Jeff and I got together today and finished the trebuchet.

This is her pretty much complete in the driveway. (no counterweight)

Thanks to good planning (or shit luck) it fits right in the trunk.

Ahh little golf ball. You have no idea what horrors await you.

No weights yet, carefully cocking the treb and setting the trigger.

Just a little alignment adjustment to insure a good shot

Jeff puts the slip ring on the "finger"

Take the slack out of the line, and place the projectile in the trough.

Pull the trigger, the weights drop and the ball begins to accelerate.

When the beam gets close to vertical, the slipring comes off the finger opening the sling and the projectile is released

Since we were on a football field we could easily measure that our very first shot went 70yds. The second shot was a misfire (a small knot on the sling came apart. The third shot backed up our 70yd shot. Jeff and I decided at this point the Treb was releasing too late causing a flat trajectory. Trebby was then adjusted incorrectly and fired a line shot down range. At that point we noticed a little damage

on the throwing arm. We opted for one last unsuccessful launch before breaking it down to return home.

Damage sucks, we'll have to basically build another arm.

And here is how she sits now. No counterweight, nothing loaded, just waiting.

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