Play Catapult

Action figure accessories and play sets can cost a quite a bit if you're into collecting. On the other hand, if you're more into actually playing with the figures and letting your imagination run wild, then there's no need to spend the extra cash when you can easily make a fun and functional accessory on your own. For those whose tastes run toward the fantasy side, making a working catapult to regular 6 inch action figure scale is relatively easy.

Instructions

1 Lay the large 7 inch wood block flat on your work surface. Measure three-fourths of an inch from the front of the block and a half an inch from the top surface and mark your place with a pencil. Repeat on the rear surface and on the other side of the block, directly opposite of your other two pencil marks. These will be the wheel placements.
2 Place one of the wheels over top of one of the pencil markings and drill using a wood screw. Power screw the wheel onto the wood surface using a wood screw, taking care not to drill completely. Leave the wheel slightly loose to allow for rolling movement. Repeat for all four wheels.
3 Again with the 7 inch block flat, measure to the exact center and make a small cut using the jigsaw, large enough to accommodate the thickness of the measuring spoon's handle. Cut through to the bottom of the block.
4 With the smaller block on its side, glue the block horizontally, keeping one side near to flush against the cut you made in step 3. This will create a stopping barrier for the catapult arm that will allow for greater firing distance.
5 Once dry, insert the tablespoon handle first into the slot you cut with the jigsaw

Although it's unknown when the first catapult was constructed, the first catapult appears in the historical record around the 9th century B.C. in Iraq. Throughout the next five centuries, catapults became popular weapons and in 399 B.C., Dionysius of Sicily enticed craftsmen with high wages and gifts to build large arsenals of weapons, including catapults. It appears that Dionysius' effort was responsible for spreading the knowledge of catapult building. You can use this knowledge to make your own catapult that launches ping-pong balls.

Instructions

1 Lay the mousetrap on a flat surface and remove the trigger arm and trigger mechanism with pliers. These two parts are held in place with metal hooks inserted into the wood; pull up on the hooks to remove them.
2 Leave the string mechanism (the rectangular metal wire) in its relaxed position.
3 Place the handle of the plastic spoon under the string mechanism face-down. The ladle of the spoon should be approximately 2 inches away from the short side of the mousetrap.
4 Tape the handle of the spoon to the middle of the string mechanism on the side closest to the short edge of the mouse trap. Use at least four wrappings of tape.
5 Pull the string mechanism toward you so the spoon's ladle is closest to you. Place a ping-pong ball in the ladle and let go of the string mechanism.

Have a mousetrap laying around but no mice to catch? Why not have some fun and turn it into a mousetrap catapult!

Instructions

1 Start by mounting the mousetrap on a piece of wood measuring 3 inches wide by 12 inches long. Use wood glue or bolts to mount the mousetrap.
2 Cut two pieces of wood down to 2 inches wide and 4 inches long. Drill a 3/8" hole about 1/2" down from one end, along the center line of each piece of wood. Nail the two pieces of wood to the side of the base of the catapult, inline with the middle of the mousetrap.
3 Cut a 3/8" dowel to 4 inches long. Insert it through the holes drilled in the previous step and glue it in place.
4 Create the arm of the catapult by cutting a piece of wood 1 inch wide and 8 inches long. Mount it onto the swinging "trap" part of the mousetrap with two 1.5 inch square pieces of wood, bolted together and sandwiching the catapult arm in place. Be sure that the arm is pulled back and "cocked" under the dowel before bolting in place.
5 Screw the two screw eyes 1 inch apart at the end of the base. Adjust the height of the screw eyes so that a small dowel can be inserted and lock the arm down in the "cocked" position.
6 Glue a small piece of wood, about 1 inch long and 1/4 inch wide at the end of the arm to keep the ammunition from sliding off the end of the arm. To fire the catapult, pull the arm down, load a piece of ammunition on the end of the arm, and release.

Catapults were first used in ancient times to hurl an object with great speed for a far distance without the need for an explosive. Created by the Greeks, catapults have become an important weapon for the military. The name is derived from two Greek words-"kata" (downward) and "pultos" (a small circular battle shield). You can make your own catapult using materials found at home or at a nearby craft store. With some patience and concentration, you can be launching your own objects across the kitchen or in the backyard.

