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Author Topic: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics  (Read 1855 times)

roo_ster

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Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« on: September 29, 2011, 05:37:54 PM »
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roo_ster

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Tallpine

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2011, 06:50:34 PM »
Why woould you want to throw a cat  ???
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kgbsquirrel

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2011, 08:26:40 PM »
Quote from: Tallpine on September 29, 2011, 06:50:34 PM
Why woould you want to throw a cat  ???

High Velocity Autonomous-Organic-Chainsaw Delivery System.

Just think of the poor sod who peeks over the ramparts just in time to get a face full of furry fury.
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rcnixon

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2011, 11:30:31 PM »
I have wanted to build a trebuchet for years!  That much hardwood is expensive and I'm not ready to sacrifice any of my oak trees.  Maybe a small (1/4 scale) and throw musket balls at the houses out back.

Russ
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TommyGunn

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2011, 11:46:22 PM »
Quote from: Tallpine on September 29, 2011, 06:50:34 PM
Why woould you want to throw a cat  ???
:facepalm:
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Perd Hapley

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2011, 11:47:42 PM »
Quote from: Tallpine on September 29, 2011, 06:50:34 PM
Why woould you want to throw a cat  ???

Are there other uses for cats?  ???
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just Warren

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2011, 11:55:13 PM »
In October of 1390 an author was slightly drunk and inadvertently fell into the basket of a catapult. His drunk companions in trying to get him out accidentally triggered the device sending the author screaming over the wall of the nearby town startling onlookers. This is the first known sighting of a flying Chaucer.
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TommyGunn

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2011, 12:16:30 AM »
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MOLON LABE   "Through ignorance of what is good and what is bad, the life of men is greatly perplexed." ~~ Cicero

Strings

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2011, 12:21:57 AM »
Someone smack Warren for that one
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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2011, 07:40:49 AM »
Quote from: fistful on September 29, 2011, 11:47:42 PM
Are there other uses for cats?  ???


Think mittens and slippers.  One-half of a set per each.  Plus, when you are through you have Chinese dinners.

stay safe.





PS - I love cats.  Just not with that corn starch based glaze.
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French G.

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2011, 08:48:23 AM »
Quote from: fistful on September 29, 2011, 11:47:42 PM
Are there other uses for cats?  ???

Well, if you're in Missouri (or APS) you can't swing one without hitting an idiot. But that doesn't mean it isn't fun.


Okay, okay, Ladysmith is going to kill me now.
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I'm so contrarian that I didn't respond to the thread.

makattak

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2011, 09:06:53 AM »
So, thank you for that. I've been alternating between giggling like a school girl and cackling maniacly for most of the morning.

Never heard of the "Springal". Just awesome. Always wanted a ballista. Think it might be legal for bow season?
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AmbulanceDriver

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2011, 11:59:24 AM »
Ok I need to put together a materials list and go through what scrap wood I've got in the garage.................................   

 >:D
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roo_ster

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #13 on: September 30, 2011, 01:46:29 PM »
Quote from: makattak on September 30, 2011, 09:06:53 AM
So, thank you for that. I've been alternating between giggling like a school girl and cackling maniacly for most of the morning.

Never heard of the "Springal". Just awesome. Always wanted a ballista. Think it might be legal for bow season?

A ballista on a small trailer pulled by an ATV would be great for a ground blind, IMO.

"Yes, game warden, I think it makes minimum draw to be legal for hunting big game."
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roo_ster

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MechAg94

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #14 on: September 30, 2011, 03:37:55 PM »
Quote from: Tallpine on September 29, 2011, 06:50:34 PM
Why woould you want to throw a cat  ???
Welllll....let me try a few ideas on you:

1.  Back in the 90's there was a shareware program running around that was a skeet shooting game with cats instead of clays (with proper sound effects).  It was damn funny provided you set aside your empathy for a few minutes. 

2.  Maybe you can launch the stray neighborhood cats into the next neighborhood over.

3.  Attach metal claws to their paws and launch them over the wall!  If you can figure out how to get the cat into the basket without causing more damage to your own people, surely you can figure out a way to break its fall on the other end.   :laugh:  I thought about the incendiary bat bombs from WWII, but I'm not sure that would work with cats any more than just jugs of flammables.

4.  If you can make it accurate, maybe you can turn it into an anti-homing pigeon system. 
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MechAg94

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #15 on: September 30, 2011, 03:44:32 PM »
A guy I used to work with once told me a Boy Scout troop where he lived built and maintained a six foot tall trebuchet (I think 6 feet was the structure height).  They built it then set up procedures for using it including everyone assigned to specific tasks including watching for specific safety problems.  It sounded like a real good educational project. 
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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #16 on: September 30, 2011, 04:58:38 PM »
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Scout26

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #17 on: September 30, 2011, 10:39:50 PM »
Every time Robert and I go to American Science and Surplus we contemplate buying either the Trebuchet or Catapult or maybe a Davinci Catapult.  $20-40 for a catapult or trebuchet.

Once we get to Boy Scouts, I think we can find a Merit Badge for them.  Then we'll have the perfect excuse to build one of each.   =D =D =D
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Regolith

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #18 on: September 30, 2011, 10:53:13 PM »
I built a 12 foot tall trebuchet for a high school physics class (6 feet at the axel, with a 9 foot long throwing arm).  Had it worked and not destroyed itself* (which could have been accomplished if I had any welding gear whatsoever, or any tools better than a circular saw, but I digress), it would have been capable of throwing a 5lb object over 100 yards. total cost for the wood was around $120 or so.  As it was, it managed to toss a pumpkin a good 60 feet into the air.




*Protip: a 300 lb counterweight will be able to bend a 3 foot section of 1" solid steel rod into an object resembling a V within three launches. Best way to keep this from happening is to weld or build supports so that the affected span of the axle is less than a foot.
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RoadKingLarry

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Re: Ancient War Machines: How-To and Schematics
« Reply #19 on: September 30, 2011, 11:36:57 PM »
Quote
1.  Back in the 90's there was a shareware program running around that was a skeet shooting game with cats instead of clays (with proper sound effects).  It was damn funny provided you set aside your empathy for a few minutes.

Ask and you shall receive
http://www.richsalter.btinternet.co.uk/cks2/index.html

I've got a stack of treated lumber too crooked for anything serious, all I need is the time to build a trebuchet.
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