My Trebuchet Obsession
All it took for me to become totally obsessed with catapults and trebuchets was that first taste. The first moment I experience that wild rush when a rock was tossed fiercly into the air. After a few flubbed attempts, I've successfully completed two backyard trebuchets.
The first is called the "Floating Arm Trebuchet" and it can hurl a golf ball the length of a football field. I don't think my neighbors have been too happy with me lately. It was super quick to make, and I've enjoyed myself emensely (probably more than a grown man should!).
My second completed project is called the "Fearsome Warwolf Trebuchet" and it stands 5 & 1/2 feet tall and is capable of tossing 1/4 lb up to 1 pound missiles over 100 feet.
I'm now working on a catapult called the "The Petraria Arcatinus" which basically means "Bow powered rock hurler". It looks really fierce and I can't wait to get it up and hurling.
All three catapults above I've built using catapult kits. I'm not much of a carpenter and I prefer the quick and easy method! If you do prefer building from scratch, my more handy friend recommended these trebuchet plans to me.
So You Want To Build A Trebuchet?
Somewhere, deep inside the human psyche, there exists the urge to throw a big rock a very long way. In medieval times, this manifested in siege weaponry. While not very many people build catapults and trebuchets any more, this urge remains. So, if you want to build your own backyard trebuchet, you're not alone. Whether it's for historical reenactment purposes or just to see if you can do it, you too can build your own siege engine. What Kinds Of Siege Weapons Are There?
There are several major kinds of siege weapons that were common in the ancient and medieval periods.These include:
The Ballista: A very large crossbow that throws a bolt the size of a large spear. It is powered by torsion on twisted ropes.
The Catapult: The familiar basket and bent length of wood, held down by ropes. The catapult throws its payload when these ropes are released.
The Trebuchet: This is one of the most popular types to build at home, because it is easier and allows a greater margin for error than the other two. Trebuchets work with a counterweighted basket or sling at the end of a beam. When the rope is released, the action of the weight causes the payload to be thrown some distance. Trebuchets can throw a variety of things, from the traditional rocks to cans of soda, stuffed animals, confetti and many other objects.
What Are Trebuchet Building Options?
How you choose to build your trebuchet will vary depending on your priorities. If you want to create an accurate siege weapon for reenactment purposes, you'll be best off using real medieval techniques and tools.If you just want something fun to fling objects around the yard with, and don't want to do too much hard labor, you might get good use out of a trebuchet kit. Kits have the advantage of coming with directions and being pre-planned.
People who enjoy woodworking, but aren't sure if they can design a whole trebuchet themselves can look up some of the readily available trebuchet plans. However, unlike kits, there's no guarantee that these will work, even if you follow all of the instructions.
Trebuchet Building Tips
If you pay attention to what you're doing and build your trebuchet with care, you can soon be having fun with it. Make sure that you don't rush into building it, however. If you do something wrong, it could be very difficult to fix, and cause your trebuchet to throw consistently to one side, or toss everything straight into the ground. Building your own trebuchet can be fun and simple. Just make sure that you've got a good plan going in, and you and everything you throw will go far!by catapultking
Hey, my name is Trevor and I'm obsessed with catapults! My friends and family think I'm crazy but I'm in the middle of building my third backyard... more »
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