Page 35 - 15 Dangerously Mad Projects for the Evil Genius

16 15 Dangerously Mad Projects for the Evil Genius

Figure 2-2 The action of a trebuchet

arm. As the arm passes the vertical mark, at some What You Will Need
point the sling will slacken and the ring will slip
off the hook, releasing the projectile (D). You will need the materials listed in the Parts Bin
to build this project.

WARNING! All of these can be easily obtained from
hardware stores, and in the case of the plastic
Be careful when cocking the trebuchet, and stand
container, a supermarket.
well clear of it when it fires.

P A RT S BIN
Part Quantity Description

Lumber 5 1" 2" 8' (Furring strip) (25mm 28mm 2.4m)
Hardboard 1 Small sheet of hardboard to cut 24" 9" (610mm 230mm)
Metal plate 2 Flat metal plates 4" 1.5" (100mm 40mm)
3
Bolt 1 4" ⁄8" (100mm 10mm)
Dry food container 1 10 pint (5L) plastic food container for containing breakfast cereal
Sand 25 lbs (10 kg) Builder’s sand or ballast
Rope 15 ft (5 m) 1 ⁄4-inch (4mm) diameter nylon rope
Cloth 1 8" 10" (200mm 250mm)

Tennis balls Variable For use as projectiles
Metal hook 1 Metal cup-hook about 3 inches (75mm) when straightened out
Wood screws Pack of 50 2-inch (50mm) wood screws
Wood screws Pack of 10 3-inch (75mm) wood screws

Nail 1 6-inch (150mm) nail
String 1 3' (1m) string