Instructions

1 Cut off ten pieces of masking tape. Put the pieces onto a table or nearby.
2 Take your ten popsicle sticks and cut them with scissors. You will need one stick that is four inches long with one rounded end and one stick that is three inches long with one rounded end. Six sticks need to measure four inches long with the rounded edges off. Three sticks should measure two inches long with the rounded edges off. Use a ruler and pencil to make sure the measurements are correct.
3 Tape together two of the two inch pieces and two of the four inch pieces four inch pieces end to end. It should look like one big long stick in this order: short, long, short, long.
4 Create a rectangle with your big stick and tape the ends together. Don't be shy with the tape.
5 Place a two inch stick on the inside of each short side of your rectangle and tape into place. Avoid placing any tape in the center.
6 Take two four inch sticks and tape them together side by side with plenty of tape at the ends. Repeat the process with two additional four inch sticks.
7 Tape the base and one of the pieces you just pieced together long end first. The outer stick on the left should line up with the end of the base lengthwise. Once you tape the long end, tape from the side. Repeat the process on the other side for the other set of four inch sticks. Your base is now complete.
8 Cut your rubber band so that it is five inches long. Tape it to the three inch stick, attaching it to the rounded end. Place that assembly into your base between the two pieces taped together. A fork or other instrument may be needed to open up a gap.
9 Place a piece of tape sticky side down onto a table. Continue placing three additional pieces of tape the same size right on top of the first piece. Take the pieces of tape off the table and cut them to a two inch length. Continue by cutting it down the center, so you have two pieces of two inch long tape, four layers thick.
10 To make the hinge part, mark little lines in the center of the tape pieces. You can use two popsicle sticks as a guide if needed.
11 Now to make the arm of the catapult, take one of the hinge pieces and tape it to the remaining four inch popsicle stick at the the flat end. Place your other piece of tape on the underside of the popsicle stick. To make the tape stick together, squeeze the free ends of the tape together. Out at least three wraps of tape around so it stays secure.
12 Now put the catapult arm into the base. The arm lays straight across in the middle of your base and connects to the stick with the rubber band on it by the pieces of tape at the non-rounded end. Secure the two together with at least four wraps of tape.
13 Tape your rubber band to the arm. It should not be stretched out but at a 45- degree angle. It is better to leave the length a bit long if you need to change it.
14 Draw a straight line across your two by two paper square, a half inch from the top. Repeat the same step, a half inch from the bottom. Now draw a vertical line that intersects your horizontal line a half inch over from the side. Repeat this step on the other side. You should have four squares in the corner now. Take a colored marker or pencil and mark the far vertical side of the square in the top right hand corner. Mark the bottom horizontal line for the square at the upper left corner. Mark the inner vertical line for the square at the bottom left corner and the top horizontal line for the square at the bottom right corner.
15 Cut the colored lines with scissors. Now make the paper into a square by folding it together and sealing it with tape.
16 Put your cup onto the arm near the rounded end and tape it down to secure it. Your catapult is now done.

Get kids to build a catapult from cardboard and rubber bands as a physics project. It's a great way to illustrate Newtonian physics concepts such as the storage and transference of energy, as well as teaching how levers and fulcrums (pivots) work. Suggest experiments making comparisons between the efficacy of different catapults. They could make catapults with lever arms of varying lengths, alter the fulcrum's position, use stretchier rubber bands and try heavier ammunition.

Instructions

1 Cut one of the panels off a cardboard box with scissors to leave a raised cardboard base. A cereal box with the lid taped shut and one large panel removed, or a tissue box with the slotted panel cut off, is ideal. An upside-down shoe box with the lid removed is a strong alternative.
2 Use duct tape to secure a toilet roll tube to the top of the cardboard box base. Position it centrally, width-wise, across the box roughly two-thirds of the way along the length. Run four strips of duct tape at equal distances over the top of the tube with 2 or 3 inches of each strip stuck to the cardboard box on either side. Also secure the bottom of each end of the tube to the box using 3- or 4-inch strips of tape.
3 Tape the two popsicle sticks together with about 1 inch of each stick overlapping the other. Wrap plenty of duct tape around the sticks to make a strong join.
4 Take the middle out of a small matchbox. Tape it lengthwise on one end of the doubled length of popsicle stick. This is the ammunition bowl at the top end of the lever.
5 Make a hole through the top of the cardboard toilet roll tube with a skewer. Push it further on through the cardboard box base. Wriggle the skewer from side to side to make the holes wide enough for a popsicle stick. Turn the box over, if necessary, to widen the bottom hole.
6 Twist a rubber band into a double loop and slip it over the bottom of the popsicle stick lever. Move it up to the top half of the lever.
7 Push the bottom end of the popsicle stick lever down through the two holes. Leave the join in the sticks above the cardboard tube. Secure the stick in place underneath the cardboard box with duct tape. Strengthen the edges of the hole in the top of the cardboard tube with tape.
8 Position the rubber band loops over the taped join in the popsicle stick lever. Hold the lever fully back with one hand. Pull one of the rubber-band loops with the other hand, down the length of the box. The other loop will tighten around the lever. Make a mark in pen on the cardboard box where the rubber band reaches to when it is taut. Release the lever and band.
9 Make a hole at the pen mark with the skewer.
10 Stretch the band out again and push the end down through the newly made hole. Turn the box upside-down and push a toothpick halfway through the small rubber band loop underneath. This will hold the band in place.

Catapults were used at least since ancient Roman times as a powerful weapon designed to launch stones and other items at the enemy. Catapults demonstrate the mechanisms of physics and make a easy to build science project. Create a catapult using pencils and yarn as a craft project for children to launch marshmallows or paper balls across the room.

Instructions

1 Place two pencils parallel to each other approximately 5 inches apart. Lay two pencils atop the first two pencils to form a square, overlapping the ends slightly. Wrap each corner with yarn and tie the pencils securely in place.
2 Form a triangular side for the catapult with two pencils angled up from two corners of one side of the square. Overlap the upper ends of the pencils to form a cradle. Tie the pencils into place with yarn at each junction.
3 Create a second triangular side parallel to the first using the same method. Lay one pencil across the catapult so it is resting in the two cradles formed at the top of the triangular sides, with the ends overlapping. Tie into place with yarn at each cradle.
4 Place one pencil across the bottom of the catapult so it is resting on the inside next to of one of the pencils that lead perpendicular to the two triangular sides. Insert the final pencil between the two pencils to form the arm of the catapult, running it under the pencil at the top of the catapult. Lash all three pencils firmly together at the bottom of the catapult so tension is formed between the arm and the top pencil.
5 Pull back on the catapult arm and let go to snap it against the top pencil and launch a small item across the room.

