Trebuchet: Improvements - and now it is ready!!!

I made a trebuchet for a computer game launch and it wasn't quite like I would have made it for myself; they gave it to me afterwards so I needed to improve it. This film is about those changes.
The film is a bit detailed and a bit talky, but from now on I will be throwing more and talking less, so here we go!
We have a great new Trebushirt available here todsworkshop.c...
If you would like to support this channel, visiting my sites really helps as does signing up to the news letter on the websites, either one is fine.
Production replica weapons are available here todcutler.com​​
And T shirts and Merch todsworkshop.c...
Custom pieces are available here todsworkshop.com
Jem Stansfield is an extraordinary engineer particularly talented on anything kinetic and is available for consultation [e-mail]
Daniel Bertrand and his trebuchet can be found here / @medievaltrebuchet
Tom Stanton and his channel can be found here / tomstantonengineering
Trebuchet stats for this film
Arm tip to pivot 3.6m
Arm pivot to counterweight pivot 1.25m
Counterweight pivot to centre of mass of counterweight 1.25m
Ground to arm pivot 3.2m
Width of trebuchet 3.8m
Length of trebuchet 6.1m
Counterweight 420kg
Sling length 3m
Projectile weight 6.1-6.8kg
Range circa 135m

[@johnbeauvais3159]

The Age of Empires marketing guy deserves a raise, clearly a clever man to look at Tod and think “That’s a person that could make good use of a trebuchet”

[@exharkhun5605]

Should have bought 2.

[@johnbeauvais3159]

@@exharkhun5605 the problem with having 2 trebuchets is the intense desire to have a duel with them

[@gpd6760]

@@johnbeauvais3159 "you stand behind that wall and ill stand behind this wall and we'll see who takes out the other wall first!" - famous last words

[@tods_workshop]

John; I so would!

[@Horizontalvertigo]

But then he should have his pay docked for the day for not firing the washing machine too

[@storyspren]

Someone worried about the timber: "What if it blows up?" Tod: "It'll be fun to watch"

[@tods_workshop]

Internet gold

[@aob3366]

@@tods_workshop you're gold

[@adamsbja]

Typical engineering: "If this breaks, please let it be in a way that's boring and does as little collateral damage as possible." Engineering for camera...

[@seriousmaran9414]

So basically the same as SpaceX and it's early Falcon 9 boosters. It goes up, it comes down, big bang, everyone happy! Bit of practice and they have landed 100 times, one booster has managed 11 landings. Same happened to the test starships so far.

[@michaelmcneil4168]

@@tods_workshop I really appreciate your efforts, really I do! Sadly I have long pockets and short arms. I am glad things go well for you.

[@dougfoust117]

You know you are a youtuber when your reaction to the high speed self disassembly of a machine you built is "hell of a video though"

[@medea27]

Well it's content either way!

[@spamhonx56]

I recall reading that during the crusades, flint boulders were thrown from trebuchets with the idea that they'd shatter on impact like a medieval fragmentation mutinion. Do you think you could ever point the trebuchet at a hard surface like a car park in the middle of nowhere and see how flint would work?

[@Shitballs69420]

Yes please! Ive always wondered that.

[@LailandiAdventures]

With British health and safety regulations and Tod's reputation on the line, I'd say buying some second hand paving slabs would be a better shout. Or give some young apprentice brick layers a bit of experience.

[@gordonlawrence1448]

I heard this too and was told you needed a flint from a beach as it will most likely already be weakened. You can tell by the sound when you "ring" them with another rock. IE a flint that sounds like a tuning fork is good for flint knapping. A flint that does not is good for a trebuchet.

[@aaahtex902]

@@Shitballs69420 LOLOLOL

[@Hybris51129]

@@LailandiAdventures "Here is your final journeyman's exam. You are to build a 5 meter by 5 meter square of brickwork then in the center of this you are to build a shelter big enough for yourself. You will have 4 hours to do this, after which a KZbinr with a trebuchet will begin to bombard your positions. Don't try to run away from your shelters as the flint stones are thought to be fragmentation rounds and if so you will be shredded before you can get away. Good luck lads."

