Play Catapult

Catapult building is a common project assignment throughout upper elementary, middle and even high school. Teachers may ask students to build a catapult to support learning mathematics, science or history. Besides providing a useful academic exercise, however, catapult building and use brings an opportunity to use your imagination and creativity as you hurl anything from paper clips to soccer balls.

Troll Catapult

The troll catapult measures only tabletop size and can be constructed by a beginner catapult creator. As with many do-it-yourself catapult plans, you can replace many of the required materials with things you have around the house to create a unique contraption. The official plans for this catapult, a miniature replica of medieval siege catapults, call for several short pieces of wood, screws, nails, rubber bands, eye hooks, wood glue, cardboard and a small strip of metal. You will need to be able to cut the wood, screw and nail to complete this project.

Backyard Bungee Catapult

The backyard bungee catapult measures about 2 feet long. It uses a bungee cord as the power source, so users should wear safety goggles when making and firing it, just in case the cord snaps. Though it uses a bungee cord as the power source, it only shoots about 30 feet. However, you will be able to build this catapult in about two hours out of common materials, including 2-by-3s, a bungee cord, a paper cup, eye hooks, screws and a broom handle. You can substitute materials, if necessary.

Mousetrap Catapult

This tiny catapult measures only the size of your hand, and you can make it in less than one minute. However, you will need to exercise caution when using it because when the spring mechanism snaps, it can cause harm to the user. To make it, you will need a mousetrap, pliers, a plastic spoon, electrical tape and a soft projectile, such as a marshmallow or grape. The spoon will act as the cup for your projectile. Use a smaller or larger mousetrap according to your needs and tastes. The finished catapult will hurl objects up to 40 feet.

Tiny Castle Catapult

Make this catapult to go along with a castle-building project. It provides an excellent working prop for a paper mache castle and can be used to play storm-the-castle games. You will need 10 Popsicle sticks, a ruler, a pencil, scissors, a large rubber band and masking tape. While you do not need any special woodworking skills to complete this project, you will develop crafting skills as you go. After you finish it, try shooting wads of paper through the castle windows, assigning different point values to each window.

"Straw Hat Samurai" is a fun Flash game that tests your reflexes and strategic skills. For most of the game, you'll be slashing through opponents using mouse drags to symbolize sword slashes. After beating the first portion, you play through a strategy mode before facing the game's final boss.

Instructions

The Beginning

1 Follow the tutorial at the beginning of the game to learn the basics. For most of the game, you'll use your mouse to draw lines through enemies, slashing and defeating them.
2 Click on a new tile after you complete each level to move to that tile. Each stage you beat unlocks new areas. When you finish an area, the screen goes black and red and "Area Clear" appears.
3 Go to tiles with treasure chests to unlock bonuses upon beating that level. The bonuses let you choose between 10 extra hit points or a 10-percent chance to dodge attacks.
4 Follow the "Bow Tutorial" when offered the opportunity to learn how to pick up arrows and use your bow. Hold "Shift" to ready your bow and use the mouse to aim it, holding down the left mouse button to ready a shot. Release the button to shoot the bow. Use the bow when facing archers in a tower. Simply slash through ground archers.
5 Slash under the shields when you encounter enemies carrying shields. If they're kneeling, get behind them and slash their backs. When you encounter the catapult near the end, slash through the catapult balls before they hit the ground to send them back to the catapult, destroying it.
6 Choose to fire the catapult at the gate to enter strategy mode. Alternatively, choose to fire it at enemy troops to make strategy mode easier, but then you must defeat the remaining enemies covering the rest of the tiles.

Strategy Mode

7 Select white sectors, which are unoccupied. Your sectors are blue, while enemy sectors are red. The number on each sector indicates the strength of the troops stationed there.
8 Click red sectors next to your blue sectors to attempt to take over the sector. Your chances of success are higher if the number on your blue tile is larger than the number on the red tile. Click "End Turn" when done to receive reinforcements and let the enemy go.
9 Click the Samurai after each turn and move him as close as you can to the tent in the middle of the five others. Continue taking over red tiles until you reach the tent, then move the Samurai there to begin the final battle.

