How to Make a Skewer Crossbow

The crossbow was designed as a deadly weapon. The bow string can store a lethal amount of energy that is unleashed when the bolt is fired. A tamer, less powerful version can be made at home. Make your own skewer crossbow with some household items and a hot glue gun. While the mechanism is the same as a real crossbow -- the rubber band stores, then releases energy -- in this case, a skewer is fired, as opposed to a deadly arrow.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 pencils
  • Hot glue gun
  • Ruler
  • Marker
  • 2 sets of prefabbed chopsticks
  • Bic-style ballpoint pen
  • Binder clip
  • Rubber band
  • Scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Hot glue two pencils together, lengthwise, by running a bead of glue down the side of one of the pencils. Press the pencils together to adhere. The writing end of one pencil should align with the eraser end of the other pencil.

    • 2

      Hot glue a set of prefabricated chopsticks to the pencil assembly to make a cross. Prefabricated chopsticks are fused together at the base and must be broken apart. Put a dollop of hot glue on the middle of the pencil assembly and press the chopsticks to the dollop. The tapered end of the chopsticks should stick out, making the top of a cross.

    • 3

      Turn the assembly over and glue the other set of chopsticks, in the same manner, to the opposite side. Put a nickel-sized dollop of hot glue on the inside base of the chopsticks to glue the sticks together. This completes the body of the crossbow. Allow the hot glue to cool for 20 minutes.

    • 4

      Strip and hollow out a Bic-style ballpoint pen. The hollow pen tube will serve as the firing chamber. Pry off the writing head of the pen with your fingernails, then pull out the ink tube. Pop off the end cap, using your fingernails.

    • 5

      Align the pen tube with the tapered end of the chopsticks. Use duct or electrical tape to fasten the pen tubes to the front and back. Wrap the tape around the pen and feed it through the opening between the two sets of chopsticks.

    • 6

      Pinch one of the metal wings on a binder clip to remove it from the base. Put a nickel-sized dollop of hot glue on the side of the binder clip, where the wing was removed, and press the clip to the base of the chopsticks. The opening of the binder clip should point at the pen tube. This will serve as the trigger.

    • 7

      Cut the rubber band in half with scissors. Feed the end of the rubber band between the two pencils at the edge of the bow limbs. Pull the rubber band through the space until a half-inch of band is pinched and hanging out the other side. Repeat this step on the opposite end of the bow-limb assembly.

    • 8

      Hot glue the rubber band ends in place. Reinforce the connectors by applying additional hot glue. It is especially important to reinforce the binder clip, as it stores the potential energy of the rubber band. Allow the glue to cool for 20 minutes.

    • 9

      Feed a barbecue skewer through the pen tube firing chamber, then set it against the rubber band and pull the projectile to the binder clip. Open the clip by pressing the metal wing and close it to pinch the skewer in place.

    • 10

      Fire the skewer by pressing the metal wing on the binder clip. Do not shoot at people or animals. Exercise caution when firing the device.