Not even anything to do with electronics. I just wanted to show off my trebuchet. And my son - who contrary to appearances was not harmed during the making of this video.
Warning - loud sound-track - in case you are at work.
Awesome! He's got a future as an actor/stunt person 
That's neat.
Did you ever see the Sparkfun experiment throwing pumpkins with a treb.
Dude, if thats your garden Im jealous
I dont suppose you have plans available do you? I've been wanting to make one for years 
Oh my.... That's is so dangerous and stupid that it turns right over to HOLY AWESOMENESS!
Happy to see fellow treb nerds around!!
I built one myself ten years ago but I don't have a video of it in action. Mine did the same kind of jumps accompanied by a really loud rattle
What's the dimensions on the trebuchet in the video?
What are you throwing and what do you use as a counterweight?
Dude, if thats your garden Im jealous
Sadly not, just the nearest open ground within trebuchet carrying range!
I dont suppose you have plans available do you? I've been wanting to make one for years
Its all in the book http://www.dangerouslymad.com available for pre-order, should be in the shops end of May.
Now I feel guilty for being so commercial But hey - I do have kids health care to pay for following freak accidents with trebuchets!
What's the dimensions on the trebuchet in the video?
The tall sides of the A-frame are each 43 inches. So its on the small side.
What are you throwing and what do you use as a counterweight?
I'm throwing a tennis ball and the counter weight is a plastic serial container filled with wet sand.
Si:
What's the dimensions on the trebuchet in the video?
The tall sides of the A-frame are each 43 inches. So its on the small side.
What are you throwing and what do you use as a counterweight?
I'm throwing a tennis ball and the counter weight is a plastic serial container filled with wet sand.
So it's quite small. Good to know it was a tennis ball.
My thing was about twice as big (2 meter A-frames) but probably more like ten times as dangerous 
We never dared to stand anywhere near it once loaded and we never ever got the idea to try and hit persons with the orange size stones we threw with it.
My thing was about twice as big (2 meter A-frames) but probably more like ten times as dangerous
We never dared to stand anywhere near it once loaded and we never ever got the idea to try and hit persons with the orange size stones we threw with it.
Sounds like fun!
I'd quite like to make one out of 2 by 4 or fence posts. Maybe a project for later in the summer!
Seriously anyone wanting to make one, it really was a lot easier than I expected, I found these design tips really helpful: http://www.butlercc.edu/engineering/en115/en115_basic_treb_design.cfm. The rest is mostly common sense.
Si:
Sounds like fun!I'd quite like to make one out of 2 by 4 or fence posts. Maybe a project for later in the summer!
Seriously anyone wanting to make one, it really was a lot easier than I expected, I found these design tips really helpful: http://www.butlercc.edu/engineering/en115/en115_basic_treb_design.cfm. The rest is mostly common sense.
It was a lot of fun but the most fun part was thinking it all out and building it.
I highly recommend anyone to build one. It's not hard but you might want to start with a smaller one since a big one requires more thinking when it comes to choice of materials and safety measures.
I found a picture of the beast:
The sling is missing in the picture and the counter weight basket would be filled with rocks when used.
It would of course be possible to build a sturdier construction of the same size with more weight to fire bigger ammo but mine was built to be easy to dismount for transportation.
Looks like a good sturdy design.
Nice
I plan on making a small desktop version on the CNC, office warfare rocks
OK I couldn't resist so went to have a look for the Sparkfun article, check this out
Rob
OK I couldn't resist so went to have a look for the Sparkfun article, check this out
Brilliant! So thats how you make farming more exciting!
Yeah, and it also saves you from trying to get your truck into a muddy field to load the pumpkins.
Yeah, and it also saves you from trying to get your truck into a muddy field to load the pumpkins.
and if your customers lived near by, delivery could be really exciting!
Jeez you know how you never see a yellow VW Beetle then all of a sudden you see them all over the place. Well now everywhere I go I see trebuchets.
And get this, he's got backing for over $66,000 to build them.
Rob
That's not a trebuchet... this is trebuchet.
Best Crocodile Dundee impersionation> That's not a trebuchet... this is trebuchet.
It makes you proud to be British.
I love the way he uses a shot-gun to make the holes for the ropes.