The catapult was first designed by the ancient Greeks to throw projectiles a great distance since they didn't have explosives. During medieval times, catapults were used to hurl incendiary devices and dead animals over the walls of besieged cities in a type of biological warfare. Now you, too, can use a catapult during a slow day at work to smash through your boredom and assault your co-workers.

Instructions

1 Insert the rubber band into a paper clip so that the clip is holding the band secure in the wire loop.
2 Using masking tape, tape the clip to the end of the tape dispenser so that it and the rubber band stick up a third of an inch.
3 Attach the handle end of a plastic spoon to the tape dispenser so that it pivots in the wheel well using the tape wheel as an axle.
4 Loop the rubber band around the spoon and secure with tape.
5 Place foam in the bottom of the tape well to stop the spoon from pivoting at the desired angle to achieve maximum launch trajectory.

Since its invention in the Middle Ages, the catapult has been an item of interest to humans bent on projecting missiles. Catapults today are more likely to take the form of a handheld slingshot than a large piece of equipment designed to bring down a castle wall, but the concept of using tension and release to send projectiles through the air is the same. Make your own mini catapult with foam board, toothpicks and rubber bands, and send all of your loose change sailing through the room.

Instructions

1 Draw three 2-inch squares onto the foam board and cut them out with the utility knife. Draw one 1-inch-by-3-inch rectangle onto the foam board and cut it out.
2 Lay one square on the tabletop. Place another square perpendicular to the first, on top of one of the edges. Use a pencil to make an X underneath this upright square, about 1/4 inch from the edge of the square on the table. Get the X as close to the middle of the foam board's thickness as you can. Repeat this on the other end. You should now have an X 1/4 inch away from either end of the bottom square, precisely under the center of the perpendicular foam board square.
3 Make two more X marks on the bottom square, on the side parallel to the side where you placed the upright square. Use the third square as a guide. You should now have four X marks on the bottom square.
4 Break two toothpicks in half. Flip the square over so that the X marks retain their left-right orientation but are now on the bottom of the flat square. Hold one of the squares perpendicular to the bottom square on the side where there are no X marks and stick a straight pin through the X and into the perpendicular foam square. Remove the pin and stick half of a toothpick, pointy end first, through the hole to secure the squares to each other. Repeat this with the other X. You should now have one flat square with a perpendicular square along one of its edges. Repeat this with the third foam square to complete your catapult base.
5 Make an X mark 1/4 inch down from the top edge at the center of both side pieces of your base. Make an X mark on both foam sides of your long rectangular foam piece 2 inches from one end and 1 inch from the other end. The X marks should line up exactly. On the end where you have left an inch, make another X 1/4 inch away from the edge and 3/4 inch away from the first X. Do this on both sides so they line up exactly.
6 Tie two mini rubber bands together. Stick the pin through the X marks on the long rectangle, then widen the hole with a toothpick. Use a toothpick to feed one end of the rubber band chain through the rectangle. Pull the rubber bands through until there are equal amounts of rubber band showing on both sides of the rectangle.
7 Stick the straight pin through each side X in turn, then through the other X marks on the long rectangle. Run a toothpick through one side X, through the long rectangle and through the other side X to secure your catapult arm. Wiggle the toothpick around to widen this hole, as you will want the arm to be able to swing freely.
8 Make an X on each side of the base, just above the foam board (about 1/4 inch) and 1/2 inch away from the edge on the side of the base where the rubber bands are hanging from the catapult arm. Stick a pin through both X marks in turn, then feed a toothpick through 1 X, both rubber bands and through the other side of the base.
9 Gouge out a circle on the free end of the catapult arm into which to place your projectiles. Test it with light objects first so as not to cause accidental damage to your home.

The middle ages were a turbulent period in Mesopotamia. The westward expansion of the Saljuq Turks in the 11th century was followed by periodic warfare with Western crusaders which lasted for several centuries. Finally, the Mongol invasion of 1258 destroyed many towns and villages. Throughout this period, siege weapons such as catapults played a major role. There were two main types of catapult: torsion-powered weapons, called onagers in the West, and counterweight-powered machines, known as trebuchets. Although powerful, these machines were relatively simple. Follow these steps and you can construct your own trebuchet.

