Trebuchet / Unveiling and trebuchet party

The public unveiling and first trebuchet party was on October 13, 2002. The machine performed admirably with no serious engineering failures; the pull-down rope broke but we were able to recover by "fishing" a hook onto the end of the with a long pole. Our farthest throw was 450 feet with a 8 pound bowling ball -- well short of our hopes but that's still quite a ways.

Note that we did throw a couple of pumpkins but didn't get any good pictures of it.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Supply of ammo lined up and ready to go.

Trebuchet aimed and ready to be filled with counterweight sand on the morning of the shoot.

Mechanically-assisted pulling down of the throwing arm. At this point the counterweight barrel was about 2/3 full, so the force required to pull down the arm is about 200 pounds.

John gingerly unthreads the pull-down rope from the pulley. Thanks to the new safety this isn't such a touchy operation as it used to be.

Machine is cocked and ready with John at the trigger.

The little white speck in the upper right corner is a milk jug.

Impact! Milk jug meets cornfield.

Remains of a thrown milk jug.

Bowling ball and crater.

Remains of an Apple High Resolution Display.

The machine and party as seen from the drop zone.

John preparing a monitor for flight.

Another monitor post-impact.

Hurling a ceramic bathroom sink. This is part of an 11-image series of the throw, flight, and landing.