I too love the videos. Views and algorithm support come from regular uploads, viewer engagement, and video retention. If he didn't "get tired of filming " for a video platform, he'd do better. I'd watch the whole samn thing or as many parts as it would take
need to clarify that it only work on woods that have tannin: oak, walnut, cherry and mahogany are the most commonly know to have lots of tannin, so it will not work on woods that don't have any, but you can had some tannin into the wood by soaking it with certain substance that do have tannin, most common of which are tea or red wine (red wine will soak deeper thanks to the alcohol and also has more tannins than tea but will also give a reddish hue)
those poly brushes act more like a pen than a brush, hold the handle up and flatten the chiseled end of the brush onto whatever you want to stain, then do not flip the brush over but continue on with the staining continually using the same side of the brush. Only use the chisel tip end, the other part of the brush acts as a reservoir, it'll last longer and give a better result. Not that the result was bad, far from it.
Praise be, the crossbow meme man has returned Love your stuff Eli, your videos made me fall in love with working with my hands and becoming self reliant. Hope you have a wonderful spooky season with your family 👻
watched you for years it's so amazing to go back and watch some of the original stuff you made that was so crude and now to see you making something like this it's truly inspirational and amazing man
Dude, I’ve been watching your videos for years now. And let me say, seeing where you are now is amazing. The builds are awesome, the editing is awesome, the videos are awesome, but best of all, you seem happier! Love the stuff man, keep creating!
Every single ZNA video makes it feel like we’re in the glory days of RU-vid. You might not he the biggest, but you’re definitely the best. Keep it up bro
I've really enjoyed watching your skills progress as this series goes on. Watching as you identify, learn from, and correct your mistakes. It's made for a very satisfying viewing experience.
let it be known, I only found your channel by this series and it gets me excited each time I see a new release. no matter what the algorithm might say, you're putting out good content.
Been watching you for years and it is super neat to see your craftsmanship and builds improve as you take lessons learned from your previous projects. You inspired me to make a PVC crossbow years ago and it was a blast. Love you stuff!
feel like people will start gravitating back to this channel in the next couple of months don't worry Eli you make quality content and the people will come or come back, and this is the absolute sickest thing I've seen Tactical Practical and damn good lookin
Dude, such huge improvement in this project over your first crossbow! Keep it up, have loved most all your projects over the years and look forward to seeing what you come up with in the future
Zna production please never stop making content your honesty a amazing guy and your channel been helping me make my own zombie apocalypse weapons and happy to see your making content ❤
Look into ebonizing wood. I think it's steel wool dipped in vinegar, but I'm not sure. Also, when I make laminated bows, I like to wrap the parts together with a stretchy bandage or an exercise band. It gives very even clamping pressure on flexible parts and helps with alignment. Very cool crossbow, bro!
Eli is like an old friend who's always there. I remember watching your early weapon builds as a kid, and even though it's been a long time you're still at it making gold
Just to let you know big bro, even though I'm subscribed I haven't seen a video of yours pop up in my home page in a long time. I still tune mostly just for your personality and your style of editing and humour. You project it so well and your videos always have that ZNA spice baby. I hope you still love what you're doing because I do!
I semi recently came upon this bolt and firing pin design that works with actual Guns, Air Guns, and even Crossbows. All because it's just a simple pull back on a spring and guide rod, that you pull back until it reaches a locking latch that when a trigger is pulled releases the tension on the spring and sends the firing pin forward.
Eli I have been watching you for longer than I can remember. I was just a kid watching you make throwing stars out of tin cans, and bows of of pvc pipes. I don't know how many of your comments in the video are just for comedic effect, but no matter how long the videos take there are some of us who are willing to wait. Even if this can't be your full time job in the future, I really hope you keep making videos about your projects. It doesn't matter what you make, it doesn't need to be weapons or armour if that's not what you feel like building. Make whatever you feel passionate about, and share that passion. P.s. I have no idea how you managed to make such a small crossbow. I hope we get to see more of the normal sized "ballista" crossbow soon, you know, something us normal sized people could use ofc.
I grew up watching your stuff from back in the days before the name change, and it's been great watching you steadily improve your builds, editing skills, and even mental health. If I may offer a suggestion though: get the weight out of the tips of your bow limbs. Every bit of energy spent accelerating those heavy metal pulleys is energy not spent accelerating the actual projectile. Anything you can do to shave that tip weight down should yield some pretty big improvements to overall efficiency.
Eli, I love your style of videos. I have been watching you for many years now and as long as you make videos I will stay subscribed ❤ Just don't give up
Been a fan for several years now (I'm 18 now) and I just wanted to say how formative your content has been. Keep up the amazing work, and congrats on the badass crossbow, I'm sure it'll only get better from here
This dude is a beast. I found you Eli while googling "DIY body armor" and I've really enjoyed a lot of your vids. Came for the armor stayed for the giggles. Thanks man.
Been here from the beginning and don’t plan on leaving. Much love so excited for the next episode. Fingers crossed your viewership picks up, but I more hope that your love and happiness continues from making us videos.
commenting because i want to help the algo and i love you and ive been watching you since middle school and im a second year in college now i remember the pvc fiberglass bows and the war hammer and mask and stop sign armor and everything you're an inspiration eli
I really enjoy watching your stuff on RU-vid. I know it gets tough to keep posting stuff when the views are not following. But the people that are watching now are the most loyal subs. Thanks for your continuous posting. We are here to support you. Keep the memes coming!
