Just for fun we built a small prototype of a trebuchet out of scraps of 2x2 that was lying around. The counter weight is a brick, the sling is made of duct tape and string and the release mechanism is a nail. Simple stuff. Rather surprisingly it threw a tennis ball a good 30’ or so.

This is the static result:

Trebuchet-Prototype1
Trebuchet-Prototype1

Here’s a short (10sec) video of it being demonstrated by a handy volunteer who happened to be passing.

Since it’s a prototype we need a short ‘lessons learned’ section.

  • A drill press would have been really useful. I just can’t drill straight holes for the dowel rods by hand.

  • The sling should be longer.

  • The counter weight should probably be closer to the fulcrum.

We’ll have a go at doing that for part II. Whenever that will be.