[@LailandiAdventures]

Is there anything more sweet and wholesome than an English man with his trebuchet? *sweats in Scottish*

[@Leitis_Fella]

Edward I wants to know your location. What do you mean "surrendered already"?! I want to test this bad boy out!

[@LailandiAdventures]

@@Leitis_Fella "we're not home, try again tomorrow..."

[@mistersandwich0034]

@@Leitis_Fella edward: *cries*

[@kdawg3484]

16:03 I see the guy driving around in the back, and all I can think of is that this is now the world's most epic game of "Try to hit the golf-ball-retriever on the driving range."

[@Achelon]

I have driven one of those..

[@elkinmontoya9640]

Man, you just gave me the greatest idea in the world: Trebuchet Golf

[@turbinia]

If you want some blocks which look the part, have a look at those intended for traditional sailing vessels. You can get them properly rated but retain the wooden appearance.

[@tods_workshop]

Thanks - didn't think of that

[@TheMonkey747]

*This Assembly is intended for use as aesthetic camouflage, not intended for structural use.* In the "beautification" section, I would probably fabricate the modern pulleys some 'block and tackle' camouflage. A bent, round forged piece of steel with two ears or bracing straps secured to the two wooden 'cheeks', with the false pulley shackle secured with a short screw and some screws and spacers in both the shackle and load ends. something that can be slipped on without inhibiting rope clearance, maybe something that can be assembled with a screwdriver in the field, and some replacement cheeks. It might need a false swivel as well to orient the 'block' 'correctly', or a section in the false shackle could be removed to allow the structural pulley to pass through, but with the cheeks clamped around the modern pulley. .:EDIT:. Mandatory Disclaimer, punctuation.

[@EattinThurs61]

Ironwood?

[@lutzderlurch7877]

If early 18th C. blocks on navy ships were wooden wih rope lashings, somehow I doubt your average medieval block would be iron strapped. And I also wonder, to a degree, to what degree it is a bit overly paranoid to think a technology that worked for centuries neccessarily needs to be replaced with modern stuff.

[@svchineeljunk-riggedschoon4038]

@@tods_workshop On that note, consider tarring your lines - it's authentic, and makes them last longer.

[@euansmith3699]

Tod looks so wonderfully post-apocalyptic. That Landrover is a cracking looking machine. The whistle of a loosed bowling ball is surprisingly jolly. The sound of the trebuchet after firing was great too.

[@scratchy996]

That TSV (Trebuchet Support Vehicle) fits so well in the overall picture :)

[@MedievalTrebuchet]

Thanks for the shout-out Tod! It is great to discuss this niche topic with someone across the pond using the internet. Our separate experiments are coming to similar conclusions in several areas. I am also having counterweight-box alignment problems on my machine, maybe it was a common issue in the day. Your sling design is excellent!

[@tods_workshop]

Thanks and I suspect our conversations will carry on. Tuning for me in early Jan

[@JaronActual]

Why does it not surprise me that a prominent trebuchet experimenter/enthusiast is in Utah? ;)

[@romgl4513]

So much of quality entertainment, the whole way of thought and design considerations, the actual shooting is a cherry on top. Delivering interesting content for both my scientific nature and also for my mental internal 12 y.o. kid. Thanks!

[@Likexner]

Its not your mental internal 12 year old kid, its just you. Being an adult does not mean giving up on fun.

[@tods_workshop]

Thanks and glad you are enjoying it

[@FortInTheWoods]

amen to that. I would have love to build one of this scale as a kid even now. I build one recently, but this takes the cake. mines 30 to 50% this size.

[@SteamCrane]

The difference between boys and girls is that girls grow up. Just enjoy!

