# Trebuchets! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 3, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341 "2003-01-03T02:05:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/21 "2003-01-04T01:06:55Z")
You think the knights used to do this in the middle ages? “Ho, Lord Cromwell! Thou trebuchet, how far doth it flingith a peasant? Two hundred furlongs! Yoiks! Can thou loan me the plans?” ---
**Author:** ![Theios](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e8c25b/32.png) [@Theios](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theios)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/22 "2003-01-04T02:41:23Z")
I build a small tabletop trebuchet a few years ago. It was about 6 inches tall and had about a 6 inch trowing arm. I build it out of some scrap trip I had laying around. I used a ball off a hitch as the weight. I didn’t follow any plans or anything. I just studied the pics on [trbuchet.com](http://trbuchet.com) and other sites. Just kind of tossed it together. It tossed a marble an alarming 20 or 30 feet at work one day. After the first shot, we switched over to balls of aluminium foil for fear of breaking a monitor or something. I was going to build another one that I could fit in the back of my truck (mobile artillary). I wanted to be able to toss water balloons at the tubers who drift down the Shenandoah near my house. After I sobered up, I decided that there might be legal issues involved in that, so I canned that idea. (I still want to though) ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/23 "2003-01-04T06:01:24Z")
Can I just say that you are all so very cool? Please do not hear any sarcasm in that. Siege weapons that can fling large heavy objects thrill me - alas, I lack any sort of mechanical/engineering talent. I can only applaud from the sidelines. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/24 "2003-01-04T07:28:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by medstar \* > \*\*There was a trebuchet in the movie, The Last Castle, with Robert Redford. Gee, it was so conveniently located in a corner, not too conspicuous, but easy for the convicts to get to. And it worked perfectly the first time, too. What are the chances of that? \*\* Yeah, well they built it, it wasn’t just laying around. Perhaps you can take issue with throwing a trebuchet together on short notice, but at least object to the correct thing. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/25 "2003-01-04T07:44:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by as\_u\_wish \* > \*\*Must have trebuchet. Must have trebuchet. Just sent plans to word working friend of mine and he says YES! he can build me one. I suppose my 12 year old son is going to want to borrow it…he’ll probably shoot his eye out. \*\* Isn’t a word worker better known as a writer? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TERRA\_Rising](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TERRA\_Rising](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TERRA_Rising)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/26 "2003-01-04T08:23:50Z")
I’ve actually owned one! A couple of buddies and I built one out of steel. It took us about 2 weeks to build the thing and we ended up shooting a 12-pack of Coke about 200 feet. Unfortunately, the authorities decided that they wanted one of their own and took ours. (This might have had something to do with the fact that the Coke landed in the neighbor’s yard, too!) ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/27 "2003-01-04T08:48:51Z")
I have been hit with large compressed foam rocks flung about 60 yards or so by a trebuchet. Unpleasant. And exceedingly cool to see in action. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/28 "2003-01-18T02:54:14Z")
Say, got a legal question about these things. Would it be illegal for me to take one of these down to the local park and use it to hurl rocks in the water? Anybody know? I wanna get one and play with it, but I ain’t got the real estate to be able to do it in my back yard. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/29 "2003-01-18T04:47:56Z")
Some crazy Australians, [The Grey Company](http://members.iinet.net.au/~rmine/gctrebs.html), have been playing with trebs for some time now, full-sized and model; counter-weight, torsion, and traction. With the full-sized ones they advise caution. Trebuchets are, after all, war engines, meant to break things and hurt people. DD ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/30 "2003-01-18T04:49:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*Say, got a legal question about these things. Would it be illegal for me to take one of these down to the local park and use it to hurl rocks in the water? Anybody know? I wanna get one and play with it, but I ain’t got the real estate to be able to do it in my back yard. \*\* I’m thinking of throwing a DopeFest in mid-late August and have ACRES of available land for throwing stuff. Wanna come? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/31 "2003-01-18T14:06:34Z")
