How to Make a Crossbow Using Pencils

1
Make the stock. The stock is the
base, the part of the crossbow upon
which everything rests. To make it,
take two pencils. Line them up so that
the erasers are together. Tie a rubber
band about an inch from the erasers,
and tie a second rubber band about an
inch from the tips. [1]
Use unsharpened, unused pencils
that are the exactly the same
length. This will make your
crossbow more stable.
Make sure the rubber bands are
fastened tightly. You don't want
the pencils to get loose or roll
over on each other.
2
Make the lathe. The lathe is the part
of the crossbow to which the strings
are attached. To make it, repeat the
process above with two more pencils
to make a piece identical to the stock.
Line up two pencils and rubber band
them in the same two places. Make
sure your lathe is secure.
3
Fasten the lathe to the stock. Here
is where you form the "cross" in your
crossbow. Lay your stock vertically on
the table so that the erasers are
facing you and the ends are pointing
away. Cross the lathe over the stock
so that the middle of the lathe is
placed directly over the top rubber
band on your stock. The result should
look like a lower-case "t." Secure the
lathe and stock by winding a rubber
band where the pieces join. Wind it
around both pieces until the crossbow
base is secure.
The crossbow should be
constructed so that both the stock
and the lathe lie flat when you set
the crossbow on a table. If one
piece sticks out at an angle, adjust
the rubber band that's holding
them together until the crossbow
will lie flat.
4
Construct a shaft for your
crossbow. Take the ball point pen
and remove the tip, the inkwell and
the base so that you're left with just
the hollow plastic case. This will be
the shaft that holds your arrow so
you can shoot it straight and true.
5
Affix the shaft to the crossbow.
Line up the pen shaft with the stock.
The tip of the shaft should rest right at
the rubber banded place where the
stock and the lathe cross each other.
The other tip of the shaft should rest
near the bottom rubber band of the
stock. Use a few pieces of tape to
fasten the shaft to the stock in two
places, so that it stays securely in
place.
Wind the tape around the shaft
and stock piece a few times to
make sure it never comes loose.
6
Add the strings. The strings are the
rubber bands that launch your arrow
when you shoot. First, lay your
crossbow on the table so that the
erasers at the end of the stock are
facing you. Now look at the lathe and
find the rubber band on the righthand
side. Take one of your "strings" - a
new rubber band - and loop it
between the two pencils that form
the lathe. Loop it so that string rests
between the two pencils and is
nestled up against the rubber band
holding them together. Do the same
thing on the left side: add a string
between the pencils and scoot it up so
that it's right next to the lefthand
rubber band.
7
Attach the strings to make a seat.
This little seat is where the end of
your arrow will rest, the point from
which it will be launched at your
target. Place the strings next to each
other near the erasers at the end of
the stock. Take one piece of tape and
wind it through each loop and around,
so that you attach the tips of the two
strings together. Now take a second
piece of tape and cross it over the first
piece. You should have a little flat,
secure spot, a "seat," that you'll use
to cradle the arrow.
8
Shoot an arrow. Get a pencil, a long,
thin piece of wood, or any other
instrument long enough to fit inside
the shaft on your crossbow. This is
your arrow. Slide the arrow into the
shaft and cradle its base in the seat.
Support the stock with one hand and
aim your crossbow at your target. Use
your other hand to pull back the
strings, and the arrow with them.
Release the strings to shoot.
If anything wobbled or seemed
loose when you used your
crossbow, use tape to stabilize it.
Experiment with different arrows
and figure out how you might
want to improve your crossbow.
For example,
Switch out the strings for
bigger, stronger rubber bands.
Construct a better seat out of
piece of fabric.
Use wood scraps and wood
glue to build a bigger stock and
lathe.