[@pavel9652]

Great merch! Most of the youtube channels have junk merch with cryptic quotes or random images that look bad on fabric. Trebuchet t-shirt, however, is a piece of art! I immediately want to get one! ;] The sound of launching a trebuchet is awesome and it feels almost like on the battlefield! Tod makes an excellent piece, even when he screws something up. The man, the legend! ;]

[@eVVigilance]

The Boy Scout troop I was a part of years ago had a trebuchet. I forget the length of arm, but the counterweight was a steel 55 gallon drum filled with rocks and birdshot. The counterweight was fixed to the arm, so the unit was wheeled to accomodate the "recoil" action. The whole thing was big enough that it took a bulldozer trailer to move. We flung mostly bowling balls, which SCREAMED from the air flowing over the finger holes. Fun times.

[@HereticalKitsune]

Glorious intro! The cheerfulness of potential catastrophy was very nice.

[@markfergerson2145]

Particularly the"I get to rebuild it" part.

[@MontyCantsin5]

9:45: There is evidence of wheels being used on some trebuchets in the medieval period. See the NOVA Secrets of Lost Empires documentary titled 'Medieval Siege' (about 15 mins into the programme) for more on this. The trebuchet simply needs to be put on two wooden rails so that it doesn't get bogged down in muddy ground. It works brilliantly.

[@AbenZin1]

The reason that having wheels on a Trebuchet improves efficiency so dramatically is that it allows the counterweight to fall more or less vertically, rather than in an arc as it would without wheels. This allows greater conservation of energy and thus transferal of energy to the projectile. It's also why the counterweight being a bucket is so important, rather than being fixed to the end of the arm.

[@MontyCantsin5]

@@AbenZin1: If you watch the documentary I mentioned above you'll see that the trebuchet constructed with wheels has a fixed lead counterweight and the performance of the machine is excellent. The wheels mainly stop the trebuchet from tipping forward when the projectile is released. As you rightly mentioned, the forward motion also allows for more efficient transferral of energy. I am aware of the argument that having a swinging counterweight also allows the box to fall more directly down thus capturing more gravitational potential energy, but this is by no means an essential design feature.

[@Trebuchet48]

I have wheels on my small "King Arthur" treb. Definitely made an improvement.

[@FortInTheWoods]

I think it also helps with the arc of the weight dropping down. It allows for smother transfer of that energy.

[@jeremywilliams5107]

It also - and to my mind primarily - puts less stress on the trebuchet frame. The basket falling in an arc put a horizontal force on the frame as it moves, firstly to force the counterweight to move out to one side and then to bring it back in again. When it's on wheels, no part of the frame has to resist this sideways motion. I stand to be corrected on this, but I have the feeling that many trebuchets were constructed on site with local materials, rather than being dragged around with an army like some glorified mediaeval artillery piece. I'm not sure that the trebuchet designers used safety factors or rules of thumb in their designs, but I imagine that the mobility conferred by the wheels during firing would stop the arm breaking as often as it might, the which breaking in the middle of a throw would cause serious problems.

[@thekingjdd]

Great work as always Tod you should consider painting your bowling balls a brighter contrasting color for better visuals and ease of locating also I would love to see the POV from a projectile with a camera keep up the good work.

[@olekaarvaag9405]

Our man has already shot one GoPro, should be a breeze to launch one as well.

[@tods_workshop]

The problem with bright colours is nothing is bright once silhouetted against sky. I probably just need to get better at camera work

[@thekingjdd]

​@@tods_workshop Very true I was honestly more considering ease of retrieving but as a + something bright neon pink or alike looks good coming at the camera Mythbusters Knew this well and I hope you don't take my comment as anything other than helpful suggestions I love the channel and want to see it grow. PS once you have everything dialed in you should try having someone like Slow Mo Guys film the impacts on target to help spread your channel to a wider audience TTFN.

