Can anyone tell me how to construct a ballista or give me some plans or something?


thanks,

mt

i made one once let me see if i can find some pics

http://www.ripcord.ws
its on the right[url][/url]

i forgot how much weight but i think its around 25 to 30 I think. seems like more.

it has no trigger it was in truth a test so i could get the idea of how it worked before i made one big enough to fire spears.

You're right, it's not a ballista. It's known as a torsion trebuchet. A ballista is exactly what DTB's pictures of it show; a giant torsion crossbow, sometimes set on a swivel or universal joint. I want to make one so badly! Maybe when I move out of my parents' house, I'll build the types of tools and weapons I've dreamed of making...

Can a small one match a crossbow? ???

To DtB

Best modern day ballista stuff is polyprolaline(definitely misspelled there) kind of like nylon. Use that for the skein. Surgical tubing is crap- unless you really stretch the heck out of it, by then it wouldnt last very long anyhow. The arms ought to be ash, strong but light- less energy wasted every swing. Baseball bats ought to work for this if you dont have wood available, but shape it down a lot using an axe. You can use pine for the frame, but it would be better if it were stronger.. if you are getting serious into the ballistic stuff. I like my little seige weapons. Hope this helps.

I made a ballista!! And it actually works. Some limbs were cut down in the woods I sling at and I used those. I'll get around to posting some pics sooner or later.