I LOVED watching those trebuchets. That whole NOVA series about reconstructing ancient technology was unbelievably cool. Of course, I have weakness for projectiles. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/32 "2003-01-18T14:12:32Z")
One of my favorite books from a few years back: [Catapult: Harry and I Build a Siege Weapon](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0156005565/qid=1042899111/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/103-1270726-5220655) by Jim Paul ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/33 "2003-01-18T15:12:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chique \* > \*\*I’m thinking of throwing a DopeFest in mid-late August and have ACRES of available land for throwing stuff. Wanna come? 😃 \*\* ::Resists urge to make obvious comment::: Yeah, but what do you think airport security is gonna say when I try to bring it on-board? 😉 Seriously, though, while I doubt I’ll be able to afford to come, if it’s at all possible, I _will_ be there! (I dated a gal from Minnesota/Winsconsin [she lived in both states] and there’s just _something_ about that accent which drives me crazy!) ---
**Author:** ![Scruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Scruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruff)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/34 "2003-01-18T17:16:17Z")
What is the classification of a trebuchet? Consider having the local constabulary (or these days in the land of the free, the Homeland Security Service) show up and demanding to see a permit? Would the thing be classed as a “firearm”? Or does it fall into the same gray area as a potato gun? Not that I’m thinking of building one, of course. You just can’t get the wood these days… ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/35 "2003-01-18T19:30:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Podkayne \* > \*\*Some day, I will get to teach Intermediate Mechanics, and I will make my students prove that a trebuchet that is allowed to roll on wheels can throw a load farther than one that is fixed to the ground. (Nice bit of basic mechanics, that.) \*\* Is this true? How does it work that way? ---
**Author:** ![hobbes730](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/97f17d/32.png) [@hobbes730](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobbes730)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/36 "2003-01-18T22:08:17Z")
Having it on wheels allows the counterweight to fall _straight_ down instead of having to rotate through a semi-circular path as it falls. This allows for more acceleration, and thus greater speed at release. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense at first, but if you actually experiment you’ll find it’s true. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/37 "2003-01-20T09:11:59Z")
[quote] Having it on wheels allows the counterweight to fall straight down instead of having to rotate through a semi-circular path as it falls. This allows for more acceleration, and thus greater speed at release. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense at first, but if you actually experiment you’ll find it’s true. [quote/] Having an articulated counterweight achieves the same benifit without causing the treb to move out of alignment like using wheels and a fixed counterweight does. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/38 "2003-01-20T12:55:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sock Munkey \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > Having it on wheels allows the counterweight to fall straight down instead of having to rotate through a semi-circular path as it falls. This allows for more acceleration, and thus greater speed at release. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense at first, but if you actually experiment you’ll find it’s true. > > Having an articulated counterweight achieves the same benifit without causing the treb to move out of alignment like using wheels and a fixed counterweight does. \*\* Any plans for this kind of design floating around on the web? ---
**Author:** ![G.Cornelius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@G.Cornelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.Cornelius)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/39 "2003-01-20T13:30:29Z")
I have taken an interest in Trebuchets ever since that Scientific American article - it must have been some 10 years ago, but I still remember it well. A good Trebuchet is difficult to design - there are many, many different, interacting parameters that can be adjusted. This and the great weights involved makes the Trebuchet a very dangeous beast. Reconstruct with care! A modern design Trebuchet is the floating arm type. See: [http://www.rose-hulman.edu/Users/groups/Catapult2002II/GROUP36.pdf](http://www.rose-hulman.edu/Users/groups/Catapult2002II/GROUP36.pdf) This ensures that the couterweight falls exactly vertically. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341/40 "2003-01-20T20:13:00Z")
[http://members.iinet.net.au/~rmine/gctrebs.html](http://members.iinet.net.au/~rmine/gctrebs.html) That should help, if you need more do a web search for “Trebuchet” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trebuchets/146341.md?page=1)