The catapult was the main weapon of mass destruction of the ancient and Medieval times. It could hurl rocks at buildings and castles that could cause extensive damage. Mounted on wheels and pulled by a team of oxen, the catapult, also known as a trebuchet, could be moved where it was needed. For the time, it was a sophisticated machine that could terrify those having to withstand the rocks falling on them.

Instructions

Making The Frame

1 Measure, mark and cut out a rectangle 9 inches long by 6 inches wide on a piece of plywood.
2 Cut two 9-inch lengths of 1-by-1-inch timber and nail it in place, one piece along each other, along the edge of the plywood catapult platform.
3 Measure and mark 4 1/2 inches along both the long sides. Cut two 3-inch lengths of the 1-by-1-inch lumber. Nail one securely in place inside the wood youve nailed to the plywood, with one edge of the wood up against the mark. Repeat the process on the other side, making sure the wood butts up against the mark.
4 Cut a 2 inch piece of 1-by-1-inch lumber. Fit it snugly between the uprights youve just put in place and nail it in place so its flush with the top of the uprights. On the half of the platform without the uprights, measure along 1/2 inch from the upright along the side piece, and 1/2 inch up from the platform, and mark, and repeat the process on the other side.
5 Turn the catapult frame over and measure in 2 inches from each end, and mark it. Staple the axles in place on the platform to make the undercarriage.

Completing The Catapult

6 Fit a one-fourth-inch bit to the drill and drill through the wood side frame on the catapult platform at the marks you made by the uprights.
7 Poke a heavy rubber band through one of the holes and hold in place with a nail through the loop in the band outside the frame.
8 Twist the rubber band several times to increase the tension on it, and poke through the other hole and hold it in place with a nail through the loop of the rubber band.
9 Take a teaspoon and work the end of the handle through one of the twists in the middle of the rubber band. Pull the spoon back to the platform and release so that the spoon makes an arc, but is stopped by the bar across the uprights.
10 Hammer two small nails into the edge of the plywood on either side of the teaspoon. Knot twine around one. Hold the spoon against the uprights and tie the twine to the spoon where the handle meets the spoon. Leave a length of string behind that to pull back the spoon catapult and tie around the other nail. Pull the spoon back, put a marshmallow in it and release.

You can build a miniature catapult from rubber bands and bamboo pieces or pencils. This project is easy enough that a child can build it with a little trial and error. Your catapult can shoot marshmallows, candies, paper balls or other small objects. The design is quite flexible -- you can easily modify the design to work with other basic materials, or make it stronger if you like.

Instructions

1 Place two bamboo sticks or pencils on the table, six inches apart and parallel. Place a third pencil atop the other two at a 90-degree angle, near the bottom of the first two pencils, as if making a U. Wrap a rubber band around the intersections of the pencils, securing the top pencil to the bottom two. Wrangle with the design until it makes a nice U shape and the bands are tightly secure.
2 Place another pencil atop the original bottom two, closing the U into a square. Secure this pencil with rubber bands as you did in step 1. The finished square should have two parallel bottom sticks and two parallel top sticks. Make sure the square is tightly bound by adding more rubber bands, if necessary.
3 Place two pencils or sticks at the outside right top and bottom edge of the square, as if starting to build a three-dimensional cube. Wrap rubber bands around the intersections of the pencils as you did before. Take a third pencil and place it atop the other two, making a crossbar, again as if part of a three-dimensional cube.
4 Place one end of a pencil at the front of the top crossbar, dropping the other end of the new pencil down to the left side of the bottom square. Do the same with another pencil at the back end of the crossbar, keeping it parallel to the first pencil in this step. Secure both pencils by wrapping with rubber bands as in the above steps. The end result should look like a right triangle if you looked at it head-on from the front or back. Wiggle all the sticks or pencils and add rubber bands if any are loose.
5 Place a pencil three-fourths of the way up from the table along the diagonal crossbars. Secure this pencil with rubber bands, keeping it parallel to the table. Make sure this new crossbar is very tightly secured, as it will hold the spoon in place. This completes the catapult frame.
6 Slide a spoon into the catapult frame, with the open bowl facing right and up. The spoon handle should touch the right-most pencil that rests on the table, and lean up against the crossbar created in Step 4. Wrap rubber bands around the spoon handle attach it to the frame where it touches the table, creating a pivot point. Twist another rubber band so it stretches around the top of the spoon, attaching the band at each end of the crossbar the spoon leans against. (This band will create the flinging power of the catapult if placed properly.) Twist the band as needed to create pulling tension.
7 Place a small marshmallow or ball of paper in the spoon bowl and pull back on the spoon. Hold the base of the catapult with your other hand. Release the bowl to fire the catapult.

Building a catapult for a school project is a fun way to explore history and physics. There are many different types of catapult you can make, from a plastic spoon taped to a mousetrap to a three-foot trebuchet. The version here is a medium-sized catapult powered by a rubber band, and is meant to be built using materials you can find around the house. It requires some cutting, gluing, and nailing, so ask an adult for help.