Instructions

1 Decide the scale of your trebuchet. Medieval catapults varied in size, but some trebuchets were 50 feet tall, capable of shooting nearly a mile. A scaled-down version can be as small as you want. A foot-tall trebuchet will throw its ammunition as far as thirty feet.
2 Plan your trebuchet. The amount of detail you can build depends on scale, but the basic framework is the same. You'll need a swing arm, two long base pieces, two uprights, three crosspieces for the base and two triangle-shaped supports for the uprights. Cut these out of wood using your saw or craft knife. The swing arm should be a third as long as your base pieces and your uprights should be a sixth shorter than the base. The base crosspieces should be as long as you want your trebuchet to be wide. This should be about half the length of the upright.
3 Attach the uprights to the bases at right angles. Lay out a base piece, then place the upright against it, 1/4 of its length from the forward end. For smaller models, these can be attached with wood glue. For larger models, you may need to fit the upright into a slot in the base. Secure the two pieces by screwing the triangular support piece to both of them. Repeat the process so that you have two matching supports with attached uprights.
4 Attach the crosspieces so that they join the two halves of your base. One crosspiece should go at either end, with the third located behind the uprights. Your trebuchet will now resemble a rectangular frame with two uprights protruding from it. Glue or screw the crosspieces in place and, if necessary, leave them to dry. Cut a final thin piece of wood or paper and attach it across the top of the base to create a smooth surface.
5 Select the length of metal rod or pipe you want to use for your axle. Drill a hole 1/4 of the way down your throwing arm, making sure that the axle fits into it. Drill another hole on either side of this hole. The distance between the holes should be 1/16h of the length of the throwing arm. Insert a screw hook into the end of the arm closest to the holes.
6 Drill holes of the same size near the top of the uprights. Insert the axle through one upright, then through one of the holes in the throwing arm, then through the other upright. Make sure the throwing arm has room to swing freely.
7 Attach your counterweight to the hook in the end of the throwing arm. The counterweight should be a heavy, dense object. Medieval trbuchets used containers filled with stones. Use wire or cord to connect this to the hook, making sure the arm can still swing freely.
8 Insert a bent nail or pin into the head end of the throwing arm. Place a screw hook in the underside of the arm near the head. These will form the attachment points for the pouch which will hold your payload.
9 Cut a sling pouch out of cloth or leather. Attach a length of cord to each end of the pouch. Tie one firmly to the screw hook at the head of the throwing arm. Make a small loop from wire and attach it to the other. This will fit over the bent pin at the end of the throwing arm. You'll have to adjust the length of the cord and the angle of the pin to guarantee a smooth release.
10 Test your trebuchet. Place a projectile in the pouch and place the pouch on top of the base. Depress the throwing arm, raising the counterweight. When you release the arm, the counterweight will drop, whipping the sling around in an arc and releasing the projectile.

Today, catapults are no longer needed as weapons to fight wars. However, if you enjoy watching things being hurled in the air, a miniature catapult craft might be right for you. There are complete catapult kits available and tons of scrap materials that can be used to create your own catapult. Small scrap pieces of wood, pencils, Popsicle sticks, and a mouse trap can be used to build a catapult. A mousetrap catapult is cheap and only requires a few other materials that may be found around the house.

Instructions

1 On the mousetrap, find the long metal trigger arm and the metal piece that activates the trigger. Use your pliers to remove the arm and the piece that activates the trap. Don't remove the spring and the square metal arm that traps the mouse.
2 Hot glue your cap near the edge of one side of the Popsicle stick. Let it cool until the glue is hard.
3 Place the end of the Popsicle stick without the cap between the wood and the square metal arm. The stick should lie underneath the arm in the middle.
4 Wrap tape around the stick and square metal arm until the stick is tightly secured to the arm. The end of the stick should nearly touch the spring.
5 Place a safe object on the cap. Pull the square arm back and let it go to fire the object across the room.

