Here is a terrific little mangonel style torsion catapult that was built by a web visitor. I really like the beefy look of it and the color scheme. It makes it look like a real solid medieval siege engine! This catapult was built by a web visitor (Bob P.) And my thanks go to him for letting me know about it and for sending the pics. I love the little winder that he has for winding down the arm of the catapult :) And using the brown twine gives it a nice medieval touch. Here is what he has to say about the building of it:

I learned how to build a torsion catapult from your website; here are a couple of pics. The design was copied from your site and different Google pics of Roman mangonels. The wheels were an afterthought put on after I realized I had the tools to make the wheels. The rear spool was also an afterthought. The catapult fires from a pin that goes through the frame and into the throw arm, barely visible in pic 2 on the right side.

Every piece (except dowels, screws, etc.) was handmade in my woodshop and the whole thing including winding the string took a little over a day. It was lots of fun, and I thank you again for explaining how these things work.

 

 

New Project: How to make a Mouse trap Catapult in about 1 minute. You don't need much and this thing is really powerful. You can probably fire small projectiles about 40 feet. How to make a Mouse Trap catapult

 

 

Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction: Build Implements of Spitball Warfare

PopularMechanics.com selection for one of The Best DIY and Home Improvement Books of 2009

We’ve come a long way from the Peashooter Era: with the advent of modern household products and office supplies—binder clips, clothespins, rubber bands, ballpoint pens, toothpicks, paper clips, plastic utensils, and (of course) matches and barbeque lighters—troublemakers of all stripes have the components needed to build an impressive, if somewhat miniaturized, arsenal.

Toy designer John Austin provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for each project, including materials and ammo lists, clear diagrams, and construction tips, for mayhem-loving MacGyvers. The 35 devices include catapults, slingshots, minibombs, darts, and combustion shooters. Build a tiny trebuchet from paper clips and a D-cell battery. Wrap a penny in a string of paper caps to create a surprisingly impressive “bomb.” Several of the projects even include variations where combatants mount laser pointer sights to their shooters to increase their accuracy.

Finally, once you’ve built your armory, the author provides plans for a Top Secret Concealing Book to hide your stash, as well as targets for shooting practice. Never let your personal space go undefended again!

 

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