Desktop Catapult
So, I saw some homemade catapults a while back and figured I would try my hand at making one. Here’s the prototype. BTW, the video is at the end!
Materials:
- About 2 feet of 1X4. I picked up a 10′ sheet for $1.81. I used pine since this was a prototype, for the real deal, I would use a hard wood.
- 8 screws.
- 1 dowel rod. I got an oak rod for $.99.
- Some cotton twine.
- A saw, drill, screw driver and proper safety equipment.
- Optional wood glue.
- Optional 4 year old assistant 😉
I started by cutting a 11″ piece of the 1X4 for the base. Then I cut a 2″ piece 10″ long for the launch arm. I then cut two 2X2 squares to hold the launch pin. I cut a 1X2 piece for the launch pin. I cut two triangles just using my square, so all angles are just simple 45s.
Roughly what it will look like
Roughly what it will look like
Setting the drill bit
Safety 1st 😉
Never too early to get them started
The triangles drilled
Predrilling the holes for our triagles
The triangles mounted
Bottom view so far
Predrilling lock holders
Lock drilled and marked. Sitting on lock holders.
Lock cut
Lock with dowel inserted. Just about to cut the dowel off clean.
Lock complete
Dry run of how launch arm will fit
Drilled small hole in 1.5
Twine run from one dowel through the holes - either side of launch arm - through holes and into the last drilled dowel.
Another view of twine around launch arm
In the launched position
In the locked position, ready to launch
So, the way it works is to wind both of the dowels forward. This streches the twine which inturn puts pressure on the launch arm and forces it forward. Once you get it sufficiently tight, you pull the launch arm back and lock it with the lock pin. You put some object in the little launch cup that I boared into the launch arm, then pull the launch pin back. If it doesn’t go quite as far as you would like, just wind the dowels farther forward.
I noticed that my triangles are starting to lean in from how tight I have the dowels twisted. I’m going to put a little block below the launch arm on the triangles to hold them apart, I’ll update the post when I do.
As always, thanks for reading, and please leave me some comments.
The Video below is my 4 year old launching a lizard =)
I think we finally have proof of sasquash.
I was thinking the same thing! Sasquatch got a few skillz though and too much time on his hands. 😉
WTG on gettin the lil one started with power tools Greg! 🙂
I prefer the term Yettie.
I have 0 time on my hands…this project took about 45 mins start to finish. I was just throwing it together quickly as a proof of concept.
Gavin loves to help and I’m trying to introduce him to as much as I can…see what sticks 🙂
Ahaha, hey guys remember that Chewbacca was a hero too! (Hmm now I’m not sure if thats going to be taken as a compliment or not :-P)
I’m liking this blog more and more each day!
Next up.. they’ll build a robot, ip enable it and pilot robot+catapult to take over the world!
My cousin is a wookie.
I’m going to scratch out the robot catapult idea…now that I’ve lost the element of surprise! =P
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,257698,00.html
My kinda catapult. 😉
That’s what I call too much time on your hands.
I’d have to agree…150hrs is a lot of time for an automated beer machine. Had to dig up a couple of video’s of it in action though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oUWCLBKK3E
http://www.break.com/usercontent/2008/3/Robotic-Beer-Launching-Refrigerator-462951.html
WTG Daddy! I love you guys 🙂 The video is great… that was not far enough! hehe