What did you make?

[WTL]

Odd idea for a thread, but I was going through some stuff the other day and I came across something I made as a kid. You know I was one of those kids who always was messing with building stuff.

Anyways my grandfather had these old popular mechanics books from 1945 that had some DIY projects. One of them was a crossbow using a leaf spring for the bow.

Now I wonder if things have changed over the years, I mean - I wonder if leaf springs back in the 40s were significantly lighter than they are now. Anyways, I was about 9 or so and I begged my Dad to take me down to the junkyard so I could pick out a leaf spring - which he did. I can still remember the day I got the spring, I tried everything in my arsenal to cut that metal - too bad my arsenal was basically a dril, a glue gun and a hammer. So then I begged him to take the spring down to the welding shop where they finally were able to cut it according to the plans specified with a plasma cutter. I bet they got a kick out of the idea, no father would let their kid have such a powerful bow at that age unless he was positive it would never be used.

Anyways, at the end of all of this I ended up with a yellow pine stock with a leafspring for a bow and a cable for a string. Never was able to figue out how to cock the thing. I think had it actually ever shot an arrow it could have penetrated one of Sadaams bunkers.

Anyways, did you guys ever make anything crazy as a kid?