Mini Crossbow

So, I got this idea from somewhere else; maybe a YouTube video, maybe a different instructable, I don't remember. However, this is really easy and only takes a little while to make! I'm supper sorry for no pictures, they didn't want to upload to anything. I really did try!

You will need the following:

3 Popsicle sticks (I used two short ones and one long one)

1 rubber band (broken ones work wonderfully!)

A hot glue gun

A craft or Exacto knife - Optional

Take both of the short Popsicle sticks and glue them together. If there is glue seeping out of the edges after its dried, you can clean that up how ever you see fit. I live (slightly) dangerously and use my knife for stupid things (like cleaning glue out from between Popsicle sticks). Make sure that at least one side has a clean shaft to fire your arrows out of.

Once you have done that, cut a small area out of the Popsicle sticks near the back. I suggest a small triangle no bigger than a pencil eraser. Once you have attached the front, this will hold your rubber band while you are loading you tiny weapon.

I used a craft knife (what did I say about using it for everything?) to create holes on each of the ends of the longest Popsicle stick. These holes should not be huge, and not tiny. Mine were big enough to fit my rubber band through, and even that was a struggle.

Once you have made these holes, take your broken or cut rubber band and slip one end through one of the holes. I would suggest tying the band as close to the end of the band as possible. If with one knot it slips through the hole, keep tying more so that the rubber band will not slip through. Do the same for the other side of the Popsicle stick.

Make sure the rubber band is out of the way when you start gluing. Mark where the middle of the large Popsicle stick is, and glue the other end there. If it's not perfect, it's OK, as far as I know, it doesn't change the way the bow fires. Glue the back of the bow to the front with a good amount of glue.

I used tooth picks as ammunition, cut one end of it off and put the pointy end facing out, away from me.

Once the glue has dried, you can try to fire it. If it does not go as far as you want, you can tighten the bowstring by pulling it through the holes and tying knots higher up on the rubber band. Be very careful when you are just learning to fire it. Unless you dull the toothpicks, one wrong shot could be very painful to someone nearby.