Instructions

1 Break the yardstick into two even halves. To ensure a neat break, score the yardstick across its width using a utility knife. Set one half aside. Break the other half into three pieces. One piece should be four inches long, or as long as your board is wide, while the other two pieces are equal halves of the remaining length.
2 Stand the two equal pieces of yardstick vertically and glue to either side of the board, about a third of the way down from one end. Glue the remaining piece across the top of these uprights as a crosspiece, forming a square frame.
3 Glue one side of the cabinet hinge to the end of the remaining length of yardstick. Nail the other side of the hinge to the board just below the square frame.
4 Screw one of the screw hooks into the yardstick about halfway down its length. Screw the other screw hook into the very end of the board, in line with the hinge and standing upright.
5 Attach the two hooks using a large rubber band. The rubber band should lay over the top of the square frame. It should be tight enough to pull the yardstick up against the square frame, but loose enough that the yardstick may be pulled back flat against the board.
6 Glue the lid from an aerosol can to the end of the yardstick so that it faces upward when the arm is pulled back. When you are ready to fire the catapult, place a projectile in the lid, pull the arm back, and release it.

Building a catapult that can fire a projectile a decent range is a satisfying project that takes in craftsmanship, forward thinking, physics and practical reasoning skills. With some effort to the design, a catapult about 3-feet high can hurl a tennis ball well over 100 yards. This certainly qualifies it as a ballistic weapon. However, be prepared to spend a fair amount of time fine-tuning the release mechanism to get the best out of your machine.

Instructions

1 Make a 6-foot-by-3-foot rectangle out of the 2-inch-by-4-inch lumber. Cut the lumber with a tenon saw. Screw the ends of the lengths of lumber together with two decking screws in each corner. This rectangle forms the base of the catapult. Cut a 6-foot-8-inch length of lumber. Lay it on top of the rectangle, running lengthwise down the center. Fix it in place with a decking screw in each corner.
2 Cut two 4-foot lengths of lumber. Position them vertically inside the base opposite each other. Position them in the center of the 6-foot-long sides of the rectangle with their 4-inch-wide faces flush with sides of the rectangle. Fix them in place with three decking screws through each.
3 Cut four 5-foot lengths of lumber. Using four of these lengths, form an upright isosceles triangle on each long side of the base. The length of lumber in the base forms the long, bottom edge of each triangle while the 5-foot lengths form the sloping sides. Cut the ends of the lengths at an angle so they fit flush together. Position the lengths and fix in place with decking screws. The upright in the center of each triangle should divide each into a right angle triangle.
4 Drill a hole just wider than the metal pipe through the lumber at the top points of the two triangles. Drill another hole of the same size 10 inches from the end of the remaining 5-foot length of lumber. Align this hole between those you drilled in the two triangles. Slide the metal pipe through the holes to form the axle of the catapult. The central piece is the catapult arm.
5 Drill a hole just wide enough to fit the rope through the short end of the catapult arm. Slide rope through the hole and attach 20 pounds of weight lifting weights. Drill a hole of the same size through the other end.
6 Tie a foot of rope through the free hole and tie the other end to one corner of a square foot of cloth.Tie another foot of rope to the opposite corner of the cloth and tie the free end of this rope to the metal ring.
7 Bang a nail to half depth into the firing arm beside the hole where the rope is tied. Saw off the flat head off the nail with a hacksaw. Bend the nail towards the catapult arm but leave a gap of about an inch between the metal and the wood. Twist the nail so that, with the firing arm horizontal and the weights to your left, the nail points towards the top-right-hand-corner of the firing arm.

Building a model catapult is an engaging and educational craft for kids. Elementary-aged children, or even younger children with help from an adult, can construct a basic Medieval-style catapult out of just a few materials. Older children or adults may enjoy taking the basic building instructions and creating alternate designs to create catapults that can throw heavier loads or toss their loads longer distances.

Instructions

1 Construct three identical equilateral triangles with the craft sticks. To make the catapult larger, tape several sticks in a row to form each side. Make sure all three triangles are sturdy.
2 Bring the points of all three triangles together. Construct a pyramid where the points meet on one bottom corner. Tape the pyramid together so that it is sturdy.
3 Tape several craft sticks together to create one long pole that is 1 1/2 times as long as any side of any triangle. The pole must be very sturdy to withstand repeatedly lifting balls and hitting against the catapult frame.
4 Divide the plastic Easter egg in half. Select the half of the egg with the roundest base. Attach the chosen half base-down with glue to one flat side of the pole you created in Step 3, near one end of the pole. The egg serves as the ball cup.
5 Drill a small hole in the pole near the other end. Insert a twisty-tie or short length of wire through the hole. Attach the pole to the corner of the pyramid where all three triangles meet using the wire.
6 Wind the rubber band around the top corner of the pyramid. Check to ensure that the dangling portion of the rubber band does not fall more than half the distance to the table. Pull the loose end around the pole so that the rubber band supports the pole, lifting it about halfway up from the table.
7 Insert your small rock, puff ball or ball of aluminum foil into the ball cup. Using gentle pressure, pull the pole down to touch the table, or as far down as allowed by the rubber band. Release the pole and watch your catapult in action as it tosses your ammunition.

Pumpkin catapults, or pumpkin chuckers, are popular items around autumn, especially in October for Halloween. In most cases, the devices are simply large catapults that utilize kinetic energy and tension to launch a pumpkin into the air. The project may be a whole day's undertaking to get everything just right. Household tools should suffice and at least a rudimentary working knowledge of high school physics. After you've set up your catapult you can re-stage historical battles, like when the Greeks shot fire from "catapults [and] made the fierce Hun and Mongol armies turn and run," according to "Backyard Ballistics" by William Gurstelle.