[@snafu2350]

@@tods_workshop Perhaps consider a new recruit? A local camera drone-controlling/owning teenager for air shot(s) would prolly jump at the chance (once you'd drug them out of bed ;) ), & it'd likely make finding stray ammo easier..?

[@chubbymoth5810]

The smoke trail of the incendiary was revealing. Could you use those more often, as even during daytime the smoke trail would give a nice view. I would also love to see a wide angle view of the whole field and then that smoke trail against a clear sky, but I guess the latter would be sort of a miracle.

[@charlesrense5199]

Years ago experimenting with trebuchet mechanics with some Lego Technics, I found that wheels work, free swinging counterweight works, but not both. Use both and they cancel eachother out, reducing projectile distance.

[@felixmervamee7834]

6:41 Owning a copy of Viollet Leduc's Encyclopédie Médiévale, yes, I had to learn about that tendency to make things up when data was lacking. I believe his work is great when it comes to architecture whilst the rest of that compilation leaves much to be desired when you start looking at the details. That's at least what I was told in school. Then again I suppose we would be foolish to expect a high level of accuracy all over the board from a work from the 19th century with claims of universal knowledge of an entire historical period!

[@TheWampam]

It also ssems that he made things up with his architecture that didn't exist at his time anymore or that still existed, but he thought that they should look differently.

[@lpapay1165]

On my History of Architecture course VLD has been pretty much burned in effigy for absolutely destroying original castles, churches and estates and turning them into his imagined "perfect" version. So no, historic architecture by him is also highly suspicious in modern context. Basically he enforced his headcanon over actual historical facts. Best case is probably Carcassone, which he rebuild in style found only in select places in Northern France, obliterating unique local context. On the other hand, this context only exists because he was one of few that started the preservation trend, which was inexistent before.

[@felixmervamee7834]

Oof, thanks for the precisions!

[@johnfitzalan3128]

When I worked with the Warwick trebuchet and while build the various marks of my own designs the one thing I would always say is it’s got very limited use for anti personal use. I would comfortably stand in the firing range a hundred times and I guarantee I can dodge them all with minimal effort. It’s not a shell a miss is as good as a mile in this case. We used to very easily just step out of the way of wayward shots at Warwick. The projectile goes so very high and the velocity is so relatively low. As big a fan of trebuchets as I am they have lots of weaknesses there’s a reason more castles fall to spades and pick axes than artillery fire.

[@lothar3073]

Blessing in disguise honestly, the sound of the Trebuchet up close is awesome!

[@crss29]

There's something special about the joy of a man and his trebuchet.

[@mikurusagawa6897]

We've had a lockdown longbow. Now comes the lockdown trebuchet. In few years we will have lockdown intercontinental missles by Tod

[@chemistrykrang8065]

The sound and movement of that trebuchet bought back some happy memories, Tod! I built a slightly smaller one (about a 2.5 m arm) with our school living history group (you may have actually seen that one in action around the UK since it was portable) and later had a chance to play with the one at the Danish Middle Ages Centre too. There's a magic to trebuchets that film never quite captures, isn't there? Do watch out for your sling release hooks - we had a couple of incidents where it released early due to bad setup and the projectile went straight up... which was a significant emotional event.

[@informalchipmunk5775]

Ur old videos on crossbows got me really interested in medieval technology. Loved to see that you are still making videos. Definitely subscribing!

[@4C4P5]

Tod, I am at work, must you post this now? I can't focus on my work when I need to watch a trebuchet video. 🤣

[@tommeakin1732]

Sometimes mistakes turn out great (at least I like to tell myself that when my parents won't), and I'd say that bit of audio at the end was a pretty brilliant mistake. That sounded amazing.

[@Afro408]

I love the way the shot whistles as it comes in. Early warning system, that you wouldn’t be quick enough to use! 😅😅👍👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@bluntmuffin1729]

I would really love to see some footage start to finish with no cuts or edits. How long does it take to prep per shot and how much man power is required. Keep up the awesome work!

[@tods_workshop]

Slow TV I guess. Well why not

[@sheevpalpatine8243]

I remember I worked on a project to build a small-scale Trebuchet at a camp I went to Over a Summer many years ago. We could never work out how to get the Sling right and never ended up finishing it. Awesome to see one in action!

[@ptonpc]

Fantastic, I doubt anyone is going to complain about the audio :) Good luck to Graham, may the odds be in your favour. Oh yes and the 101. Great vehicles.

[@stevenkobb156]

I love the too-light projectile explanation, like Sally pulling away the football just as Charlie Brown tries to kick it. Major damage.

[@1425363878]

Those trebuchet sounds were the most wonderful thing I have ever heard. Can somebody make a ten-hour version of the clonk remix please

[@charliejohnson6979]

We do actually have a period diagram of the pulley system - the trebuchet design in Villard de Honnecourt's portfolio includes one, plus some basic text on how it was used. Unfortunately half of the design is missing, and only the plan of the base remains, with the elevation drawing now lost. Villard was from the early 13th cent, and was probably an architect/engineer based on the drawings in the portfolio. The translation of Villard's portfolio I have suggests that Viollet-le-Duc's design was based on Villard's but got some of the pieces in the wrong place.

[@arghjayem]

Nice trebuchet, and nice to see a forward control Land Rover being used for some proper work! 😃

[@rlong82571]

A trebuchet like a bow is transferring the energy to the bowling ball or arrow. Like a bow will be damaged when you dryfire because you are not transferring the energy, I would assume the same holds true for a trebuchet.

[@AndyGeesGarage]

I’d like to see different loads like a “basket” of smaller stones fired at a line of archers (mannequins) I can only imagine how terrifying it would be to see your mate get flattened by a projectile from a trebuchet

[@tods_workshop]

So do. Never done it, but it will be coming

[@Halinspark]

Go Pro-vision of that last bowling ball was pretty scary, so I imagine it would look a lot like that and sound crunchier.

[@society_archer7104]

Don't have a line of targets set up. But I do have a video of my "much smaller" treb firing about a dozen tennis balls at once.

[@alexandermartinez732]

Yes! The update is here!

[@BobT36]

You've done a lot of things in your life, Todd, but I'm sure that one day when you're very old and on your deathbed, you can give yourself a lil grin remembering you were one of the few modern guys who got to build and play around with a fooking Trebuchet. Good work mate. Glad to see you enjoying it, and we are too!

[@chadford88]

Tod - you’re an absolute manic - and I love it. Don’t ever change!

[@gordonlawrence1448]

I could watch this sort of stuff all day.

[@andybrown4284]

It's the cracks you can't see that are the ones to worry about, timber is a lot stronger than a lot of folk assume a lump of tree might be. If they did put wheels on a trebuchet then they almost certainly placed some kind of surface underneath for it to roll on rather than just the bare ground which would get chewed up very quickly. I'd imagine that a wet field would be getting churned up by the team operating it so makes sense to reduce that and keep as much mud as possible away from the ropes and pulleys.

[@robertshell4176]

I just love this channel. Thanks Tod, you never disappoint.

[@heideknight9122]

Your mentioning Mr. Stanton is great to me. I've had that optimization video saved for a very long time. Glad this community is so interactive and inquisitive!

[@zoukatron]

So, when can we expect this to appear as a stock item on Tod's Workshop?

[@johnbeauvais3159]

Shipping will be a bit steep, but worth it certainly

[@greghenrikson952]

If your country has a succession crisis, they'll bring it to you!

[@cammobunker]

Perhaps a bit much to ship, but a 1/25th scale model would be just the ticket!

[@johnbeauvais3159]

@@cammobunker How big could you make a “enthusiast” trebuchet? Like a desktop version that could throw a hard candy would be good. Maybe one a bit larger for flinging rocks across the garden.

