Wednesday 25 March 2009

Trebuchet away!


The Trebuchet. I have presented it unpainted so that you can see the construction. The model measures 6" high, 8 1/2" long and 6" wide. This makes it moderately sized as far as trebuchets are concerned - but any bigger just looks silly. The model took four and a half hours to build.

Tools: Stanley knife, scalpel, junior hacksaw, set square, modelling drill, modelling clamps, small bench vice, sand paper, surgical pliers and round nosed pliers.

Glues: Araldite, wood glue, PVA and superglue.

Other materials: The main timbers are made from oak sticks that were given to me several years ago - I put them away not knowing what I could use them for. The tapering arm is a brush handle and the axles are barbecue skewer. The 'winding barrel' is garden cane (willow I think). The remaining wood is balsa of various thickness. Metal band fittings are thin card. Hooks and the like are bent white metal 'spears'. The winding 'handles are large wagon wheels by Irregular Minis. Rope work is unwound picture frame wire - mostly two strands rewound together. The projectile and 'pouch is Militput. The earth is sand and grit (the box has a false internal top onto which the earth was glued).



7 comments:

Martin said...

Let all those Medieval ne'er-do-well Baronial types cower in their strongholds!

Frankfurter said...

This is a fantastic construction! I'd leave it "unpainted" of finished in clear minwax ... as such weapons tended to be constructed on site from green wood ...
I assume it is 25mm scale?
Makes me envious, though I've not had the grit myself to build any of the designs I'd thought about!
:)
A

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

Wow! Would I be right in thinking that it would actually work as per the real one, or is it all glued in place??

Fantastic model - very clever indeed..

JAMES ROACH said...

Frankfurter, yes 28mm (but a bit underscale).

Steve TW, I did think about it - loading the box with lead junk, etc. The problem would have been the 'trigger', which would have broken in no time at all, and the rope to projectile bit - scale rope tends to twist and knot much more than 'real' stuff and the projectile would just spin round and 'clanged' into the machine (from past experience in a mis-spent youth).

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

:o)

Der Alte Fritz said...

What an engineering marvel. You are truly a talented and creative person. I'm very impressed with your model (and your painted figures as well).

Knight-Errant said...

Very, very, very nicely done!