Catapults are simple machines, making them ideal for science projects or school demonstrations. Every catapult includes a lever, a basic component of some simple machines. Some teachers may get nervous about having catapults in the classroom, but a simple and safe ping pong ball catapult can demonstrate important concepts, while keeping students safely engaged.

Instructions

1
Stack seven craft sticks on top of each other. Secure them tightly by twisting a rubber band around each end of the stack or hot-gluing them together. This stack will act as the fulcrum.
2 Stack the two remaining craft sticks on top of one another. Secure them by twisting a rubber band around one end of the stack several times. You should be able to spread the craft sticks apart at the end opposite the rubber band. The upper craft stick of this small stack will act as the lever arm.
3 Slide stack of seven craft sticks between stack of two craft sticks from open end all the way to the rubber band holding the opposite end. The stack of seven craft sticks should be perpendicular to the stack of two sticks. The lower of the two sticks should lie flat, while the upper stick will extend up at an angle.
4 Secure the fulcrum and lever craft sticks with a rubber band. Place one end of the rubber band around the fulcrum stack and slide it all the way to the lever stack. Twist the rubber band over and slide it around the shorter end of the lever stack, then twist it again over the opposite end of the fulcrum stack. Twist the rubber band back over the whole assembly again several times, in the same way.
5 Hot glue the plastic spoon's handle to the lever arm craft stick, so that the spoon faces up and can hold a projectile.
6
Hold the edges of the fulcrum with one hand. Use your other hand to place the ping pong ball in the spoon, then push the spoon down and release it.

"Lego Kingdoms" is a website where you can play a variety of video games. One of the games that you can play is the "Catapult Showdown" video game. In this game, you take the role of one of the Lego knights who must use their catapults to destroy the opposing knight. However, you do not have to play each level if you do not want to. You can skip levels in the game by selecting the "Skip" button.

Instructions

1 Open "Lego Kingdoms" (see Resources).
2 Select "Catapult Showdown."
3 Click "Skip," which is at the top-right corner of the game.
4 Repeat this process until you reach the level you want to play.

Block of wood 6x2x1

Clothes pin

Wood cube 1x1x1

Popsicle stick

Plastic bottle cap

Wood glue

Instructions

1 Lay the six-inch block on a flat surface. If your surface is not flat, you might have trouble constructing the catapult because the pieces could slide before the glue dries.
2 Glue the clothespin to the center of the block, making sure it runs along the length of the block.
3 Allow the glue to set for four hours.
4 Glue the one-inch block to the top of the open end of the clothespin so it looks like the block is resting on top of the clothespin.
5 Allow the glue to set for four hours.
6 Glue the Popsicle stick to the top of the block, with more than half of the stick hanging off the end.
7 Let the glue set for four hours. Then glue the cap (with the opening facing up) to the stick. You may place objects, like beanbags, in the cap to catapult.

A homemade catapult can vault you into the good graces of your friends and family. Next time someone yells "Food fight!" in your backyard you can show them that you're ready to rock with a food catapult. Sizes can vary, but in general you'll want something big enough to hurl a small pumpkin or a mess of other items (probably about 6 to 8 feet in length). Use your catapult to copy the ancient Greek armies, whose use of the weapon made even the fiercest of opponents -- including the Huns and Mongols -- turn and run. Be sure to stay safe with the device and never launch anything dangerous directly at another person.

Instructions

1 Set the two 2x4 pieces of wood on top of each other lengthwise. Measure halfway across the bottom piece and mark it with a straight line. Place the top board so that its end lays flat across the line.
2 Place the hinge in the space between the two boards, pressing it against the end of one of the boards and the top of the other. Hold it in place and mark the screw holes.
3 Use the electric drill to drill a screw into each hole of the hinge. Connect the two boards so they stand at an "L" shape while upright.
4 Drill a small hole in the center of the top board to place the hook. Also drill one in the center of the bottom board between the end and the placement of the top board for another hook. Screw the hooks into both holes until tight.
5 Sand the 3x3 piece of wood down in the center. Create a concave curve in the center only to place the food in. The depth of the curve is based on personal preference, but make sure it's deep enough to hold the food you'll be using.
6 Affix the holder to the top board at the opposite end of the hinge. Drill through the center into the second board until it's secure.
7 Put a rubber strap with looped ends around each hook. The strap should be about 8 to 10 inches in length and a standard width (usually 2 inches) to create tension.
8 Weigh the front end of the catapult down with something heavy or by drilling it into the ground. You may need to do the same for the rear end based on the weight of the food you'll be hurling. Pull down on the top board when ready and load it.

