The Trebuchet

For the 2008 Halloween season we assembled a trebuchet to help lay siege to the castle.

This was actually a pretty easy build, just a few pressure treated 2x10s and 2x8s, brackets made from 2.5"x2.5"x0.25" angle iron and 1/2in diameter bolts. We sheered some large triangles from 12 gauge steel sheets, to make the plate braces between the support legs and the uprights. The axle tube is made from a 3 foot length of 2.5 inch diameter steel tubing. We screwed a 5/8 inch pressure treated plywood base to the bottom, which allowed it to be pulled around the yard with a four-wheeler. It's heavier than it looks. The weight bag, which was made from several layers of thick drop cloth, holds three 75 pound bags of concrete.

Here are a few pictures of the trebuchet all setup and ready for action. Yes, it was functional.