Instructions

1 Take the two 2-inc-by-4-inch pieces of wood and set them on top of each other lengthwise. Measure about half way across the bottom one and mark the area with a pencil. Move the top board so its end is on the line you've drawn and lays flat across.
2 Press the hinge in the space between the two boards, putting it against the end of one of the boards and against the top of the other board. Hold it in place and mark the screw holes on both boards with a pencil.
3 Drill a screw into each hole of the hinge. This should connect the two boards so they stand at an L shape when upright.
4 Drill a hole in the center of the top board to affix the hook. Also drill one in the center of the bottom board between its end and the placement of the top board, for a second hook. Tightly screw the hooks into both holes.
5 Take your 3-inch-by-3-inch piece of wood and sand down the center of it, forming a concave curve for the pumpkin.
6 Attach the holder to the opposite end from the hinge on the top board. Drill through the center of it into the second board until it's far enough down to stay in place.
7 Place a rubber strap with looped ends around each hook. The strap shouldn't be longer than 8 to 10 inches to create the proper tension needed.
8 Drill through the front end of the bottom board into the ground to hold it into place. You might also choose to set something heavy at this end, like an anvil.
9 Pull back the top board and place the pumpkin in the concave curve. Release the catapult with the pumpkin in place when you're ready to fire.

Students will build a catapult to learn about motion and the forces acting upon the projectile. Catapults were used in history to launch a projectile that smashed buildings and walls during a siege. These weapons of war will now teach students about the forces involved in moving a projectile or acting upon the projectile to put it in motion and the energy required to do so.

Instructions

A Popsicle Stick Catapult

1 Glue together one whole Popsicle stick to one half Popsicle stick to form an L. Repeat the process to make another L. Glue the two Ls together to form a rectangle.
2 Make two more Ls from Step 1's instructions and glue them together to form another rectangle. Lay one rectangle on top of the other and glue them together to form the base of the catapult.
3 Mark the middle of the rectangle on both sides with a pen.
4 Glue two half sticks flat side down to your pen marks. These half sticks form uprights that are perpendicular to the foundation. The two uprights should be directly across from each other.
5 Glue a half stick to the foundation near the corner flat side down, with the other end gluing to the upright. This forms a triangle and act as a brace. Repeat this with the other side so the braces are across from each other.
6 Glue another half piece on the other side of your triangular braces. This will glue to each upright crossing the upright and forming a crosspiece. The piece is flat side down.
7 Fold your 1 1/2-inch square piece of paper in half. Roll the half together to form a cone. Cut the top of the cone in half.
8 Smash the bottom of the cone onto a whole Popsicle stick and glue it to the stick at the end. This is the throwing arm. The cup you just made is where the projectile rests.
9 Fold the piece of string in half, placing the ends in your mouth or have a friend hold onto it. Twist the string 10 to 20 times.
10 Fold the string in half again and secure the ends. Twist again 10 to 20 times.
11 Fold the string in half again and repeat the twisting process. You now have a strong twisted rope.
12 Thread the rope between the two full sticks under the cross pieces. Tie in place around the top stick with a square knot or double overhand knot. Move the knot to the side. The rope will go across the foundation to the other side, loop over the top part of the foundation and rest under the cross bar.
13 Use the last half piece of Popsicle stick as a twister. Stick the flat end between the ropes. Twist backwards away from the uprights the desired amount of times.
14 When the twister is as tight as desired, glue the throwing arm to the twister. Glue the non cup side to the twister and tightly hold while the glue sets. The cup should be upright and facing the uprights when completed. If done correctly, the arm should smack against the upright when done.
15 Hold the arm down. Put a projectile in the cup and release. Use the wadded up paper for a projectile.

Harvest festivals are a big draw for communities during the Fall season every year. Families get together and celebrate the colorful time of year by putting their focus on arts, crafts, live entertainment and food. A variety of games and activities take place at these festivals and one that usually gets a solid response is the pumpkin catapult. Participants get a chance to compete to see how far they can get a pumpkin to fly. Building a catapult can be done with a bit of skill and elbow grease.

Instructions

1 Position the two 2 x 4 pieces of wood together on top of one other. Draw a line halfway across the bottom board. Situate the top board so that its end sits flat across the line.
2 Position a heavy-duty door hinge in the space between the boards Pressing the hinge against the end of one of the boards and the top of the second board. Mark the spot so that you can later drill screw holes to attach the hinge.
3 Drill a wood screw part way into each mark that you have made to prep the wood for the final attachment of the hinge. Remove the wood screws and position the hinge over the holes that now exist. Attach the hinge to the boards. Connect the two boards so they stand at an "L" shape when set upright.
4 Drill a hole at the center of the top board four inches from the top to place a hook. Drill another hole at the center of the bottom board four inches from the bottom between the end of the board and the top board for another hook. Insert the hooks into both holes. Tighten the hooks by hand until firm. Avoid tightening too much because you do not want to strip the holes. Secure the hooks so that they are as secure as possible.
5 Create a concave curve in the center of the three-foot long 3x3 board in which you can place a pumpkin. Use sandpaper and a power sander to create the concave. Place a series of pumpkins of different sizes on the board to determine the depth at which you need to make the concave. Focus on making the depth of the concave to be able to cradle the pumpkin.
6 Arrange the board with the concave on top of the board at the end that sits opposite the hinge. Drill through the center into the second board until it is secure.
7 Attach a 10- to 16-inch long rubber strap that is at least two inches wide and equipped with metal ends around each of the hooks. Use the type of rubber straps with metal ends that you would use to secure cargo in a vehicle.
8 Place a heavy object such as a solid concrete block to the front and rear of the catapult or attach the ends to the ground by placing metal stakes through them and hammering the stakes into hard ground.
9 Load a pumpkin onto the board with the concave and pull back on the launch board as hard as possible to get the rubber straps to stretch as far as possible. The farther back you pull, the farther that your pumpkin will launch into the air. Aim your pumpkin at a target made with a large paper bulls-eye attached to a hay bale and launch the pumpkin into the air.

