Custom LEGO Trebuchet

This video showcases my custom designed replica of a trebuchet, built using LEGO parts. It is fully functional and can launch LEGO pieces over 20 feet.
Step by step building instructions for it can be found on my website:
jkbrickworks.co...
Music:
Hero Down - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
For sneak peeks and behind the scenes content you can follow me on these other sites.
Facebook: / jkbrickworks
Google+: google.com/+Tru...
Twitter: / jasonallemann
Instagram: / jasonallemann
Thanks for watching!
Jason

[@JKBrickworks]

Smite your enemies with my latest LEGO model - the mighty Trebuchet!

[@tomdeacon7734]

have you done any medieval siege weapons because i would like to see more.

[@TheZabbiemaster]

ACE I just subbed

[@DesignJunkie58]

Can I build one! I don;t have the funds lolz :(

[@DesignJunkie58]

+JK Brickworks PERFECT MUSIC FOR A PERFECT MODEL!

[@DesignJunkie58]

+JK Brickworks PERFECT MUSIC FOR A PERFECT MODEL!

[@WilliametcCook]

Can it launch a 95kg stone projectile over 300 meters?

[@mitaku2287]

yes

[@jujuteuxOfficial]

[deus vult intensifies]

[@SonicXRage]

WITH GOD'S ALMIGHTY INFLUENCE, IT WILL! DEUS VULT!

[@evanoconnor3781]

I would say at the lego scale, yes

[@haysdixon6227]

r/ihavereddit

[@gtrulez]

Love it! I've made a Trebuchet from lego a while ago. It started out very simular in design but because i used a solid base without wheels it ended up being alot bigger to make it more stable and throw further. It has supports to the main frame to divert some of the stress and it has 2 outriggers on the sides so the main frame does not flex as much during launch..Boom and counterweight are much larger/heavier. i used a small key ring at one end of the rope to make it slide of the end of the boom real easy when it launches. makes it very simple to load and it never fails to detach :) I could have used a longer rope to try increase the distance a bit, but it had no problems throwing bricks to the other side of the living room =D

[@cegicreators2938]

me: * tries to make a trbucht and fails missirbly * jk brickworks: observe

[@myrddinbataille3789]

Your builds are so cool

[@jonathanlake5985]

A good ratio for furthest launching capabilities is 100g (counterwieght)/1g (projectile). Optimal throwing angle is 45-50 degrees (when the string releases from the throwing arm). Sorry, it didnt look like you were getting a lot of distance out of that, through engineering class i made a trebuche which launched a 3g metal nut about 35 feet with a trebuche about half that size.

[@jancello]

I might be digging up and old video, but I have a wuestion nonetheless : are you wasting a lot of energy for the shot due to the fact that the trebuchet is wiggling around on its wheels ? Some wheelsblocks might be a good thing here, I'd suspect a substential boost in range.

[@JKBrickworks]

+jancello It actually doesn't make much of a difference, at least in this application (I'm not sure about theoretically). If you watch the launch sequence in slow motion, you'll see that the trebuchet is rocking forward when the ball is released, which probably imparts a little bit more forward momentum to it. I tried with a solid base and the biggest issue was the stress on the frame after launch. The wheels really allow it to absorb the swing of the counter weight a lot better.

[@jancello]

+JK Brickworks Thanks for the detailed answer. I'm no expert either, but I'd say that the great stress on the frame is a proof that there is a lot of energy involved. Absorbing some of it with the wheels means losing it for the projectile. Also, probably engineers building trebuchets in the Middle Ages would probably build machines that were almost perfectly balanced, so that the frame almost didn't move through the launching sequence, be it on wheels of with a solid base. But I'm just nitpicking here, your build is impressive in any case :)

[@AdmiralMinell]

+jancello The idea with a trebuchet is to capture as much energy from gravity as possible. Because the weight is attached to an axle, the path is curved, and energy is lost. The wheels allow the frame to move so that the weight takes a straight path directly downwards. Alternatively, the weight being able to pivot on the throwing arm allows for a similar effect. I have built a Lego trebuchet before. Unfortunately, in my experience, both solutions cause problems on the small scale. A fixed weight and only the wheels should work better, though that would need some testing. On large trebuchets, the weight may be a bunch of rocks in a basket, so the pivot also allows for the basket to stay vertical.

[@AdmiralMinell]

+JK Brickworks The wheels actually conserve angular momentum. The idea is for the weight to travel straight down in order to capture maximum gravitational energy. Since the weight is attached to an axle, the path is curved, and energy is lost. The wheels allow for the entire frame to get out of the way so the weight just travels vertically. Also, you might try fixing the weight to the throwing arm. I think that might improve the wobble for the small scale.

