Well, yeah some historians believe the ZhugeNu was first invented in the Warring States period but I based my design on an 11th century model. I don't know if any images of a Zhugenu from the Warring States exists. It might look different from this 11th century model but the basic design was probably the same.

OK, I've changed it to ca. 200 B.C.

This is taken from Wikipedia on the Chu-ko-nu.

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History

Repeating crossbows have a long history, with the oldest accurate written knowledge dating to the Han dynasty (ca. 20-220 A.D.) in China. The Chinese repeating crossbow (诸葛弩, pinyin Zhū Gě nǔ, English transliteration: Chu-ko-nu or Zhuge-nu) is an extremely simple piece of equipment. It is claimed to have been invented by Chinese strategist Zhuge Liang (181-234 A.D.), which is arguable since the earliest drawings of the weapon have been found from the buried library of Chu, dating all the way back to 250 B.C. The Chinese repeating crossbow saw its last serious action in the China-Japan war of 1894-1895, where photographs show repeating crossbows as common weapons among Manchurian troops. The basic construction of this weapon has remained very much unchanged since its invention, making it one of the longest-lived mechanical weapons.

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For a discussion of whether 'Zhuge Nu' type crossbows existed in the Warring States, Qin and Han, see http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php...=0#entry4753624

Another example of how Wikipedia is not to be taken as an authority on Chinese military history. Jieming, would you be interested in editing that Wiki article?

I've rewritten the article on the Zhugenu based on your comments. Thanks again.

my zhu-ge-nu is 1:1 scale. full size only the bolts are pencil thick, not sharpie thick.
i've started a production run of four more chukonus and the bows are still proving
to be the hardest part. i haven't found a good source for rawhide laces yet either.

the bolts will fire through a cardboard box at close range and the best range so far
has been 40 feet. the bow length is crucial. it needs to be right at the edge between
too big and broken. i want to try bolts with metal tips in the near future, too.

You've made one! Good! Please do post pictures here. Let's compare notes.
What's the scale of your zhugenu or did you build a lifesized replica?

the bolts will fire through a cardboard box at close range and the best range so far
has been 40 feet. the bow length is crucial. it needs to be right at the edge between
too big and broken. i want to try bolts with metal tips in the near future, too.

this is fully worth making my third post
just to let my feelings be known.

here's my final attempt to post this pic
i really hope it was worth the heartache.

-what do you use as the bowstring(do you actuallly use stretchy string, or is it all in the wood

-what length are your bolts for the crossbow, and what material are they made of(tips and shafts)

-For the crouching tiger catapult, what do you use for the counterweight, is it just lead? If so, can you melt it with a regular flame or will you need a smelter

-Can you put your other assignments on the site, and if you already have, could you reply me with a list of all of them on this and other forums, because I'm not sure if making such a complicated weapon like the repeating crossbow should be my starting point.

Fogot to add, how do you get those pics under your name whenever you post a reply?