[@medea27]

@@johnbeauvais3159 Love to see the face of the customs agent who reads the form saying: Number of Items 1 Description: Medieval Siege Machine (reproduction) Purpose: Give the guys a few blocks down the road a scare

[@QuentinStephens]

Your joy, your glee, is wonderful to see. I hope you had a great Christmas and MOAR trebuchet in the new year.

[@MajorHavoc214]

9:49 There is some evidence that wheels were put on some of the trebuchets during the Hundred Years War, but mainly doodles in the margins. And don't forget, on muddy ground you can place boards or small diameter logs to make a launch track for a wheeled trebuchet. And those launch tracks were also used with plenty of grease for regular skid mounted trebuchets. Yeah, I taught military history. BTW. If you don't calculate the center of gravity you don't know where to place the wheels. So you might understand why it wasn't widely done.

[@stirfrywok2927]

This is excellent. I tried to build my own over the summer and it was basically a flakgun (didnt bother tuning it!) but it was fun. It would be great if you had an extra camera set up to give a very wide shot, perhaps to catch the entire trajectory, from loose, to flight to impact. Thanks again

[@garretisla5282]

"oh, what are you doing today, Todd?" " Nothing really, just tuning my trebuchet to fire on the walls of a keep in the near future..." Man, what a cool job!

[@IstherLord]

Todd's workshop logo looks like the icon to build the blacksmith in a RTS UI. And I love that.

[@nudl3Zz]

trebuchets are exciting but I'm excited to see how your clothes are even more ripped up in the next episode :-D

[@erikjrn4080]

I absolutely loved the sound on the last clip! It communicated the power of the machine, the complexity of the moving parts, and the total strain on the system, directly to the lizard brain, rather than having it filtered through intellectual analysis. The above how "it felt a bit like being there" sounds like, after it's been filtered through intellectual analysis.

[@Skorpychan]

Interesting to see the 'historical' approach compared with the Colin Furze method of welding it together out of steel and throwing car engines with it.

[@googiegress]

Traditionally, Vikings would hurl car engines using steel trebuchets, but the ammunition would be electrified first.

[@youtubeseagull]

The close up sounds of the trebuchet are amazing and very enjoyable. Tod happy make me more happy some.

[@APinchOfHistory]

I would love to have a trebuchet for my videos myself 😄 Brilliant job, Tod!

[@seanheath4492]

Who wouldn't want a trebuchet of their own? 😛

[@APinchOfHistory]

@@seanheath4492 True, everybody does!

[@jm9371]

I like the whistling sound the bowling ball makes as it's screaming in from above.

[@d0cOnline]

I have this wonderful mental image of Tod's neighbor hoisting a white flag through their chimney.

[@mightymouse4143]

I can't put into words how satisfying it was when the microphone captured the trebuchet launch!

[@MadManchou]

Took me a minute to understand you meant "Viollet-le-Duc" :p It's pretty fair to assume Eugène would make stuff up, as he is pretty well known for "arranging" the buildings he was asked to restore to fit his preconceived ideas about what "looks medieval" ; in particular, adding gargoyles and spikes everywhere. That being said, the state of French castles, cathedrals and churches would be much much worse had he not been about at the time.

[@paulcrawford8425]

I like the idea of restoring our lost medieval history.

[@allanhagan5113]

@@paulcrawford8425 I'm not sure Viollet-le-Duc restored, more like re-imagined - fontevrault abbaye kitchens and Carcassone not to mention the spire on Notre Dame..

[@ReedCBowman]

Need another fitting for another lever on the other side of the winch, so you can have two people cranking in turn. Would speed it up and look cool with two people timing it to work together like several people hammering a stake.

[@johnkey1682]

Just been watching one of dan Bertrand's videos, you can hear a warbling I assume is coming from the holes in the bowling ball acting like a flute. Did you hear anything from your machine?

[@snafu2350]

There was certainly a couple of gopro clips here where there was a whistling noise as the bowling ball approached; I guess that's what you meant?