[@cameronalexander5195]

Actually the wheels moving causes the counter weight to drop in a straiter line thusly giving it more energy for the throw.

[@calebarena]

That is pretty awesome!!!!!

[@Ben-Camilleri]

how do u tie the string to the net its the only thing im puzzled about

[@_Mordion_]

I guess after a year we're going to get a reply....lol

[@johanneshermansson7630]

tape

[@doak_]

@@johanneshermansson7630 finally, we get an answer

[@guid0_gainz908]

Brilliant!

[@Mustang_Salty]

Dude, this model is amazing!

[@fanmattjustice]

Thank you so much for this video and the instructions, had fun building it this weekend!

[@lubogregor3534]

Awesome! Thank you for this, it looks very neat. I actually have 18 of those weights available to use, can't wait to see what the students create with this one.

[@stuchly1]

whaoah! this is awesome!

[@victabeer3960]

I would buy this and the Ballista too!

[@GryphusOneYT]

Try the Da Vinci style catapult.

[@GrayVBoat]

Now you should try doing a ballista. Not as impressive as a trebuchet, but still pretty cool, in my opinion.

[@BIkeManBen]

Sweet! It just needs to be life size!!!!!!!

[@TheShayaChannel]

Can you build some LEGO arcade games? I would love to see the ones that you would make. I built 4: Skeeball, Pinball, Basketball, and Target but...you would probably build them professionally.

[@thomaschereau3161]

i ts super i ts really fabulus! i am french and i love your video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Jamesthe1]

WHEN WE WAS ONCE WEE LADDIES, WE USED A TREBUCHET TO TAKE DOWN OUR RIVALS. NOW YOU USE THESE SMALL PEBBLES TO TAKE OUT A KID-SIZED CASTLE.

[@johannesschulz7829]

Build this four years ago, and just rediscovered it. Considering building it once more 😀

[@tomdeacon7734]

Have you done a balista because i would like to see more medieval siege weapons pelase.

[@neildandekar9882]

Tom Deacon yes he has - and yes I know you asked this question 4 years ago

[@grassyfield5209]

wOAH keep that weapon of mass destruction away from my lego tower.

[@mitchellmusselwhite4307]

Awesome can't wait till next video PS u should make an catapult and or battering ram

[@mitaku2287]

I already saw a trebuchet in action, it is impressive

[@5pz3r0]

Awesome work, I want

[@tardiskeeper6]

Nice model

[@proudlove]

Your enemies don't stand a chance!

[@Benipsilon]

Amaizing!!!

[@Lol-jd8eu]

Awesome! Looks so realistic!

[@martinsgiroux]

i saw your ballista but this is awesome

[@xonix2002]

Just a thought, if you were to stabilise it whilst it's going through the firing procedure you could make it more efficient by not wasting energy on it rocking back and forth on its wheels.

[@JKBrickworks]

I tried it without wheels and it actually puts a lot of stress on the frame. With the current design it seems to waste energy anyway as the frame jumps around. :) With a stronger/heavier frame I could see keeping it stationary making more of a difference.

[@EthanHeffernan]

Any hope of getting in touch with sariel and creating a lego technic trebuchet instead of the classic lego system parts? The technic system is used more often for high-torque applications for a reason.

[@Alex_Anderson]

My brother would love this!

[@grotezakhooi]

got 1 minifigure size ?? this is an awesome build !:)

[@frederik7338]

I'm pretty sure that this build is to scale with the minifigs. Trebuchets are huge pbs.twimg.com/media/CLzLXnLVEAAbv-a.jpg

[@Kobbleski]

Could you do more walkers like the strandbeest but with different walking mechanisms. They are really interesting

[@paulvanginkel9283]

this is awesomeness

[@TheEspio001]

I like how you have more hair the farther back I go. :P

[@_Mordion_]

I really hate to nitpick but the instructions and parts list on your site do not match up to what you have in the video here. There are no instructions for attaching the string and net, the parts you have on the winch are different than what is in the video, several of the parts on the struts are all different, etc. THIS trebuchet looks great and it would be nice to have a matching parts list and instructions for it.

[@koreanpathfinder]

Does anyone have the parts list for this model? The one on his website is black and grey. Even if you just swap out grey for reddish brown, it still doesn't match exactly to this I think.

[@_Mordion_]

I was wondering the same. Actually now that I'm looking at the instructions, the design isn't exactly the same either.

[@necronustheeverchosen1994]

Pure Awesomeness! Can you make a working Battering Ram, Grond Style?

