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Floating Arm Trebuchet project

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 9:11 pm
by mobile chernobyl
Here's my current project... not related to spud gunning, but related to projecting objects through the air none the less! :D


I'm making a floating arm treb, similar to the F2K design a few people have made out there.

Here's the progress so far. I'll update the thread as we get to tune it and sling some stuff.

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 10:51 pm
by Stolly32123
Wow looks great. you need some videos of it when you finish it.

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 2:30 am
by deathbyDWV
Very cool. I had a plan to build one of these that folded up (somewhat) and could be rolled around like a dolly cart... I I never got aroung to it though...

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 9:41 am
by qwerty
I do like floating arm trebuchets, very efficient i was going to make one at one point but didn't have the time. I always thought of using a dumbell for the counter weight.

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:15 am
by jackssmirkingrevenge
Sweet, I'm surprised this appears to be modern design because the concept doesn't seem to be beyond a medieval grasp of physics.

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:32 am
by mobile chernobyl
JSR - agreed!

There are so many modern varients of treb's out there nowadays, I'm sure someone in the midieval time may have tinkered around and made one similar, but apparently these current ones are "completely new".

This floating arm is a little different than the traditional floating arm - it's counter weight height drop, to floating arm axle movement in the X axis ratio is higher in hopes of achieving a greater hurling distance - by harnessing the greater potential energy of a larger drop by the weight (in relation to the arm).

Of the physic's applied to this, I'd say 50% of it's current size was based off achieving the high ratio mentioned above, and 50% was just what was the biggest thing i could shove in my SUV :wink:

Today we'll finish the arm, and hopefully get it dry-fireable. Tuning the arm's release hook angle and counterweight mass will probably be for another day!

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:52 am
by D_Hall
jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:Sweet, I'm surprised this appears to be modern design because the concept doesn't seem to be beyond a medieval grasp of physics.
Logistics....

Given the increase in complexity and such for a modern trebechet, would it be fair to say that it takes twice as long to build one? That's fine if you're a hobbyist playing around; desireable even (more time killed!). But if you're a general leading a siege, which would you rather have...

One fancy whiz bang trebechet?

Or....

Two basic old school trebechetS?

As the old Russian proverb says... Quantity has a quality all it's own.

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:57 am
by jackssmirkingrevenge
D_Hall wrote:Quantity has a quality all it's own.
Fair point. Though to be honest, when I visited Kubinka, I practically ran past the assembled roughly finished multitudes of T-34s to get to Pavilion N6, which is where I spent 85% of my stay there :roll: