Very cool project. Surprisingly, you don't see many traction trebuchets (or mangonels) demonstrated even though they were around for hundreds of years before the counterweight version.
Nice to see the description was useful. I would have used a bit thicker wood for the frame, but the arm looks really good. Nice that you were able to replicate the build speed. We also have someone holding the rock in the sling and you can add a bit of tension to the ropes and preload the string in the arm. That will give you a bit more range and consistency. On the larger ones, we had someone sit in the centre of the machine but on yours, they could sit near the side of the machine.
Awesome! This project has a lot of that go-get-it, get-it-done energy! The opening photo made my day, thanks for the cred. I didn't realize you got the balance of the arm onto the short end, that's cool, that's actually right where you want it, heavier on the short end but enough that one person can pull it back down. Do you plan to get some wide-angle video from the side? I wonder if the sling is a bit long but not sure. That sling pouch design is legit from a historical find documented by David Nicolle. If you guys ever come through Northern Utah give me a week's notice and we could launch some stuff.
Nice experiment, but I think you made the counterweight too light. As far as I understand the old drawings, the person hanging on the longer arm provided balance. So without the human hanging on the longer arm, the counterweight definitely pulled down. Pulling the ropes was like an "addition" to the weight of this counterweight. Of course, there may have been different versions of this design throughout history, but try using a heavier counterweight and "hanging" one man on a longer arm. ;)
Good share, and nice garb, did you make your winter wear jacket? Also, I think Traction trebuchets/ trebuchets were known to ancient Romans and Greeks. I don't think they ever made them as big as the medieval ones but who really knows... Rome was not known for small scale projects.
Thanks! Yes I made that jacket, after Gaston Phebus’ livre de chasse. I think you’re right, these machines are not too special really. I showed a couple Chinese and Islamic designs which are even older
@@Ralchire I think trebuchets possibly came about from slings on poles, which are basically the same principle. It looks great. what material did you use? is it a single thick layer of felted wool? I have been wanting to make something similar but never got started. Do you recommend any good resources? Thank you.
@@Ralchire I have some upholstery wool that I think would be a similar weight its a hair under a 1/16" thick but may need a liner. Did you make a pattern or find one? thanks
I have a theory that before there was an atlatl, sling, trebuchet, bow, etc. ancient hunters cast stones with something that doesn't exist in archaeology because examples decayed over time. I am confident and have many recorded examples of hunter gatherers using plain rocks as weapons. Even in the 1800s there are countless examples. I think they are ignored by archeologists. I suspect they used an antler or branch to cast stones. But I cannot come up with a viable design. I think that slings and traction trebuchets evolved from something that is lost to history. I understand that releasing is best at a 45 degree angle and think that perhaps the release could be by twisting the mechanism. There is room for your brain in this pursuit.