[@kaiunspeakabletutorialsand8684]

This is a cool canon

[@derfuss5681]

Nice work man! thx for it!

[@bricksbybricks3637]

A very good construction. Do you are a lego disigner ? If no you must be a lego disigner

[@LOCCHH]

O_O That's flipping awesome!

[@the_slower_railway9511]

Awesome Thats so COOL

[@fn-vq7xf]

cooler than my own rubber band catapult

[@cameronalexander5195]

Think you could build another trebuchet about half this size?

[@pink1200]

just build it half the size, its basically the same thing just count the studs in length of the part then half it and build to that new half length.

[@judehemann2812]

You should make a video of you making a model and idea by scratch.

[@deveangomez9045]

That is cool

[@manly667]

cool and awsome

[@malamika8354]

Background Music = BFDIA Trebuchet = BFB

[@parahthemad]

Cool!

[@Legogunpro]

The people who disliked the video better not be within 300 metres...

[@LuciusDriftwood]

My son Caleb wants to know if you have ever tried building an onager? By the way, he has really enjoyed the videos of the trebuchet and the ballista! He has a real interest in all things Roman (he's 7 years old).

[@ivanbertuleit3057]

14 atm, lol

[@glowytheglowbug]

much cool

[@bricklad6209]

I just built it and it's awesome

[@shiinafujiwara4776]

Hello JKBrickworks, instead of the trebuchet in your website, I would love to build the trebuchet look exactly like the brown one in the video, it is so beautiful and look real. Can you please give me instruction for that? Thank you!

[@TheDominator]

amazing

[@niallheaney4856]

Awesome

[@kprepairsandfixes4131]

Will Lego golden bricks work for the weight? Haha!

[@biliminsrlar5752]

Wow!

[@ricardoluis0]

now do a floating arm trebuchet!

[@southernwulf6983]

can you build a working modern lego artillery gum

[@Weretyu7777]

Hmmm, have you done a LEGO crossbow yet? If not, please do. If so, please reply with the link.

[@JYCrazy1]

Hey, the one on your website is designed in black and looks like a slightly different build - do you have instructions for the brown one in your video?

[@jackjohnstone7201]

cool video

[@legoyeeter6659]

Sooooo cool

[@ballisticbeaver3035]

Cool!!!!!!

[@shoopydoopy6062]

You should make a transformer out of Legos

[@cegicreators2938]

ixrolloutix, look him up

[@vincentchavez8278]

build a cannon

[@israela8217]

Smart man, god gave you a lot.

[@TheSimWheel]

I would like you to make a subway door that opens and closes

[@jobjansen7869]

I've just built one myself, but it won't fire the projectiles. How should I attach the black net, because I think the fault is in there.

[@McocMoose]

OMG 😱 how does this technology work

[@adambrien896]

Do you think that lego chains could be used?

[@sambaker734]

make more steampunk stuff

[@DesignJunkie58]

I totally agree with this guy

[@theamericanfarmer6223]

Please make it a set.

[@chaeyoungvideos5742]

build a lego pet that moves on his own like he has his own mind or something

[@dherhensoriano5670]

can you make a massive lego roman ballista

[@lukewolff4860]

I heard that TheLegend27 can throw a boulder further than a trebuchet!

[@pigozour6112]

Can you plz make a crossbow machine

[@khubaibmuzammal7191]

Please make an Artillery Gun

[@FabledFrame]

Found you through cuusoo, subbed :)

[@TimZoneX]

Make an old car. Maybe a 69' Dodge Charger with a working engine? An engine that spins and makes the wheels go?

[@paul999chen]

U r awesome

[@rachele7117]

Cool

[@tanboi1105]

put plasticine in the bottom of the Lego block counter Weight to make it heavier

[@mbegamers7815]

i need help making the sling end

[@mrprojects6850]

I like the trebuchet but could not find instructions

[@EnderLord007]

Hargrove Keep is screwed.

[@killianflynn1379]

Do a vid on the net and sling as i cant figure it out

[@colinsmith6423]

make a candy machine please

[@roshawno5838]

nice

[@rachelgustafson5349]

you could build a boat that has a actual engine

[@paulgoodier3777]

Steel ball bearings as counterweight

[@slightlybaked779]

paul goodier batteries as the counterweight is what I’ve used. Only need one or two 9volt batteries. Plus, they are rectangular and relatively easy to put in the counterweight bucket, as well as remove them.

[@G4723XD]

make a working trance former

[@v8gek12]

good

[@kristoffer7104]

Make a tank whit the ev3.

[@Slushee]

20 ft. is 6.096000 m.