iwfc87 Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 Hey all, does anyone know where I can get decent information on the physics of catapults? thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VendingMenace Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 if you want to build a catapult, might i suggest you try tribuchets instead? They are much easier to build and, i think, much more satisfying to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayonara Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Trebuchets are hilarious. Especially if you happen to have a pile of dead cows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaKiri Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 I have 5! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dudde Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 why are the two UK'ers with the freakiest avatars talking about dead cows and Trebuchets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayonara Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Trebuchetting dead cows is hilarious, that's why. Especially if they are on fire, and you aim over the keep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSX Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 We had a trebuchet project in Gr. 12. We had to aim a penny and have it drop into a bucket. It's pretty amazing what Kinematics and Projectile motion can do. SItes? My friend borrowed my binder, and hasn't given it back yet...It had some good handouts... Here's a site I bookmarked from last time though: http://www.trebuchet.com/plans.html MrL_JaKiri said in post #4 :I have 5! Cows or trebuchets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blike Posted November 2, 2003 Share Posted November 2, 2003 haha, I saw these on the discovery channel when they were airing a pumpkin launching contest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayonara Posted November 2, 2003 Share Posted November 2, 2003 I've seen a grand piano launched from one. It's surprising how well it flew, but the landing left a lot to be desired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deamonstar Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 I built a trebuchet once. it was 12 feet tall and I launched bricks and chairs over my neighbors lawn into the alley behind our houses... LOADS of fun!!!! there is an old guy in the UK somewhere with entirely too much money and free time who built a GIGANTIC trebuchet out of telephone poles. he launched a flaming piano and a car with it. he has plans to build an even larger one using steel-tube roller-coaster support colums so that he can launch a double-decker bus!!!!!! I have GOT to get me one of those!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blike Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 dang! I think I've seen the piano launcher as well. thats pretty sweet though. I can't imagine a bus actually launching though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt_f13 Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 Some guy shot his fiencé out of one of those... or a catapult, or a cannon. I can't remember. Either way, she broke some bones and, well, the marriage plans were altered somewat after that particular event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aman Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 I think I was 3 or 4 and I took the green roof plank from my Lincoln logs and centered it on the 2" connector log. I put a 2" connector on the end of the plank and stomped on the other end to launch it in orbit. I wound up with a golfball knot on my forehead. I still think if you want to keep kids safe, raise them inside a barrel but if you want em to learn, let em play with their toys and get their knocks. Just aman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt_f13 Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 It's still not a good idea to launch your fiencé into orbit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwfc87 Posted November 8, 2003 Author Share Posted November 8, 2003 Sayonara³ said in post #3 :Trebuchets are hilarious. Especially if you happen to have a pile of dead cows. Ermm...haha...O..k.... Anyway, yeah..i got round to building a catapult which works great. After doing testing with different arm lengths and masses etc, i found it surprising that the shorter the arm length, the further the object thrown lands. Whý is that? I thought that the longer the arm further the object lands. Well yeah..but I'm just guessing, but heavier objects land at shorter distances due to Newton's second law of F=m.a THanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayonara Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 For anyone who is confused about the trubuchet and dead cow comments: The trebuchet, catapult and ballister are part of the medieval siege engine. The function of a trebuchet was to launch very heavy loads at the enemy's fortifications with a great deal of force. When your opponents were all holed up in the keep of a castle, chucking dead and diseased animals in there was a very effective way of forcing them to flee or fight. This was usually burning or rotting cows. The trebuchet is also powerful enough to launch rocks at stone walls, and can cause serious damage to them in a very short time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pseudoswallo Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Did any of You hear about the guy who built a trebuchet and used it to fling himself and his friends ito large bodies of water? If I find where I read that, I'll post it. (for those of you that read Scott Adams, ffffttt-ffffttt! and weasles away) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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