The catapult was first described by the Greek historian Diodorus in the first century B.C. Greeks were the first to use catapults; they made them using a similar design as the crossbow. The catapults we are most familiar with today, however, date back to medieval times and were used to break down castle walls. Some of these catapults used a triangular construction, and you can create a similar design with Popsicle sticks to simulate this dangerous weapon.

Instructions

1 Place two Popsicle sticks on top of each other and line them up. Tape them together. Create five more similar groupings of two Popsicle sticks taped together.
2 Tape three of the groupings together at their ends to form a triangle. Lay the triangle flat on an even surface.
3 Tape one end of one grouping of Popsicle sticks to one of the points on the triangle that is laying flat. When finished, this stick grouping should be attached and standing above the point on the triangle that is laying flat, but you should be able to move it an inch to either side. Attach the other two groupings to the two other points on the triangle laying flat in a similar way.
4 Bring the opposite ends of the Popsicle stick groupings together in the center above the triangle laying down. Tape these ends together. You'll now have a three-dimensional triangle in front of you.
5 Lay two Popsicle sticks down on a flat surface. Place them end-to-end so that they form a straight line. Place a third Popsicle stick across the two Popsicle sticks lengthwise. This third Popsicle stick will act as a brace to hold the two Popsicle sticks together. Tape the three sticks together to form a strong catapult arm.
6 Apply glue to the underside of the mini cupcake cup and attach the cup a half-inch away from one end of the arm. This cup is the projectile holder.
7 Pass the catapult arm through the middle of the triangular structure. Lead with the end that does not have the projectile holder attached to it. Tape this end of the arm to the area on the structure where three Popsicle stick bundles come together at the base.
8 Tie or tape about a half-inch of the elastic band to the top point of the triangular structure. Orient the elastic band so that it can be reached by the end of the catapult arm with the projectile holder.
9 Wrap the opposite side of the elastic band around the catapult arm just underneath the projectile holder.
10 Place a projectile in the holder, pull the catapult arm down and let it go. The projectile will fly through the air.

One of the many good thing about catapults is that you can build them out of almost anything. A piece of wood the right shape will do, or bits or metal pipe. However the advantage of using a hanger is that they can almost always be found easily and can bent into shape without any particular difficulty. A catapult of this sort will do very well for shooting paper balls around or even launching small stones at tins cans for a bit of target practice.

Instructions

1 Saw the hook of the top of the hanger. File off the point if you leave one to be sure you won't snag yourself on it later.
2 Pull the hanger out into a square, pulling at the point where the hook was and the flat, bottom length of the hanger. Put your hand around the angle where the hook was and squish the lengths of wire on either side of the angle together.
3 Use the pliers to twist these two lengths of wire together into a helix. Do not twist too tightly, the loops in the helix should be about wide enough to slide a pencil through. Twist up enough of the two wires to make a handle large enough for your hand. You will still have a square of wire at the top of the handle.
4 Squash the square flat towards the handle so that the hanger forms a "T" shape. Twist the two arms of the T in the same way as the handle. Bend the twisted arms upward so that the the T becomes a "Y."
5 Tie a knot in the middle of the elastic band, forming two loops. Tie the ends of the elastic band around the loops at the tip of each arm of the Y.
6 Wrap the handle up in a strip of rag. Hold it in place with another elastic band. Place an object on the knot in the middle of the elastic band, pull back and fire.

Any device designed to hurl a payload a given distance is a catapult. Trebuchets, onagers and ballistae are subclasses of siege engines traditionally known as catapults. Attackers used siege engines to attack enemies fortified behind heavy walls or other defenses. Battering rams, siege towers, onagers and ballistae allowed attackers to assault defenders from a distance or to penetrate walls with minimal threat to their forces.

