossbow with your own hands at home:
- The stock is made of wood: for this you need to find a suitable board, draw a sketch of the stock, then cut it out with a jigsaw and a hacksaw.
- A homemade crossbow must have a hole for a finger - it is made using a suitable drill.
- A needle file is used to make a groove for the arrow, the location of which is previously marked with a marker or pencil.
You can use ordinary wooden clothespins to secure the arrow. To do this, a hole with a diameter equal to the thickness of the arrow is drilled in one of them, after which two clothespins are glued to the top and bottom of the crossbow stock, and the one in which the hole is made is placed on top of the back part. It is this that will hold the arrow and be attached to the top ones.
Homemade crossbow
Crossbow arms can be made from car springs or elastic plastic. They are secured with a block or welded metal fastener. To tension the bowstring, block elements are used for fastening at the ends of the crossbow arcs. The bowstring is made from steel cable, or nylon thread, for example, lavsan.
When making a crossbow, an important part is the trigger mechanism. For this you will need:
- Stainless steel sheet 2-3 mm thick, size 10x15 cm.
- Two small springs
- Three 10mm bolts with six nuts and two 8mm bolts with two nuts.
On paper you need to draw a diagram of the trigger mechanism, or more precisely, the trigger and hook for the bowstring. The drawing is transferred from paper to a sheet of metal, cut out with a hacksaw, and processed with a file. After this, a drawing of the parts of the crossbow trigger housing is made from wood, transferred to a metal plate, and cut out with a hacksaw. The holes for the trigger mechanism must first be made on a piece of plywood; if it works properly, then transfer the holes to a metal plate. Bolts with a diameter of 08 mm secure the trigger and hook for the bowstring, and the springs are also attached. The side parts of the plates are fastened with bolts with a diameter of 10 mm, and after that the homemade trigger mechanism for the crossbow is ready.