A medieval backyard war game, science experiment or target practice is not the same without a working catapult. If you're looking to launch a tennis ball long range, then you need to have a catapult that is simple enough to work with minimal setup. You also want a catapult that is easy for you to carry.

Instructions

1 Measure a 2-by-4-foot rectangle on the plywood sheet. Outline the measurements with a pencil. Use saw to cut out the rectangle, which will serve as the catapult platform.
2 Draw two rectangles where the catapult legs will stand. These should be spaced 1 foot from each other in the center of the platform. Lift up the platform so it is vertical. Place one 2-by-4-inch piece of 3-foot wood on the platform. Drill two wood screws from the bottom of the platform up into the 3-foot leg. Do this again for the second 3-foot leg.
3 Measure two identical triangles on the leftover plywood. These triangles should be at least 2-by-3 feet. Screw these on the outside of each catapult leg with one screw at the bottom of the triangle and one at the top. The triangles should face outward and sit flush against the platform. Lift the platform again and drill two screws into each triangle base to secure it to the platform.
4 Bore out two identical holes, 1 inch in diameter, 2 inches from the top of each catapult leg, with the drill. Take the 2-by-4 piece of wood that is 4 foot long and bore a 1-inch hole in the center. This will serve as the catapult arm.
5 Apply wood glue on both ends of the wooden dowel. Insert through both catapult leg holes and the center of the catapult arm, with the catapult arm being in the center. Let the glue dry for at least an hour.
6 Drill pilot holes on the center of each catapult arm, 1 inch below the wooden dowel. Drive screw-in hooks into each arm. Attach bungee chord to both hooks, making sure that is taut. When the catapult arm is pulled back against the bungee chord, the tension will increase. As soon as the catapult arm is released, the bungee chord will snap back into position, sending the tennis ball flying into the air.
7 Screw plastic cup to the end of the catapult arm. Load it up with a tennis ball and prepare to fire.

Force and energy are key components, along with design, in getting a catapult to launch an object into the air. Catapults have been built since at least A.D. 300 beginning with a basic design, and becoming more complex as technology evolved. However, designs are based on the ideas of force and energy.

Force

Force is the pushing or pulling on an object to induce movement. In a catapult, force is how it functions. The amount of force applied to a catapult determines how high and how far the catapult can launch an object. Force can also help determine the direction of the launched object.

Energy

Energy is the ability to do work. Work, in science terms, is using force to move an object. Many things, along with human beings, have potential energy, meaning they have the ability to do work. In a catapult, energy is required, because without it, there would be no possibility for movement or the force necessary to operate it.

Operation of a Catapult

A catapult operates by placing an object to be launched at one end of some sort of arm. Force is applied at the other end to launch the object. In the middle is the fulcrum, where the weight rests as the force shifts the catapult to launch the object in the air. It operates similarly to a seesaw, but with more force and on a larger scale.

Classification as a Lever

A catapult is classified as a simple machine, specifically a type of lever. It is a part of the family of class three levers, where the fulcrum, or pivot point, of the lever is in the middle of the catapult and the load, or object the catapult is attempting to move, is at one end. The effort, or level of force, is applied to the end of the lever opposite the load in a catapult.

Catapults work as a lever to throw heavy objects a considerable distance. According to the Smith College Museum of Ancient Inventions, catapults were ancient military machines invented by Greek Dionysius the Elder of Syracuse in 400 B.C. A mini catapult works with the same physics but in a much smaller scale. Tension is created when the pivoting beam or arm is pulled back. Once it is released, the stored energy pushes the beam back up like an arced spring, propelling whatever it was holding in its bucket.

Instructions

1 Cut off the peaked top of an 8 oz. milk carton with scissors. The carton is the base of the mini catapult. Then, starting from the open top, cut off two-thirds of one side of the carton, leaving the remaining one-third at the bottom.
2 Place the carton so that the side with two-thirds cut out is facing you and the open top is facing upward. Use the tip of your scissors to punch a small hole in the center of the remaining one-third of the side that was cut. Bore a hole 2 inches from the top on the left side of the carton, then repeat on the right side of the carton.
3 Push a rubber band through the hole on the cut side of the carton. Thread a toothpick through the loop of the rubber band to secure it into place.
4 Push a pencil through the other two holes on the sides of the carton. The pencil should be evenly distributed between the two holes.
5 Tape a matchbox tray to the sharpened point of another pencil. Push the eraser end of the pencil through the loop of the rubber band secured with the toothpick. Place the eraser end with the rubber band loop onto the center of the first pencil.
6 Wrap a rubber band around the eraser of the pencil with the matchbox tray to the first rubber band and the central pencil. Pull the pencil with the matchbox tray back towards the table. Put a mini marshmallow onto the tray. Let go to release and hurl the marshmallow.

