This is a great trebuchet that a web visitor built and he (Gabe C.) submitted the pictures to me. I had to put them on my website so you could see. There are a couple of really nice modifications that Gabe made and he also added a fantastic custom paint job complete with flames!! I love it. This trebuchet shows what a little bit of ingenuity can produce and it also shows that you can turn your wooden machine of war into a piece of art too!!

Gabe used the front hub from a bicycle wheel for his pivot and he says that it really works great. This is because it makes a really nice and friction free pivot. I describe how to do this in another of my tutorials on making a trebuchet here: The Bicycle Wheel Trebuchet

You can see the little orange wooden beads that he uses as projectiles and he mounted pegs on the treb to hold them.

He carefully weighed his counter weight so it would be 133 to1 in weight compared to the projectile. This is the formula for optimal performance of a trebuchet and he said that after doing testing he verified that the formula and ratio was right. If you want to learn more about the formula and science of the treb I have some good information about it here: John's Trebuchet Project

He made a really terrific modification to the construction of his trebuchet and you might consider doing this too! He put the three cross pieces under the trebuchet rather than on top. This gives the counterweight more room to swing.

He had a little trouble with the sling but finally created his own sling that works perfectly every time. You can see it pretty well in the pictures

He used a "Boules" ball for his counterweight and it weighs 870 grams and gives the treb quite a kick. and he still needs the ball to play boules so he made an easily removable pouch connected by a strong key ring to attach the ball to the trebuchet.

All In all this thing is just fantastic and I want to give Gabe a big thanks for submitting the pictures and the information to this website. Thanks Gabe!!

Here are more Pictures of his trebuchet:

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The Miniature Trebuchet by Timberkits

The trebuchet was the ultimate artillery weapon of the medieval period and early renaissance. A large and unwieldy weapon, it was typically built on-site during battle, and tuned to lob great weights - such as the carcasses of rotting horses and pots of burning pitch, over the castle walls and onto its inhabitants. Precision carved by computer controlled machinery for guaranteed fit and accurate joinery. The detailed instructions include loads of photos of each step of the construction process, tuning tips and safety notes. Included in the kit are four wooden projectiles, all the necessary components for the sling, trigger, and counterweight bucket as well as all the parts for the kit. The only thing you'll need to supply are 88 pennies for counterweight and a few simple tools - Scissors, a ruler, a utility knife, wood glue and a few rubber bands to hold the pieces together while the glue dries. Manufactured by RLT Industries