[@johnkey1682]

@@snafu2350 Whistling with a warble. Like it was being played through a Leslie speaker

[@tods_workshop]

Yes that's the noise - whistles, which is rather cool

[@gastonjaillet9512]

You pretty much summed up who Viollet-le-Duc was to perfection. A very intelligent and knowledgeable man, forward-thinking, but still a man of its century.

[@MrGrimsmith]

On the wheels front, I suspect that some form may have been used to allow for changing the bearing more easily. OK, it's still not exactly a *precise* weapon but you can dial it in quite accurately from ones I've seen in the past. Changing the bearing wiithout any forom of carriage though is going to be a bit of a git. One thing I would be very interested to see, if you are willing and able to test it, is how viable cluster shot is. Can you fire a loosely wrapped ball of stones, was this actually a thing or another myth?

[@tods_workshop]

'Cluster shot' is absolutely something I want to try

[@Hirosjimma]

good god that sound of the trebuchet at the end! It's awesome in both meanings of the word.

[@cartoonraccoon2078]

Todd here with Todd's workshop, and I'm Todd, with Todd's trebuchet who, when we tried to tally his title, told us they were Todd too!

[@christopherrobinson3857]

Your like "low chance it breaks and quickly dismantles itself, but it'd be fun to watch." Comedy gold, watching something explode on the object itself breaking is great content.

[@Likexner]

"BANG after BANG after BANG!" - Mike Loades, on the impressive nature of the trebuchet

[@joansjaunts8361]

Think you closing comments on this one sums it up for most of us. “Loving it, loving it, loving it”

[@cedhome7945]

I worked for Dave lazenby who built the war machines at carefhilly in the early 90ies .they where built with oak and very little iron as Dave tryed to make every thing as you did in the medieval times .they where mostly made on site fore the siege and where not expected to last .if it broke you made another part .had a great time flinging all sorts of things into the most Inc 2 pigs heads for the camera crews that all ways seamed to infest the place .we warned them that 2 items in the sling might not be a good idea .....they insisted so when we loosed the sling one whent straight up the other landed in the public park .had to retrieve that amongst the familys picnic tables.thanks to the gods no one was hurt

[@CaedmonOS]

The audio of firing trebuchet was so much cooler than what you would have had otherwise

[@markhensel1843]

A man with a trebuchet: 'Hold my mead and watch this!'

[@c99kfm]

"Gun? I don't need a gun, I've got a Donk." "A Donk?" "That's what I named my trebuchet."

[@mjp152]

Love Tod's enthusiasm - "maybe it'll explode on launch, it'll be great!" 😆

[@brettbeatnick]

Glad you mentioned Tom. I agree very sharp fella, and i really enjoyed his trebuchet series.

[@AdlerMow]

How about a big eliptical pulley at weight end of arm, like the pulleys on a compound bow? Run a rope in the groove with a smaller weight, use a smaller arm that pivots about 180°with a longer sling. The eliptical pulley will even out acceleration, making the machine much more efficient, even with medieval tech.

[@snafu2350]

That sounds interesting. I guess once Tod gets over his initial 'Let's get medieval on his ass' building mindset, he may look to such minor improvements that aren't historically documented/verified but still possible within that tech era, such as the method you mentioned. Certainly ISTM that the counterweight would benefit from some dampening, for instance..

[@lynnettejalufka2682]

I love your attitude if the whole collapses: everyone wins! Good point about wheels. The shirt is awesome!

[@rusnikfromtranscarpathia]

Freaking Awesome! i used to play ALL AgeofEmpires on my CPU MANY times,,, i loved that series (i still have all of them),,, and cool how you were a part of these awesome games through your Trebuchets! You Rock!

[@israelhexen8851]

That trebuchet ASMR is a thing of beauty. My ears thank you.

[@johnsteiner3417]

I know it's a different historical age, but Roman legions would build or rebuild their artillery at the battle site. So it's not beyond reason to imagine several wagons carrying Trebuchet parts to be assembled just outside the range of a fort's return fire.

