How to increase the firing distance of a catapult

So you decided you wanted to build a catapult. You are now finished and ready to shoot. Your enthusiasm builds as you pull on the release mechanism and then plop. Your ammo sails a few feet and hits the ground with a disappointing thud. So far his plans to launch water balloons at his neighbor on the other side of the fence. You feel the sting of defeat. What went wrong? Because I did not work? Do not despair, my friend, because I can have a solution to your problem. The following paragraphs will explain some things you can do to increase the firing distance of your siege engine.

Check your build. Make sure your catapult has been built correctly. Poorly fitting parts or loose parts can affect the efficiency of your machine. One of the most important areas of energy loss in a catapult is the pivot points. Anywhere something turns, there will be friction. Make sure parts move freely, without binding. Depending on its construction, it may need lubrication. If your pivot point is a wooden shaft through a hole drilled in another piece of wood, make sure it is not too tight. If the fit is too tight, lightly sand until a proper fit is achieved. If there is too much play, replace the piece of wood with the hole with a new piece that has a smaller hole. Too much play can also cause a loss of energy.

More tension! Many catapults are built using springs, bungee cords, or surgical tubes as a source of tension for the firing arm. Reinforce them! Replace your existing springs with stronger springs. The same applies to bungee cord elastic bands. Replace the existing ones with something a little stronger. You can also add more springs or cords to the existing ones (bend them). If you have an onager, try wrapping the cord that is attached to the throwing arm a little more. This will increase the tension and force on the throwing arm when released. One thing to keep in mind if you are going to increase the spring tension: make sure the frame and firing arm are strong enough to withstand the increased tension. You don’t want your siege engine to blow up when you fire it. You may need to reinforce the frame and launch arm to achieve this.

All hail the trabuquete! Ah, the mighty rattle. It is by far my favorite of all the siege engines. It has a much more sophisticated design than other types of catapults. When tuned correctly, the distance and precision are incredible. Getting to this point can be a real headache if you’re not sure what to do. You can build a working ratchet or build one that works really well. I have a small tabletop model that can launch a small wooden cannonball about 20 feet through my basement. If I place a 9 “paper plate on the floor as my target, I can land each shot on the plate. I achieved this accuracy simply by making adjustments to the sling (length is critical!). Read on to find out how to adjust your trabuckle .

As I mentioned earlier, pivot points are areas of friction. Excess friction means loss of energy. Make sure the launch arm pivot point moves freely without binding. Adjust as needed. If your trabuckle has a hinged counterweight, make sure this pivot point moves freely as well. Since we’re on the topic of counterweights, keep in mind that the further the counterweight falls, the greater the energy for the throwing arm. Raising the height of the main shaft (pivot point for the launch arm) and lengthening the launch arm will allow the counterweight to travel further when released. It will also help to increase the weight of the counterweight. Note that changing the length and height of the launch arm will require adjustments to the sling. Slings are a very important part of a well tuned catapult. The wrong lengths can cause the sling to come off at the wrong time. This can result in a high arc with a very short distance or a low arc with a short distance. Experiment with the sling length for more distance. Make sure the bag is not too big for the ammo. This can result in excess wind resistance. Use a bag that is as small as possible for the size of ammo you are using.

I hope this information is useful for those who need it. As a final note, I want to mention that while catapults are fun, they can also be dangerous. When making modifications to your catapult, make sure the overall structure can handle the changes. Reinforce as necessary. Always use proper safety measures when firing a catapult. Glasses are always recommended. Keep a safe distance from the machine when shooting. With safety in mind, operating a catapult can be a fun experience for people of all ages. Happy launch!

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