Author Topic: This sounds like fun (Read 1563 times)

Badnews Bob · « **on:** March 22, 2009, 03:51:29 PM »

Lookin forward to see what kind of post we get here. I'm interested for sure.

carronader · « **Reply #1 on:** March 23, 2009, 01:37:51 AM »

I think the original idea was for anything in the arms department,outside the ' normal ' guns and bows.Leaves a lot of room,especially in the historical area.My interest is in the catapults used in castle sieges-onagers,trebuchets and the like.I have plans,drawings etc. and would be willing to share,I don't claim to be an expert ,I like building models of them and with my model cannons it helps to keep me out of mischief.I've put a pic of an onager I've nearly finished to help give an idea of what I do.This one needs some remodelling/alterations and is based on solid info with my ideas built in.

Spanky · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2009, 02:13:50 PM »

Quote from: carronader on March 23, 2009, 01:37:51 AM

I think the original idea was for anything in the arms department,outside the ' normal ' guns and bows.Leaves a lot of room,especially in the historical area.My interest is in the catapults used in castle sieges-onagers,trebuchets and the like.I have plans,drawings etc. and would be willing to share,I don't claim to be an expert ,I like building models of them and with my model cannons it helps to keep me out of mischief.I've put a pic of an onager I've nearly finished to help give an idea of what I do.This one needs some remodelling/alterations and is based on solid info with my ideas built in.

That thing looks pretty cool.
Can you post some more pics and info about it.
Is it functional? To what scale is it built? etc.

Spanky

carronader · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2009, 01:30:09 AM »

spanky,
I will look for drawings and plans etc. and put them out.I try not to focus too much on what these pseudo experts will challenge as not ' correct ' as if a Roman or Greek engineer arrived at a battle site with a mobile workshop and a full snap-on tool kit.These guys had to go chop down trees,repair and make all sorts of gear probably up to their knees in mud / dust / rocks.These guys were great innovators and design changes would have happened to suit the environment,that's what's so good about this forum,people look at things with real world experience.
I built that model to try out some ideas,I have loads of bumf on ' expert ' opinion but having fired this I can see what works and what would be better.You can buy all kinds of books but they all come back to the same sort of design and materials.Save your money and hopefully once this page opens up,catapults,air cannons and stuff you will find many new toys to play with.My model has 10 inch x 6.5 inch oak base and 10 inch painted beech throwing arm Next one will not have pegged butt joints this was done for speed as I was concentrating on the winch mechanism and if it was strong enough etc.I can get technical when I have to but important thing is I do this for R and R .Only expert I want to be is how to annoy Englishmen.

Spanky · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2009, 01:53:31 AM »

Thanks for the info.
I hope this forum takes off... It's neat to think that air powered and hurling weapons have been around forever and are still effective to this day.
Someday... after aquiring the proper knowledge... I would like to build an air powered muzzleloader.
They worked for Lewis and Clark so I guess one would work for me

I've seen the shows with the big giant pumpkin guns... some of them shoot 1/2 mile or more

Air powered artillery shooting "garden variety" ammo. (pumpkins)

Spanky

carronader · « **Reply #5 on:** April 18, 2009, 07:28:06 AM »

Bad news,
were you ever on the 'WASP'? I had a tour of that carrier as a kid.She visited the Clyde and I must have been impressed because I never forgot.You yanks were very good at the charm offensive then,'Happy Days'.