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Tod 🐺

[@Weaponsandarmor]

we built a trebuchet in HS for senior project and launched a 5kg medicine ball through a basket ball hoop (not involved in the math but the building, mostly the welding). If yours is built like ours where the sling has one end positively connected to the arm and the other is loose and self releasing, try adjusting the release pin angle for release timing for different angle of release.

[@BenjaminLovelady]

This Daniel Bertrand character sure seems to know a lot about trebuchets!

[@blacksquirrel4008]

So very enjoyable watching a man who loves his work

[@krigsgaldr7603]

That trebuchet grinding sound is amazing

[@JT_WARCRIME]

Writing this after the pumpkin launch but before the rest of the video. I made a trebuchet to demonstrate conservation of energy for my physics class. Personally, I believe a trebuchet should have less of a launch angle. Trebuchets were known to destroy walls with forward momentum, otherwise a torsion or tension catapult would be fine for an "up-and-over" approach. Also, making a trebuchet without wheels is gonna cause your trebuchet to tear itself apart. Mine, that was made of 12-in rulers, a bolt, a bag of pennies, a nail, some string, some felt and a baseball card long box. It tore itself apart after 15-20 launches. They didn't originally have wheels, but added them in later years. You can make a track for it to roll on if you have trouble with being on the ground. Adding wheels will give that destructive force somewhere to go. Your the master of course, but this was just what I learned from observation of my own.

[@minorityofthought1306]

Thanks Todd. I'm envious of a man with a true to life Trebuchet.

[@stoopingfalcon891]

Lost it at 'bowling ball dispenser'🤣🤣

[@Uncle_T]

We salute the bravery of Graham IV! Great video of a big boy with his BIG toy!!! 😊

[@alexanderbertisch1006]

this channel transcends perfection..........

[@duncandemicoli1951]

Wow Tod I thought you knew.. there are many manuscripts and illustrations showing that many fixed weight trebuchets had wheels, this not only eliminates the tendency for the machine to tip over but it also boosts the trebuchet’s performance. Now given that yours is a swinging bow design, it doesn’t need wheels. But wheel models are definitely historically accurate.

[@tinglydingle]

That Forward Control is lovely!

[@Incandescentiron]

Love the "Knight Vision". Very clever.

[@stuartmccloud307]

That snail shell spiral of smoke on release, is a thing of beauty :)

[@duncandemicoli1951]

Holy maccaroni Tod that last shot was truly impressive!! Kudos from Malta 🇲🇹

[@CarlosRodriguez-dd4sb]

Watching I could only imagine the fear one would feel as you watched a group of these things loose on your wall…

[@lukeorlando4814]

The audio on the last shot was not a mistake. It was by far my favourite. Could still hear what you said if a bit echoed. But the sound of the machine working was worth it

[@philkensebben157]

Tod; if you did choose to include mobility in a future design, perhaps consider tracks for the terrain you have chosen to launch from. They would provide better traction and more displacement capacity than wheels. I know they aren't historical nor traditional, but something to consider nonetheless.

[@jarlgawain8876]

Tod and his trebuchet is the romance we all need. Good work sir.

[@greensoplenty6809]

i love trebuchets but they just make me even more impressed with ballista engineering which is how i found your channel in the first place, looking for ballista vids

[@markmarsh1131]

Great as usual Tod, I would love to see the full arc of the shot - so a camera positioned to be able to see it all. Especially with the smoke shot!

[@richallsopp9313]

Tod "this is a net" Me: "who is Annette?" 😂

[@esoel]

I'm never going to get tired of these trebuchet videos and by the looks of it neither will you 🤣. Which is absolutely great!

[@esoel]

Also I'm sorry this country doesn't do you any favours in regard to light for filming... I could barely see the trebuchet from the gopro side. Hopefully spring will bring some good light 🤞🏻