The simplest way to eliminate the need for rubber bands in building a model catapult is to construct a trebuchet. A trebuchet uses counterweight instead of elastics to create torque. The catapult is held in place while a large weight hangs on the other side of a fulcrum. When the catapult is released, the weight pulls down, launching the projectile from the other end of a long beam.

Instructions

1 Take the square 5 by 5 inch piece of wood and cut it diagonally to make two identical triangles.
2 Place one 12 inch piece of wood horizontally. Make a mark 3 inches from one end. Take a 10 inch piece of wood and place it perpendicular to the 12 inch piece at the 3 inch mark. Place one of the triangle pieces from step 1 on top of the T shape, so that the 90 degree corner is on the 3 inch mark and the two edges running from it are flush with the 10 and 12 inch wood pieces. Glue the triangle into place (you can screw or nail it in to make it stronger). Repeat the process with the other triangle and one more 10 inch and one 12 inch wood piece. However, on this one you will have to make the 3 inch mark from the other end of the 12 inch piece, and the triangle will therefore be a mirror image of the first.
3 Place the two pieces you just constructed vertically, parallel to one another and 5 inches apart. Take three 5 inch wood pieces which will be the support cross beams. Place one 5 inch piece at each end of the 12 inch pieces, and place the last 5 inch piece in the corner where the 3 inch mark was made, perpendicular to the plane of the triangles, in the 90 degree angle. Glue and screw or nail the pieces into place.
4 Make a dot on the top of each 10 inch plank (facing vertically now) 1 inch from the top. This will be the joint of the fulcrum. Then drill a a hole where each of the dots are. The hole needs to be large enough to fit the 6 inch metal bar through.
5 Take the 16 inch wood piece and screw in a hoop hook (into the 1 by 1/2 inch face). This will be the swinging arm of the trebuchet. Then make 3 dots at 3, 4 and 5 inches from the end with the hook. Drill these the same size as the metal bar hole from before.
6 At the other end of the 16 inch wood piece, screw the other hoop hook in at a 45 degree angle on the 1/2 by 16 inch face. Hammer in a nail on the 1 by 1/2 inch face, leaving half the nail exposed. Cut or file off the head of the nail.
7 Now run the metal bar through the holes in the support, and one of the holes in the swinging arm. If you choose the hole 3 inches from the end, it will provide more torque than the 4 and 5 inch holes respectively, so you can experiment with this depending on how heavy your counterweight is. The arm should swing freely, so if there is too much friction you should make the holes wider. Now attach the counterweight to the hoop hook on the end of the arm closest to the fulcrum (metal bar) using the twist ties or metal wire.
8 Cut two pieces of string at least 18 inches long. Fold your cloth in half and tie a string to each end, making a pouch (much like on a slingshot). You can use a rock, grape or small ball of clay as the projectile (anything that fits comfortably in the pouch). At the end of one of the strings, attach a metal loop (made of wire, or a key chain loop will work fine). Tie the other end of the string to the unused hoop hook. Hook the metal loop onto the exposed nail.
9 Using the card paper, make a runway on the bottom of the support beams. It should run perpendicular to the three 5 inch wood pieces, covering up all three. Fold up the edges of the card paper, creating a straight runway for the pouch to run on while it is being flung by the arm.
10 To fire the trebuchet, place the projectile in the pouch and place the pouch on the end of the runway, under the counterweight. Pull down the arm while you're doing this, so the string is taught. Let go and the counterweight will pull the arm around, launching the projectile.

Teaching elementary school-aged children how to build catapults is a simple, inexpensive and fun exercise that helps them to learn how elastic materials can store energy. A basic catapult made from an old newspaper and a plastic spoon is adequate at this stage. The catapult takes just minutes to build and the children can then spend time experimenting with it, firing marshmallow or paper projectiles from the bowl of the spoon. They will learn that pulling the spoon back further creates more energy to project their ammunition over longer distances.

Instructions

1 Roll up the newspaper lengthwise. Roll the paper tightly and put masking tape around the middle to secure it.
2 Place the middle of the rolled up newspaper over a rubber band with both sides of the band visible on either side of the newspaper cylinder. The band should be short enough that it has to be stretched to reach around the newspaper.
3 Take both ends of the rubber band and pull them around the newspaper. Thread one end of the rubber band through the other end where they meet and hold onto this part of the band to keep it in place.
4 Push the bottom end of the spoon through the part of the band that you are still holding and release it so that the base of the spoon is held in place against the newspaper. The bowl of the spoon should be facing upward.
5 Place the newspaper on a table so that the plastic spoon can be bent well backward and when it is released it springs up with some force.
6 Secure both ends of the newspaper to the table with masking tape.
7 Fire your marshmallows or rolled-up pieces of paper from the bowl of the spoon, pulling the spoon back before each shot.

Homemade catapults, often made out of chopsticks or Popsicle sticks, provide an effective way to launch small objects through the air. Though these catapults do not offer the precision or strength of store bought catapults, they allow you to teach children about Medieval combat or spend your time on a unique craft. Catapults built from straws will not be very strong but they still function, as long as you do not attempt to launch heavy objects.

