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The time my homemade trebuchet almost hit a parked car in my neighbor's yard
I was testing a new counterweight design in my backyard last spring, right after a rainstorm soaked the ground. The arm slipped off its pivot on the third throw and that 15 pound rock flew sideways instead of forward. I ducked behind the shed as it crashed into my neighbor's fence, missing his Ford Focus by maybe 3 feet. After that I spent a Saturday rebuilding the whole release mechanism with a stronger pin and added a safety chain. Has anyone else had a backyard engineering project go sideways on them?
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faith_shah8818d ago
Ngl you're making it sound like you almost killed somebody with a rock. It missed by 3 feet and hit a fence, not even the car. People act like a trebuchet is some nuclear launch code when it's really just a giant slingshot with extra steps. I'd say you got off easy if the biggest damage was a fence you probably patched up in an hour. Relax, nobody's calling the cops over a dented garage door either.
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karencampbell18d ago
Has anyone else ever realized that building a trebuchet is basically just asking the universe to teach you humility with a rock? I spent three weekends on mine only to have it nail my own tool shed on the first real test. The arm just decided to give up halfway through its swing, and I watched that softball-sized rock fly right into the wood siding like it was aiming for me personally. At least you missed the car - I dented my own truck trying to show off for my nephew. Now I just stick to slingshots because the stakes are lower and my pride can only take so much abuse.
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the_leo19d ago
Yeah that sounds about right honestly. I had a trebuchet (built from a kit, not even homemade) launch its arm clean off into my garage door. Made a dent I had to explain to my landlord for months. It's always something simple like a weak pin that screws you over.
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