Eli I hope you see this. While it is true that you've been declining in views in your more recent videos, I just wanted to say how good of a creator you are. You are the only creator on the platform that I watch that makes me feel like we are friends and you're sharing something with me even though I've never actually met you in real life. I hope your content never changes, and I hope the Lord will bless others by bringing them to your channel so you can keep doing what you do.
These videos are absolutely amazing. I wish to have the same work ethic and ability to keep making videos even if the outcomes (view wise) aren't what you'd hope for. Love the stuff you make and you as a person! Whatever time it is for you, have a good day/night.
Hey Eli, a buddy of mine makes his hammer handles using hickory, and makes them black. In order for the black to be basically permanent, he soaks the wood in pine tar and then torches it. It smells like burnt pine tar for a little while, but creates a durable, pitch-black finish.
Keep up the awesome work, every new ZNA vid makes my entire week. Don't get discouraged, and if it's not too much we like seeing the ideas that didn't work out and why as much as the ideas that do.
5:55 I've heard Luthiers use a trick, putting a little bit of salt on the glue. Apparently it keeps the pieces from sliding as much when clamped. Haven't confirmed it myself but could be worth a try.
6:10 I think your best bet is drilling holes through each side, and hammering in wooden pegs prior to glueing and clamping. It keeps them from sliding apart, and adds a bit of extra support so less strain gets put on the glue later on... like after it's done.
I appreciate the effort you put into these videos man. 29 years old almost 30😢 been watching for a long time and i still find you videos entertaining and feel you have improved your video quality over time. I may not make the same things you make but it motivaites me to do better and want to build more. Your videos are a refreshing experience. I hope that you keep uploading even if it is not too often. Ill still keep watchin.
I’ve been watching your videos since the beginning (not religiously) but still it’s crazy to see the progress you’ve made in your builds. The crossbow looked so professional I thought you was doing a review at first lol. Good job man and god bless its great to see your still going
Love your videos brotha, been a fan of your work for a while now. 5:57 If I may be so bold as to offer a suggestion for that pesky alignment issue when glueing 2 (or more) pieces of wood together: After you spread the glue, sprinkle some table salt over all or at least a decent portion of the glue area, and then bring the pieces together. As you tighten the clamps, the tiny salt crystals will dig into the surface and prevent any movement!p
You were one of my first subs on youtube and I've been watching your videos for about 8 or 9 years. I still love your content and I love seeing how much you've been able to accomplish in life as well as with your channel. I too am a young Christian fellow with an affinity for weaponry, dank memes and building things, so naturally your channel never disappoints. It's been awesome growing up alongside you, from some highschooler watching your videos in my room, to now watching your videos while I make bottles for my son (his name is also Eli after the prophet Elijah and because of its meaning). I remember always liking the name Eli, but seeing you do your thing, which was really a lot of stuff I wanted to do, just made me like the name more. Anyway, keep building, keep memeing, and thanks for years of genuine laughs and entertainment. When I heard the intro for this video with mention of declining viewership (even if just for the 3 part series) I wanted to remind you how dope your channel is and that your hard work is appreciated. I'll probably leave some other long, sappy comment on a future video, which I also look forward to. You and your channel mean a lot to me and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that. However, if I am, I definitely hope you read this. 👍
Great video as always! Pro carpenter tip: When staining, sand with something around 150-180 grit, then stain with Minwax Penetrating Stain. Do not use their Polyshades or water-based tint lines. Also, Home Depot or any home improvement store, for that matter, should have staining terry cloth pads. Use those to apply the stain. Then, use some cotton rags to clean up the excess after about 5-15 minutes. You don't need to apply a lot of pressure when wiping it off. Almost no pressure should be used; let the rag do the work. Using paper rags cleans up too much of the stain. I have done it in pinch but it almost always removes too much stain. Finally, clear coat it with some Deft interior clear wood lacquer spray. They also have it in Polyurethane. The first coat will feel like sandpaper, so use some 280-320 grit softback foam sanding pads to sand away the roughness. A 500-600 grit pad would probably be ideal. Softback sanding foam pads are about 1/4 inch thick; do not use a foam sanding block. They seem like the same thing but are not. Anyways, three coats will most likely be more than good enough, and you should have results that rival a finish done by a pro.
I get so excited every time I see you post ZNA. I've been around since the first crossbow and man what a ride it has been to see you grow and exceed in your craft. Love every second of the videos you put out no matter how long the wait XD Keep on trucking man can't wait to see more builds in the future
Try adding salt or sand between your boards to keep them from slipping. Also put steel wool in vinegar for a day or so to make your own ebonizing solution. Love the videos man. Keep up the good work.
Man your videos always deliver! Didn't have the best time this week but your cool little trick in the middle of the video really cracked me up. Entertaining and educational!
Bro your stuff is getting wayyyy better. I remember a few years back when you were busting up zombie heads in your back yard and the only material you knew was tread plate. You inspired a ton of my dangerous projects when I was a kid because you were the only guy doing it the crappies that way possible. I’m so impressed at how far your creations have come they make me want to get back into my old hobbies again. But yeah the only real advice I can give you is on wood. I’ve worked on wood a ton with my dad the last 7 years and what we’ve learned is that store bought ebony is meant for large scale wood projects. If you put steel wool in vinegar and let that sit until it looks green and look putrid. A few days should be good. That does make the grain rise more than usual stain but if you apply enough and let it sit, it should penetrate ;) the wood enough to sand down beautifully. It works great on oak which I think you said you were working with. But yeah man keep up the great work, you’ve got a long time fan watching always.
It’s really awesome that you still have your hoodie and shirt page still open! I bought one when they first came out wore it to threads, just had to get another one cause the thing finally ripped. Love your channel and I hope to see more forge videos!