Instructions

1 Place one straw next to another straw, so that they are in line. Grasp a piece of masking tape and slide it around the center of the straws to tape them together. Repeat this process to create six additional straw pairs.
2 Set three of the straw pairs on a table, in the shape of a triangle. The edges of the straws should overlap slightly. Tie the sides of the straws together using one rubber band for each connection. If the rubber band fails to keep the straws in place, add masking tape.
3 Attach a straw pair to one of the triangle corners using a rubber band or masking tape. Repeat the process for the remaining two corners and join the straws in a point using a rubber band. The figure should look like a triangle.
4 Create a paper cup for the catapult. Draw the shape on graph paper consisting of a three square tall and two square wide rectangle, with one extra square on the middle of the left and right of the rectangle, for a shape that looks like a cross. Add a tail to the bottom-right of the shape, that is about five squares long. Fold this shape into a paper square and secure it using tape.
5 Tape the cup to the edge of a straw using masking tape.
6 Punch a hole through the edge of the straw opposite the cup. Cut a rubber band and slide it through the hole.
7 Slide the rubber band around the point of the triangle and tie knot. The knot should be tight but it should still allow the straw arm to move.
8 Test the catapult by placing a small object in the paper cup, pulling the cup backwards and releasing it. If the object flies through the air, the catapult is working.

Catapults date back at least 2,400 years, when Greek soldiers used them to hurl flaming arrows at enemies on the field of battle. More recently, the U.S. Navy has catapulted jets into the air from aircraft carriers. In January 2011, Mexican drug dealers unsuccessfully tried to use a catapult to hurl 4-pound bales of marijuana over a border fence into Arizona. Today, modeling companies offer kits for building your own working catapult, good for tossing rocks or other small objects. Throughout this long and varied history, techniques for aiming catapults, particularly the traditional counter-weight trebuchets, have remained largely unchanged.

Instructions

1

Fire a test shot at your target. Catapults almost never hit the target on the first try, so you will need to bracket the target. You will adjust based on whether the projectile lands long or falls short, or whether it drifts to one side or the other due to wind or other factors.

2

Release the projectile early for a higher, shorter trajectory. Release it later for a flatter, longer trajectory.

3

Adjust your projectile's weight. Heavier objects loft higher and fly shorter distances. Lighter objects fly flatter, faster trajectories.

4

Observe carefully where each projectile lands. Continue to adjust your release time or projectile weight until you have zeroed in upon your target.

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A catapult was an early type of cannon used by soldiers to shoot projectiles at castles and enemy fortifications. You can build your own toy catapult using tinker toy parts. Household supplies will also be needed, but no tools.

Instructions

1

Insert an end of a green rod into one of the side holes in a wheel. Insert the other end of the rod into one of the side holes in another wheel. Repeat this procedure with another green rod and two wheels.

2

Place one of the two wheel sets you have made horizontally on a table. Insert a green rod into the hole on the side of the left wheel that is not facing you. Repeat this procedure with the wheel on the right.

3

Insert the end of the rod on the left side into the hole on the side of the wheel on the other wheel set you made. Insert the end of the rod on the right side into the hole on the side of the other wheel on the other wheel set.

4

Stand a wheel on the table. Insert an end of a green rod into a hole on the left side of the wheel. Insert an end of a green rod into a hole on the right side of the wheel.

5

Insert the end of the green rod on the left side of the wheel into a hole on the side of the wheel closest to you on your left side. Insert the end of the green rod on the right side of the wheel into a hole on the side of the wheel closest to you on your right side. Repeat this procedure to make another wheel with two green rods inserted into it.

6

Insert the end of the green rod on the left side of the wheel into a hole on the side of the wheel on the left side of the table farthest from you. Insert the end of the green rod on the right side of the wheel into a hole on the side of the wheel on the right side of the table farthest from you.

7

Push a red rod through the center of a wheel. Insert one end of the rod into the side of the wheel farthest from you that is raised above the table. Insert the other end of the rod into the far side of the wheel closest to your that is raised above the table.

8

Insert one end of a green rod into the side of the wheel that the red rod has been pushed through. Insert the other end of the green rod loosely into a hole on the side of a wheel.

9

Tie an end of the string around the red rod and knot it. Rotate the rod until almost all of the string has been wound around it. Pull the end of the string to spin the green rod and shoot the wheel from your catapult.

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Catapult building is a common competition in physics classes. If you have to build a catapult for your class, don't fall into the trap of thinking that more power will result in a better launch. More power behind your launch is definitely helpful but you'll have to use your physics knowledge to maximize the power behind your catapult. The most important thing to focus on is your catapult's trajectory. The right trajectory will be efficient and produce the results you're looking for.

Instructions

1

Use the tension of bungee cords as opposed to springs to power your catapult. The cords should be attached to the front of the catapult and at the front of the catapult arm. When the arm is pulled back, the tension in the cord will pull the arm forward. This front-powered system will provide more power than rear-spring powered catapults.

2

Create an arm break that stops the arm at a 45-degree angle from the floor. A 45-degree angle is the best angle to maximize the efficiency of your catapult. The arm break can be made of the same material that comprises the frame of your catapult. It should run across the widths of the base and be in position to make contact with the catapult arm.

3

Measure the item you will be using for the catapult project. Next, find a cup to make your own holding device with the same dimensions. You want your projectile to fit snugly in the catapult to prevent the projectile from rattling around during the launch. The rattling around will prevent your projectile from launching at 45 degrees.

4

Weigh down the base of your catapult to prevent it from moving around during the launch. Any movement in the base can reduce the amount of power behind the launch and can also compromise the trajectory. It's particularly important to weigh down the back of the catapult since the natural movement of the arm with make the catapult lurch forward.

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