Onager

An onager operates on simple spring technology. A long flexible wooden or metal arm is firmly fastened on one end to a carriage or other mobile platform. At the other end, a large bowl-shaped receptacle holds the ammunition. A crank with lengths of rope attached pulls the arm down, bending it until it resembles a large arc. When the rope is released, the energy stored in the bent arm launches the rock, flaming object or other payload at the defenders.

Trebuchet

The design of a trebuchet is more complex than a simple catapult. A trebuchet relies on a counterweight to drive the arm of the siege engine. Instead of a large receptacle, a trebuchet employs a sling to carry and hurl the payload. The counterweight swings down through the frame of the trebuchet as the sling, attached to the long arm, gathers speed. At the top of the arc, the sling hurls the payload at the defenders.

Ballista

A ballista resembles a giant crossbow. Ballistae launched large arrows or darts, rather than rocks and boulders, and were used both on ships and on land. Warships with mounted ballistae fired flaming ironclad arrows or bolts at the hulls and sails of opposing ships.

Drawbacks of the Siege Engine

Lack of mobility made catapults suitable for attacks against fortified locations or emplacements but not against moving armies. These were large and heavy devices that required many people and animals to move them into place. In some cases, the devices were built on the spot. The advent of gunpowder and cannons, with their smaller footprints and higher mobility, made catapults obsolete as siege weapons.

Catapults provide great fun for kids, providing they are used sensibly. The kids can set up a target in the back yard and practice their firing techniques with their friends. Its a great way to spend a few hours during the afternoon. Some catapults can be quite complex, using levers and springs, but a simple form of catapult, often referred to as a slingshot, is quick and easy to make using some wood from a tree and a couple of rubber bands.

Instructions

1 Find a tree that has a branch without leaves on it. The wood you use for the kids' catapult needs to be fairly dry, but not so dry that it's brittle.
2 Locate a branch that has a shape like the letter "Y." You can find this shape where two branches split.
3 Cut the branch about 4 inches below where the two branches split. Use a small hand saw to carefully cut through the branch. This part forms the handle of the catapult.
4 Cut the two branches that form the V part from the handle about 3 inches above where they are joined to the handle. Use a hand saw and make sure that the two branches that form the V are exactly the same length.
5 Use a knife and cut a small, V-shaped notch from the outside edge of the two branches forming the V shape. You need to cut the notch about 1/2 inch down from the top of the V shape. The notches will hold the rubber bands in place.
6 Cut out a 2-by-2-inch square from a sheet of flexible plastic using a knife. The lid from an ice cream container is good. This is the slingshot part of the catapult.
7 Cut two 1/4-inch slits centrally in the square of plastic, but about 1/2 inch apart from each other using a knife. Slide a thick 1/4-inch rubber band through one slit and then through the other slit; if you only have thin bands then use two or three. Place the plastic square in the center of the bands.
8 Place the rubber band over one of the notches and then stretch the bands using your fingers, so you can put the other side of the band over the other notch.
9 Hold the catapult in one hand and place the item you intend to fire centrally on the square of plastic using the other hand. Pull the plastic backward while keeping the catapult in the same place. Aim and then let go of the square of plastic.

Making a miniature catapult out of a rat trap is a fun project. There are many variations on how to make a rat trap catapult, from the extremely simple to the ridiculously elaborate, so you can have fun making your own model at any level. Despite the small size, rat trap catapults pack a surprising amount of force and power with each throw.

