Back yard trebuchet

Sounds like a good project : )

Pictures of the build would be interesting.

I’ll stay tuned for future episodes.

Just make sure that whatever you post isn't able to be used as evidence...

I remember building one quite a few years ago in Boy Scouts for an exhibition or such. That thing would sling a tennis ball for over 100 yards with no problem. We launched a baseball about the same distance or maybe a little longer. Lots of fun and a great lesson in physics.

Project355 said:

I will behave

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Presumably by exercising extraordinary marksmanship and impeccable ammunition selection, eh?

I have always looked at garage door springs and figured they'd be better used to lob fruit into orbit than doors overhead.

edwardware said:

Presumably by exercising extraordinary marksmanship and impeccable ammunition selection, eh?

I have always looked at garage door springs and figured they'd be better used to lob fruit into orbit than doors overhead.

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I haven’t built a trebuchet yet that was big enough to do anything fun. Tabletop that would fling a bouncy ball was it. My catapult though was of proper size for a variety of items, and among the most fun were apples. Stand alongside the flight path and bust appleS mid flight with a shotgun. Deer hunt that spot 2 days later.

@edwardware i have a spring sitting in my garage right now that might just get used as you describe. I had one side break last year and kept the “good” side as a spare. I’m thinking a chucker is a better option. Maybe even for a baby ballista. My mind is wandering like crazy now. Thanks for the distraction and mental field trip.

Project355 said:

Got the hankerin' to build up a mini 'tater tosser of a trebuchet.

Personally, I'd like to sling the neighbor's dog crap back at him.... but I will behave

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You need to think tactically about these things... If you sling the dog before it poops the poop will go with it by default!

Project355 said:

Nah just sling a shovel full of dog poo back. If I can get it to land on top of his screened patio I'll be very happy!

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Aim for the windshield.

My son made one for HS physics class that would throw an egg 75 yds. 50 lb barbell weight on it. It was a dangerous machine.

One of the traditional competitions in the Society for Creative Anachronism is the 'cheese-chucker' trebuchet.
Here's a set of designs from the Grey Company
And here's their general page that includes larger designs.

This looks like a fun project:

https://diy.dunnlumber.com/projects/how-to-build-a-diy-mini-trebuchet

Hardest part is the relationship between the end of the arm and the length of the sling.

The ideal relationship is that the weight pulls the arm into the vertical, but also allows some "follow-through."

The non-fixed part of the sling ought release somewhere near the 60-70º position of the arm as it swings forward. Exactly where is a tuning point for the machine.

The drop weight really only determines the velocity of the arm, at least to a point.

Built one at a kid, that was about 3 feet tall for a science project. Would sling the heck out of a pecan or an acorn......

My older son built one for a school project; we had fun researching and building it. It was a small scale one that threw golf balls about 50-75 yards. He left it out in the yard over the winter and it fell apart. (A habit he gets from his mother.)

Working on one in the garage tonight. Seems a fun after work project. Raining and cold out anyhow.