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Make Your Own Cardboard Medieval Trebuchet

Do you want to launch a softball 50-60 feet without having to get down and dirty cutting wood, metal, and using power tools? Here’s an easy way to build a fairly sizeable trebuchet out of cardboard and a few other basic materials.

For this project, the components are glued together and assembled with bolts for the axles. A few small pieces of PVC are used to create axle bearings–this could be improved by using skateboard ball bearings instead (side note: it’s crazy that you can now get a single skate bearing for 99 cents). Also, a commenter makes a great point that adding wheels will allow the trebuchet to rock as the counterweight falls, which allows the counterweight to follow a much more efficient linear path and increases the capabilities of the machine.

Hi, I'm Mike. I’m the executive editor of Make: magazine, and host of Discovery channel’s Punkin' Chunkin' and Catch It Keep It, TV shows where I build and explain crazy machines that crush stuff, blow things up, shoot fire, all in the name of science.

I've previously worked at Wired and ReadyMade magazines, writing about how to utilize new technology in our everyday lives.

This site is where I keep a list of instructions for fun projects I've done, am working on, or draw inspiration from. I encourage everyone to get involved — get up and do something!