We decided to build a trebuchet with the Venture Scouts this year. We work on it 2 - 3 nights a month and are finally at a position where we're ready to be serious about launching projectiles.
Our goal: throw a 10-lb bowling ball 200 feet. Our counterweight will hold over 300 lbs.; the throwing arm is 11 feet long and elevated at its pivot point about 5 feet off the ground. I found a software program online that allows you to punch in different variables and it calculates what will happen on launch.
On Wednesday night, we rolled the trebuchet out of my garage and onto the driveway, aimed it up the street, and threw a basketball. We have some work to do on the throwing mechanism: our pouch that holds the bowling ball doesn't open at the right time and we've got to figure out why.
We're looking forward to launching this in daylight and with something heavier than a flat basketball. Most the supplies were gathered by scavenging; we've spent ~$50-60 on all supplies so far. The bowling ball was free from a local bowling alley.
6 comments:
That is Cool!!!
AWESOME! I was excited to see Colby in this video! Thanks for sharing this post! Thank You also Jess for all the hard work you put into your calling with the Young Men you are great!
You can probably scavenge some pumpkins in about a week. A pumpkin would probably be more fun to fling than a bowling ball.
Woah...that's cool!
I love the pumpkin idea! This is a pretty dang cool project. Who came up with the idea?
That's a pretty creepy laugh you got there. Sounds like evil is being taught in your ward.
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