# Da Vinci's Giant Crossbow - materials and performance



## Gimli's Ghost (Jun 29, 2021)

An attempt to build this device in real life revealed that it simply would not have worked using materials available in that time frame.
Best they could do was launch a heavy beam a few yards with little effect. More like a very inefficient battering ram than a ranged weapon.
The shear weight of the limbs slowed the bow down way too much.
Anything bigger than the Roman type Ballista suffers diminishing returns .


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## Shubol3D (Sep 18, 2021)

Thanks for reply.
Yes, I know about it. I'm not going to build it. I want to make FEA simulation, so I need to know what material DaVinci could use.
Even if it didn't work in real-world 
Edit:. It is mostly for learning and fun purpose and I have no idea about this topic. I just don't want to set total nonsense to simulation.


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## Gimli's Ghost (Jun 29, 2021)

Well figured I might as well return to this.
The materials available in DaVinci's day would have been wood, sinew, tempered steel , linen, hemp and steel cables.
None would get him past the diminishing returns factor.
Not that there weren't less ambitious large crossbow like artillery that were successful to a degree. The limits seem to be a projectile about the size of a javelin with cast a bit further than the range of most warbows of the day..
The Romans are said to have used such pieces mounted on carts to engage war elephants with some success. The hardest part being getting out of the path of a wounded and maddened war elephant long enough to reload.

I recently ran across a video on an ancient Hindu king who was known for having made a steel bow of remarkable power. A bias relief in a temple depicted him and his bow which looks to have been an early compound bow the pulleys lashed to the limbs being plainly visible.
I suspect the more fantastic feats of penetration attributed to this bow were from a much larger device built on the same principles.


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## Shubol3D (Sep 18, 2021)

Thank you for your answer.
So, it wouldn't work.

BTW: Did you talk about this bow?




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Letter: December 2004






www.atarn.org




I have this one on my to-do list. 
I'm collecting interesting military technology milestones and crazy ideas for years. Now I'm working on a new website and videos for my youtube channel.




I would appreciate a link or a video title about the Hindu king. Any form of cooperation will be nice if you consider it interesting enough for you.
Thanks, in advance.


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## Gimli's Ghost (Jun 29, 2021)

Lord Rama's bow


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## M-ric (Dec 18, 2020)

Shubol3D said:


> Hi all.
> I'm actually working on Da Vinci's Giant Crossbow 3D animation, and I need help from professionals.
> Q1: what kind of wood would you use for the limb?
> Q2: about what power could it have?
> ...


impressive.
as with many of Da Vinci's inventions, they were not materially achievable but above all reflected a visionary and futuristic spirit.


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