Hi everyone,
I discovered trebuchets about 5 years ago and have since built well over 15 machines, ranging from desktop models to one with a 21 ft arm. I've competed in the World Championship Punkin Chunkin competition in Delaware the last four years, with a best throw of 1201 ft using a modest sized "Floating Axle King Arthur".
I've built many types of trebuchets - fixed counterweight, hanging counterweight and floating axle trebuchets, whippers, King Arthur (KA), floating axle whippers and floating axle KAs, reciprocating axle whippers and KAs, multi-rotational trebuchet, etc.
Projectiles have included golfballs, baseballs, medicine balls, various fruits and vegatables and of course pumpkins. Small trebuchets (4 ft axle height) are capable of hurling golfballs 800 plus feet using 20 lbs or less of counteweight. Not in the same league as a golfball BP cannon but fun nevertheless. Baseballs go over 600 ft. My 5ft axle height floating axle KA threw a 2 lb pumkin 823 ft, capturing 1st place at the 2008 New Jersey Hurl.
If you are interested in building a trebuchet, I'd be happy to provide some advice. These are great machines to design and build and great projects for youngsters
