Anyone ever built or thought about building a trebuchet?

[LCHIEN]

This is my obsession for today.

[LinuxRandal]

I've wanted to for a LLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG time. I don't think my problem/renter neighbors would like it thought. (aka the target)

[radhak]

I came in just to see what is a trebuchet, and had to google :



plans : http://gottatopic.com/blueprint-for-a-trebuchet/

A socio-logistic question : at what point of the construction do you think you will be interrupted by your neighborhood watch, or have a cease-and-desist served on you ? (after all, once you finish, somebody's gonna suffer)

[Hellrazor]

That is a **** of a lot of work just to keep the neighbor kids out of the yard

[turkeywire]

While I have not personnaly, my grown son built one a few years back. There used to be a game on I think it was globalspec where you could change the variables to see the effect on the result. My son had a great time building it.

[turkeywire]

I just checked and the game is still running here is the link. http://www.globalspec.com/trebuchet/ I have played it some.

[thrytis]

What did the neighbors do to you?

[Shep]

"Anyone ever built or thought about building a trebuchet? "

Only every day. I would make one taller than my house so I can "defend" my land (aka small subdivision parcel) from all points of attack. I also will use a french accent to ward off would-be attackers.

[Richard in Smithville]

What did the neighbors do to you?

I bet they'll be the most neighbourly neighbours anywhere in the country once you're done.

[cgallery]

I've thought about it but only in a sort of "I wish I had the room" sort of way. If you have the room I think you should make one!

[Wood_workur]

I built one for the sole purpose of launching rolls of toilet paper up a few hundred feet from the back of a pickup truck. Unfortunately before it could be used someone got our neighbors instead of us, and then they banned toilet papering.

If you do build one, I'd suggest one that has a fulcrum that can move forwards and backwards so that your counter weight can fall in a straight line. It is a much more efficient design.

[thestinker]

I never thought of building a mini one, but someone mentioned toilet paper rolls...looks like I have a new project in the que

[catta12]

I have thought of building one, but have talked myself out of it many times.

Maybe a scale version will satisfy your obsession for now??? Or maybe make it worse. Here is an example:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Wood...top-Trebuchet/

[LCHIEN]

i'm thinking about one sized to hurl tennis balls 50-100 yards.
Playing tennis 3 times a week gives me an almost inexhaustable supply of balls and there's a neighborhood park nearby to use, tennis balls will be a lot less lethal than golf balls.

Where can I get some barbell plate weights cheap? I need probably 2.5 5 10 15 and 20 pound weights to be able to vary my CW force. They're kind of expensive thru Amazon or whatever and shipping will kill you.

The size would be on the order of 30 inches high axle. You could hide building one like that without alarming the neighbors.
There's free progams on-line to model the characteristics (5 lengths and three weights) to show you how it might perform.

[catta12]

Where can I get some barbell plate weights cheap? I need probably 2.5 5 10 15 and 20 pound weights to be able to vary my CW force. They're kind of expensive thru Amazon or whatever and shipping will kill you.

You could probably find some used ones at a second hand store such as Goodwill, Savers, Salvation Army, etc.




I wonder if anyone sells Trebuchet insurance?