Trebuchet

[Screwtape]

Just wondering if anyone here has had a go at building a trebuchet, I've a friend who does a lot of LARP and got chatting with them last night on the subject.

Due to our chats often involving a bit of single malt I left at the end of the night with a challenge from them to build a working model that could throw a tennis ball across the local playing field.

I'm considering building a Da Vinci Trebuchet and would appreciate any advice or if anyone has any plans (any model, really I`m not fussy) I'd gladly pay postage for a copy

 

[MIGNAL]

http://medieval.mrugala.net/Armes%20de% ... 0Plans.htm

 

[Digit]

Never built one, but if your playing field is of any great size sounds like a real challenge.
Love to see the results and WIP pics.
Perhaps you could run a book for us as to the maximum distance the ball covers! :lol:

Roy.

 

[OllyK]

A few scaffold poles and you should be able to knock it together in no time.

 

[bugbear]

Due to our chats often involving a bit of single malt I left at the end of the night with a challenge from them to build a working model that could throw a tennis ball across the local playing field.

Tennis ball is tricky; they're not good projectile.

If you could negotiate "golf ball".... you'd be fine.

This for example, although google spits up a LOT of hits

http://www.tasigh.org/ingenium/medium.html

BugBear

 

[Screwtape]

Thanks Mignel that really looks like the thing I'm after.

And thanks to all the others for the info, I did do the google search before I posted but got the same results lots of table top designs or stuff for golf balls. As I've have already agreed, or rather the whisky has, to chucking a tennis ball . To be precise it has to be tennis ball sized so it'll probably be chucking apples as the tree out back has dropped a load that's not much good for eating. Apples don't matter as much when you lose them either if this thing works

I hadn't thought of scaf, and I agree it would be real easy if I made it that way, but I don't think it would pass muster, best be made in wood really.

I'll definity post the results and perhaps start a book too.

Once again thanks all

 

[StevieB]

Ooh, a long time ago yes - used to build them out of poles and rope as a scout and fling potato bombs across a field. Agree that a tennis ball is not a good projectile - too light. If they will not accept golf ball try and go for cricket ball :wink:

Steve.

 

[pren]

How about filling a tennis ball with water or plaster etc.. to make it heavy? Mass is the key!

Looking forward to the WIP's on this one!

Good luck!

Bryn

 

[TheTiddles]

Two things are key, having the load on a pivot so it is always acting straight down, as opposed to hanging the weight clamped to the beam end. The other is the sling, add both these and you will get massively more performance than without. Golf balls are good, tennis ball will be ok but not on a windy day, fill it with plaster first, not lead shot unless you're planning on a really big model.

Aidan

 

[MikeG.]

I saw a programme on making a full-sized trebuchet, a while back. The real key is that the whole frame is on runners/ wheels/ sled. It greatly increases the efficiency apparently.....and if you think about the motion of the falling weight, it is easy to see why.

It would have been impressive to see one at a mediaeval siege, lobbing dead cows over the castle walls!

Mike

 

[Digit]

And I thought meals on wheels was a modern idea! :lol:

Roy.

 

[TheTiddles]

I think that was Monty Python...

 

[MikeG.]

It may have been Pythonesque, but they did it in reality. They would let the cow putrify for a while before lobbing it in, hoping that it would spread disease.

 

[big soft moose]

It may have been Pythonesque, but they did it in reality. They would let the cow putrify for a while before lobbing it in, hoping that it would spread disease.

true they also used to lob plague victims and such for similar reasons - who said biowar was a new thing

 

[dennis]

Who would have done the loading, as they would be first in line to catch any disease.

Dennis

 

[Digit]

Who would have done the loading, as they would be first in line to catch any disease.

POWs!

Roy.

 

[Woodmagnet]

 

[adzeman]

They had a trebuchet demonstration at the Bentley Wood Fair last year. I have seen demonstratins on television but to see one live was impressive. May be it will be there again this year? Its on next week end and worth a visit if you can get to east Sussex.

 

[rapsod]

There is very good program that simulate trabushet. It is called Trebushet simulator.

 

[Shultzy]

Warwick Castle has a trebuchet which it fires twice daily between 17th March - 26th October 2008.

http://www.warwick-castle.co.uk/events/warwick_trebuchet.asp