I can't find any plans online to build a decent one though. Anyone know of a website, or anything? Books?
I want to build a fairly large one as well, ie 2-300 feet is attainable.
Anyone?

You mean an authentic one, or a modern equivalent?

We're still waiting for somebody to rip the leaf springs from underneath a 16 weeler and make a crossbow that shoots rebar.
Think you're up for it?

Preferably an authentic one. Give me plans for the rebar crossbow, and I may look into building it though.

Building would include designing ;)

Well, I suggest you also hit up W&C and/or the DIY forums.
I'm sure somebody around here will know something usefull, but this specific subject isn't our main focus.

But this should give you the main idea:
http://blog.arlt.co.uk/blog/ErmineStreetGuard/_archives/2004/7/20/108792.html

*Sigh* I know it includes designing, but I only like the building part :(
Thanks, though.

[QUOTE=Mokothar;9527721 a crossbow that shoots rebar.
[/QUOTE]



OMG that would be sooo cool!

:D

We're still waiting for somebody to rip the leaf springs from underneath a 16 weeler and make a crossbow that shoots rebar.

I now know how I'm spending my spring break, thank you man.

I could probably get leaf springs, rebar, and angled pipe for the crossbow, but i dont have access to a welder so im SOL.

holy hell

just imagine rolling downtown in a Warcraft type ballista shooting giant wood-painted rebar into the sides of buildings.

christ

i want a ballista now :(

edit: i remember when i was 10-12 i always had a fascination with building small cars/tanks/catapults and i always drew up crude drawings but they still WERE to scale or atleast had the scales with them. never had the angles of course but whaddaya expect from a 10 yr old? shit i managed to plan out the inside, outside, everything in the best detail i could express. isnt that hard as long as you think it through.

I think I remember reading something you might find useful in "Siege - Castles At War".

And, just to keep you on track, here's a clip I think you'll like, check out the impact crater. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jolYDinb_50&feature=related):D

Here's link another link you might like (http://www.siege-engine.com/MistaBallista.shtml), lots of pics, including during construction.

When I get around to it, I might post some pics of a couple of siege engines I built while getting drunk at a bar, using only materials I could find in my pockets, and in said bar - an American that shows up once in a while said I should call the dicipline "Bar Ballistics", maybe it's worth a thread one day.

Trebuchets and crossbows are more my thing though, but I hope the links help. :)

EDIT: It's not impossible that I can give you a few pointers constrution-wise, one of the table top siege engines I built at the bar was a ballista, and I did learn a bit about what kind of forces are at work in those beasts, but I gotta get some sleep now, my gf will get pissed if I'm not ready to rumble in a few hours. :D

Get/look at multiple pictures of ballista's, then mimic them(remember you need alot of strength if your using leaf springs :P). You could probably hire/borrow a welder for cheap, or maybe ask your local school if you can borrow one. I tried to make one once, but i failed :(

wood isnt an option for the bit which holds the spring

It's not a 16 wheeler, but I do have a scrapped hilux in my mate's backyard...

And I have a semester off before uni starts.

Yum.

You'll also want a small winch, like they use on yachts to pull back the bowstring, as there's no way you could cock it by hand.

or make a self-reloading, 1 button does all ballista that's sorta like a repeating crossbow, only with 50kg bolts

some friends of my family had the catapult from Xena sitting in there back yard but it was broken

Damn, a friend of mine put together a trebuchet across my street and it can make it into my backyard. I bet we could pull off the ballista..

AND SO THE RACE BEGINS.

Check this book out, http://www.amazon.com/Art-Catapult-Ballistae-Trebuchets-Artillery/dp/1556525265/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204406775&sr=8-3
I am currently building one of the ballistas in there, and it looks like it will work pretty well.

In case that won't work ^ , http://tinyurl.com/36qhpq

if i can find the spring then i will do this and post a tutorial with lots of pics might take a while though

if you could magically get that 16 wheeler to aus then i'd be happy to rip the springs out(cue oxy torch)

screw the gas axe i prefer to use 16,500 c of plasma for my cutting needs its truly awesome

What about picking up one of those Bowflex home gym machines and using the bow bars? I figure you could probably buy one from some fat lazy suburbanite at a garage sale for pennies on the dollar after he figured out that 5 minutes with it didn't turn him into Hulk Hogan.

It's already got a frame and mounting points and whatnot. You'd just have to kit bash it, add a piece of aircraft cable for the bowstring or something, and add a release mechanism...

Try this site. They have some small kits, don't know about plans

http://www.catapultkits.com

you might be better off getting leaf springs from a pickup truck too? perhaps ones from a bigger truck might not allow for as much difference, since they are meant to hold more weight steadier than regular cars.

besides that shooting rebar would be brutal.