Catapults

Ned Chaney · Post by **Ned Chaney** » Tue May 15, 2001 2:28 pm

My daughter's Physics class is going to make a Catapult as an end of year project. I suggested a Trebuchet. Anybody guide me to a site with some good plans or can email me some plans???

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They call me Ned. It's medievally short for Edward (and it's my real name)

Clay · Post by **Clay** » Tue May 15, 2001 2:36 pm

A really good place to start is www.trebuchet.com Everything you should need is there.

Derian le Breton · Post by **Derian le Breton** » Tue May 15, 2001 2:45 pm

My college's medieval society (of which I was the VP) made a trebuchet last semester, it was much easier than we thought. Although the blueprints have yet to be posted, details are available at: home.cwru.edu/cwrums

I'll bug the webmaster to put up more information.

-Donasian.

Buran · Post by **Buran** » Tue May 15, 2001 4:38 pm

Hey, Ned:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/

Heads up!

Richard Blackmoore · Post by **Richard Blackmoore** » Wed May 16, 2001 9:14 am

A quick conference call with Glen K and Harold should give you all the info you need.

Lochlainn · Post by **Lochlainn** » Wed May 16, 2001 9:57 am

I saw that Nova show last night on PBS. It's no wonder that castles surrendered once the treb was built. A steady bombardment could reduce a wall to rubble in a day or two, and pulverize any lesser structure it hit inside the walls.

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Lochlainn
I'm a Liberal and I'm OK!
*Insert gratuitous inflammatory remark here*

Ned Chaney · Post by **Ned Chaney** » Wed May 16, 2001 10:10 am

Found out last night they all have t stick to inky dinky "model" sized catapults. SHoOT! I was so looking forward to flinging somehting really cool!

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They call me Ned. It's medievally short for Edward (and it's my real name)

JGraham · Post by **JGraham** » Wed May 16, 2001 11:54 am

Did anyone catch the beginning of the NOVA show? I caught all the "good bits" from casting the lead counterweights for the American treb. till the end, but didn't catch how they constructed the wall. What type of stone did they use?

Heh - I remember the first shot that hit the wall looked disappointing at first - bounced off with just a few bits of stone apparently falling off. Then they showed the closeup, that the wall was something like a yard thick, and that the stone on the opposite side of the wall was blasted out as well. Impressive as hell.

Jim

Buran · Post by **Buran** » Wed May 16, 2001 3:56 pm

Waah! My local station only showed a Nova episode about Ebola. I shall build a trebuchet, then find their offices. Kidding. ;>

Cynric · Post by **Cynric** » Wed May 16, 2001 9:00 pm

Hi Edward,

I just happened to be browsing for treb and other seige engine websites. Try these:

http://xenophongroup.com/montjoie/treb_etc.htm French war machine web
page

http://members.iinet.net.au/~rmine/gctrebs.html Grey Company web page

http://home6.swipnet.se/~w-64205/artillery.html Visby Trebuchet

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/images/trebuchethome2.jpg
nova treb site

http://www.denn14.freeserve.co.uk/engine.html another seige engine site

Cynric

Armourkris · Post by **Armourkris** » Fri May 18, 2001 12:17 am

For the castly they were using an iner and outer shell of sandstone blokcs, same as some castle near-bye or something like that, and lime mortar to hold it all together.
between the 2 thin walls that made the shell they had packed mortar and rubble.

they modeled the wall after the upper rampants of one of the better castles of the day.

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What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee: