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Enigma'07
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Anyone have some ideas about how to build a scale model of a trebuchet?
swansont said:You can buy kits and plans, or look at finished ones and figure it out for yourself. I have the tabletop model - it flings stuff about 30 ft.
Something very similar to this was done on a episode of Northern Exposure a few years back. Great show. That Trebuchet was acquired by the local Summer festival ( Corvallis Oregon, Davinci (sp?) Days) they set it up one summer and used it to throw pallets full of old computer parts. It never matched the throw shown on the show. But still a pretty impressive machine. I believe that it was hard to store and set up so am not sure what its ultimate fate was.Davinic Days Trebuchetmarcus said:incredible as it seems I've seen photos of one flinging an upright piano
it was a fullsize upright and got flung way far (but I don't remember how many yards)
must have made quite a noise when it landed
the photos were in some wide circulation magazine like National Geographic but I don't remember which----quite a while ago
maybe someone else remembers
Integral said:Something very similar to this was done on a episode of Northern Exposure a few years back. Great show. That Trebuchet was acquired by the local Summer festival ( Corvallis Oregon, Davinci (sp?) Days) they set it up one summer and used it to throw pallets full of old computer parts. It never matched the throw shown on the show. But still a pretty impressive machine. I believe that it was hard to store and set up so am not sure what its ultimate fate was.Davinic Days Trebuchet
zoobyshoe said:This team of people was working from scratch with only crude illustrations to guide them. One thing they discovered was that the wheels on the base weren't merely to wheel it into position. They were an important means of dealing with the recoil of a fling.
That makes sence. If you have no wheels the forward force puts a great stress on the frame. Then there is a restoring force in the opposite direction. It is a damped oscillation, really, that wastes energy and unnessesarily stresses the frame.NateTG said:Trebuchets work from conservation of momentum, there's no recoil as such. In fact, the trebuchet is pulled forward while firing. Putting the trebuchet on wheels takes advantage of that forward movement, and makes the trebuchet more efficient.
Njorl said:Anyone here ever solve all of the equations for a trebuchet? It is a tough problem - or a bunch of moderate problems I should say.
Njorl
Enginator said:Flinging 200 gallon bladder of water? That's about 3/4 of a ton. I would think that you could seriously injur someone with that.
zoobyshoe said:One of those history channel shows about the trebouchet had a bunch of guys in England building a full size replica of a medieval trebouchet from wood with lead for the counterweight. With it, they flung sandstone balls weighing 250 lbs. They had made a section of medieval castle wall to aim at and try to knock apart. Adjusting the aim on such a massive piece of siege machinery turned out to be tricky. They succeeded, though, and knocked the wall apart from something like 200 yards away.
This team of people was working from scratch with only crude illustrations to guide them. One thing they discovered was that the wheels on the base weren't merely to wheel it into position. They were an important means of dealing with the recoil of a fling.
The scale ratio for your trebuchet model will depend on the size of the real trebuchet you are trying to recreate. Measure the height, width, and length of the real trebuchet and divide each measurement by the desired size of your model. For example, if the real trebuchet is 10 feet tall and you want your model to be 1 foot tall, the scale ratio would be 1:10.
For a basic trebuchet model, you can use materials such as wood, cardboard, or even popsicle sticks. If you want a more durable and realistic model, you can use materials like balsa wood, plastic, or metal. Make sure to choose materials that are lightweight but strong enough to support the weight of your model.
The best way to construct the frame of your trebuchet model is to first draw out a blueprint or plan of your design. Then, use your chosen materials to cut and assemble the frame according to the plan. You can use hot glue, wood glue, or screws to hold the pieces together. Make sure to reinforce any joints or weak points to ensure stability.
The trebuchet arm can be made from a long, thin piece of wood or metal that is attached to the frame with a pivot point. To create the sling, cut a piece of fabric or leather into a triangle shape and attach it to the arm with string. You can also add a counterweight to the opposite end of the arm for better balance and accuracy.
To add realistic details to your trebuchet model, you can include features such as ropes, pulleys, and wheels. You can also paint the model to match the colors and patterns of a real trebuchet. Additionally, you can add small figurines or props to the model to give it a sense of scale and context.