It’s not just a font, you know.
A trebuchet is a medieval siege weapon – a gravity-powered catapult, that is.
And, thanks to a guy by the intials of RLT you can just buy the plans, saving the trouble of trial-and-error on the physics side.
You see, Dave Day is coming up – it’s this Thursday – and you (well, I) have to do something silly and moderately dangerous in honor of it.
I built the PVC version – just finished it tonight. I’m getting 16 yards out of a golf ball after a little tweaking.
Thursday: eggs.
Well, that’s pretty cool, but why can’t you just throw a golf ball (or eggs)? You’d get more than 16 yards, anyway.
Come talk to us when you’re throwing a VW 16 yards. Or a flaming propane bottle. ;-)
Comment by Eric — July 25, 2006 @ 10:10 pm
Shouldn’t you be flinging beans with it?
Comment by Don — July 26, 2006 @ 5:50 am
A guy’s gotta start somewhere!
The original plan was to throw watermelons, but it turns out that’ll require a bit more of an investment in parts, and a bit more skill in construction. See, if I only had some metalworking tools, and a guy who could weld reliably, then I’d be somewhere…
But now that I have the golf ball / egg thrower done, and understood, I’m closer to being able to throw bigger stuff that goes splat.
…throwing beans? Maybe I could start a garden with it…
Comment by Brian — July 26, 2006 @ 6:01 am
…weld reliably…
Dang, but you’re picky! That leaves me out. ;-)
Comment by Eric — July 26, 2006 @ 3:53 pm
Perhaps I should revise my requirements…
Comment by Brian — July 26, 2006 @ 7:04 pm
The Ancient Roman Megalatrebuchet looks like it could handle the stuff that Eric suggests. If it’s tools you need, I have a creme brulet welder you can borrow. Should we all be doing something silly and somewhat dangerous on Dave Day? Count me in! :-)
Comment by Gwynne — July 26, 2006 @ 8:00 pm