Instructions

1 Cut out the 10-by-10-inch base from the one-half-inch plywood with a saw. Sand the edges and corners of the base until they are smooth. Paint the surface of the base if you want.
2 Remove the projectile arm and the bait holder from a rat trap by pulling it off with the pliers. Discard these pieces; you will not need them anymore. Keep the spring mechanism on the rat trap.
3 Place the lever spring mechanism in the relaxed position. Tape the plastic spoon in a downward position to one side of the lever arm. Use plenty of duct tape so that the spoon is securely fastened to the metal.
4 Screw the rat trap onto the large wooden base. Place the screws in areas where they will not interfere with the spoon, the lever or the spring mechanism.
5 Hammer a nail into the wooden base on the side. This nail will be used to wrap the string around to hold the catapult down in the loaded position.
6 Tie a piece of string to the lever mechanism in the center. Use the string to pull the lever back so the spoon is now facing up. Loop the string around the nail to keep the catapult in the loaded position.
7 Hammer the eraser to the rat trap base right under the position that the lever arm will slam into once the string is released. The eraser allows the lever arm to be angled in the proper trajectory.
8 Place the projectile on the spoon and release the string. Watch the projectile fly.

Catapults are an old-fashioned war device that was designed to launch objects over the walls of a fort or castle. If you are teaching children about Medieval history, make the lessons more exciting by having the kids create their own catapults out of craft supplies. Use them to launch small objects, such as paper balls, coins or erasers, across the classroom when the children finish building the catapults.

Instructions

1 Arrange three craft sticks into a triangle on a table top and tape the sticks together with duct tape at the corners. Make all of the craft sticks the same length and position them flat against the table before taping them.
2 Repeat this process two more times so that you have three craft stick triangles.
3 Tape together two of the triangles along one edge. This allows the triangle pair to open like a book.
4 Open the triangle pair to a 60-degree angle and slide the third triangle into the opening perpendicularly. Rest the third triangle flat against the table as you insert it between the other two. Tape the triangles together at all abutting sides.
5 Place a singular craft stick into the corner where all of the triangles meet and tape it into place so that the craft stick rests at a 120-degree angle.
6 Wrap a rubber band around the craft stick and the top of the triangular structure.
7 Tape a small paper cup, bottom down, onto the end of the singular craft stick. Place an object into the paper cup. When you pull it back and release it, the object flies across the room.

In medieval wars, the catapult was one of the great equalizers when enemy forces locked themselves inside castle walls. Able to hurl stones over high castle walls, a catapult provided an early means of bombarding a town or fortress. You can build a working small-scale catapult model to add to your home arsenal.

Instructions

1 Cut two balsa wood blocks to 5 inches long and two others to 6 inches long. Lay them in a square. Tap two nails into each corner to secure the parts. This is the catapult base.
2 Stand two 6-inch balsa blocks vertically on one side of the catapult base. Hammer two nails through the bottom of the base and into each vertical block. Brace the free ends of the two vertical blocks by adding another horizontal block between them. Hammer two nails into each joint where the blocks meet. This will be the catapult front.
3 Cut a dowel to fit between the two vertical beams of the catapult front. Set it between the beams, about halfway between top and bottom, and secure it with one nail through the center of each end. This is the catapult pivot.
4 Cut two 5-inch balsa blocks. Use the whittling knife to cut the block ends to 45-degree angles. Fit the blocks on the catapult sides so that they brace the catapult front's vertical beams. The braces should be at approximately 45 degrees. Hammer two nails into each end of both braces.
5 Cut a 7-inch balsa wood block. Whittle a concave "cup" into one end of the block. Hammer a nail into the block just in front of the cup. Use the needle-nose pliers to bend the nail into a hook shape, pointing toward the cup. This is the catapult arm.
6 Attach the catapult arm to the pivot on the front of the catapult with a nail. Loop a rubber band around the front's top brace, then attach the other end to the hook on the catapult arm. You should be able to pull the arm down and launch a marble or similar small objects.

Creating small catapults is an exotic hobby that many people enjoy. Use these catapults to play a game. This one requires three dart boards and marshmallows. The goal is to score points by launching the marshmallows at three dart boards. The dart board farthest away will be worth five points. The closest dart board will be worth one point. The middle dart board will be worth three points. You must score exactly 21 points. Go over by any amount and you will automatically go back to having 14 points. Each player fires twice per turn.

Instructions

1 Place a dart board 15 feet away.
2 Set up another dart board 10 feet away.
3 Place a third dart board five feet away.
4 Place a marshmallow in your miniature catapult and fire it at the dart boards.