![]() You can just as easily substitute a toothpick for that task. It made quick assembly and dis-assembly easier. I only used it as a temporary way to hold the Beam throwing arm into the frame while I measured the length needed for the Counterweight. TEMPORARY AXLE ROD (Optional) As a note, the smaller diameter red straw isn't required. That could be my imagination but they seem too have the perfect amount of flex. They also seem to be a little bit more malleable. They have a yellow and red color band which helps you stay orientated when cutting. As I've mentioned in other projects, the McDonalds straws have a few advantages. All of the straws used in this project were from McDonalds except for one smaller diameter red straw I sourced from Carls Jr. If you do, you'll be able to accommodate a longer Beam throwing arm and Swinging Bucket Counterweight. If you are lucky enough to have closer to 45 straws, consider building a slightly wider Base and much taller Frame. I hadn't bothered to sketch out a design before building and made a bunch of mistakes along the way. STRAWS You will need about 35 straws to complete this project. So, intrepid straw builders, let's start building this fast food siege weapon for the zombie apocalypse. It's only slightly more difficult then the mechanical hand because of the need to ensure a bit of frame symmetry. On a scale of 1 to 10 for difficulty, I would rate this at about a 6 and the mechanical hand at about a 5. You'll still want to use common sense and never direct it towards another person. ![]() It would be nearly impossible for this to hurt someone making it the ideal way to explore the mechanics of a Trebuchet without an ambulance on stand-bye. One major plus is that this device is relatively safe to study and operate with your kids. ![]() If you have a science fair project due in two days and you have no budget, this might be perfect. If you want to build a Trebuchet that can launch a piano or pumpkin, this project is not for you. It doesn't use a tension system but rather a counterweight. If you don't already know, a Trebuchet is a specific class of catapult. A simple Internet search will fill your screen with countless variations of catapults and Trebuchets. The world certainly doesn't need another Trebuchet. I just couldn't resist the engineering challenge. Yes, I am fully aware that this project is completely ridiculous. When complete, just add rocks or spit wads. Let's see if we can replicate some of its basic functionality using nothing more than fast food straws. During the Middle Ages, a Trebuchet was the ultimate siege weapon.
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