A Really Simple Combat Archery Target

Rütger's SCA Combat Archery Folio

A Really Simple Combat Archery Target V2.0, 23 July 2005

Original Targets Immediately after completing your combat arrows it will be obvious that a target is needed. The sort of target described here is not hard to make and anyone could come up with something similar without too much thought (we did). The purpose of this article is to save others the effort of designing the target, and to point out a few lessons learned from using it.
While not particularly beautiful, this type of target is reasonably cheap (the originals were assembled mostly from spare wood), rugged (given the modifications described), light enough to carry easily, and able to fit in a pickup or van.
Most of the pictures here are of the second (taller) target built. It does not have some of the modifications described here (we will get to those someday). The original two targets used by the Shire of Shadowed Stars were designed and built by Mathias of Shadowed Stars. Photographs used here were provided by Leonora von Waldeck and Timoshka Mikolnikov, and were taken during a regular Shadowed Stars fighter practice.

Materials

1/2" plywood - 1 sheet
(particle board or OSB may also be used)

2x2 x 10' - 3

Wood screws 1-1/2" - about 66

Old carpet - 26" x 56" (optional)

Round head screws - 16 (optional)

Washers to fit
round head screws
-
16 (optional)

Tools
Circular saw
Hand saw
Hammer
1/2" or 3/4" chisel (or old wide blade screwdriver)
Drill or power screwdriver, & screwdriver bit

Cutting
2x2s
Pieces required: 2 x 72", 8 x 16", 4 x 18-1/2"
Cut two of the 2x2x10s into four pieces each (one piece at 72", and three pieces at 16"). Cut two additional 16" pieces from the third 2x2. Use the rest of this piece to cut the remaining four 18-1/2" pieces; however, if your carpentry skill is a poor as ours, you may want to wait until the 72" long pieces are on the back of the Main Panel, and then cut the cross pieces to fit.
Plywood
The sizes of the pieces of plywood are shown in the figures to the right.
Slots
All slots are 7/8" x 8".
Piece sizes 4x8 layout

Assembly
Attachment
Space screws no more than about 8" apart. Also, gluing the frame pieces to the panel would be a good idea. This is going to take a beating over time, and it needs all the help it can get.
Main Panel
Attach the two long 2x2 pieces to the outer edges of the back of the Main Panel. Place an 18-1/2" piece across the top. Two more cross pieces are located on the back as shown at right. The bottom cross piece must be 16" up from the bottom of the panel. This will allow the foot to slide up. [Hint: Don't measure, just use a foot piece to position the bottom cross piece.]
Feet
As shown at right, on one side of each Foot piece attach a 16" 2x2 inside of each of the slots. Turn the Foot over and attach a 16" 2x2 on the outside of each of the slots. The first side (2x2s inside the slots) will be the inside of the foot, the other the outside when assembling the target.
Carpet
If carpet is used, cut two 2" long slits along the edges 2" down from each top corner (see figure at right). Place the carpet over the front of the Main Panel with a 2" overhang on the top and sides. Fold the edges back and use the round head screws and washers to secure the carpet to the Panel.
Main Panel Back Foot Assembly 4x8 layout

Things To Avoid

There were a few "unforeseen issues" built into the original design of the target.

Don't Use Nails.
Yes, we should have seen this one coming. The pounding of the arrows slowly loosened the nails. Once loose, no matter how hard you hit them they keep popping back out (a lot like many heavy fighters). Nail Coming Out

Do Not Skimp On The Frame.
The backing frame did not come all the way out to the edge of the facing wood. In fact, it was a few inches from the edge. The result was that the end (top) of the target was easily broken.
The frame did not go all the way to the top of the target. Note the result when an arrow found a weakness caused by a knot.
Back view Damaged target

Don't Skip The Carpet.
The Materials list says this is "optional"; and our targets did not (and as of the writing of this article, do not) have carpeting or any other form of padding on them; however ... this means that when an arrow strikes a target near the edge, there is a good chance that the fletching will be damaged. The hard target surface also does no good for the heads of the arrows, notably increasing their tendency to split their tape. "Optional" or not, it is a really good idea.

Don't Make The Target Too Short. The first target was built out of spare wood. As a result it stood about four feet tall. This put the center of the target rather low. Normally you wouldn't expect that to be a problem. However, many of the ladies seem to have learned to aim low. That proved to be quite disconcerting to the fighters when they were later used as targets.
At right Timoshka demonstrates why male heavy fighters may not appreciate the use of targets which are too short.
Short target

Miscellaneous Pictures

The pictures were taken, so of course, they must be used.

View of the Main Panel Feet
Feet and Back Support

Back view of assembled target Small target
The original (short) target

Leonora with Feet
Leonora assembling the Feet Leonora with target
Leonora, proud of her work before practice

Don't Use Nails. Yes, we should have seen this one coming. The pounding of the arrows slowly loosened the nails. Once loose, no matter how hard you hit them they keep popping back out (a lot like many heavy fighters).
Do Not Skimp On The Frame. The backing frame did not come all the way out to the edge of the facing wood. In fact, it was a few inches from the edge. The result was that the end (top) of the target was easily broken. The frame did not go all the way to the top of the target. Note the result when an arrow found a weakness caused by a knot.
Don't Skip The Carpet. The Materials list says this is "optional"; and our targets did not (and as of the writing of this article, do not) have carpeting or any other form of padding on them; however ... this means that when an arrow strikes a target near the edge, there is a good chance that the fletching will be damaged. The hard target surface also does no good for the heads of the arrows, notably increasing their tendency to split their tape. "Optional" or not, it is a really good idea.
Don't Make The Target Too Short. The first target was built out of spare wood. As a result it stood about four feet tall. This put the center of the target rather low. Normally you wouldn't expect that to be a problem. However, many of the ladies seem to have learned to aim low. That proved to be quite disconcerting to the fighters when they were later used as targets. At right Timoshka demonstrates why male heavy fighters may not appreciate the use of targets which are too short.