Trebuchet Trouble: A Miniature Pioneering Project

The 18″ trebuchet the scouts of the 17th are working on creating.

What do the Pathfinders at the 17th Black Bears think sounds fun? Pioneering and Medieval Warfare of course! So, scoutmaster Richard Sowdon has been working on creating kits for every scout to work on these important skills!

As part of their distance scouting program this fall, the Pathfinder scouts of the 17th will be given kits and directions to create their own trebuchets, designed to launch a ping pong ball. The knots, lashings, and skills needed for this, are the same as would be needed for making a full-sized trebuchet, just in a portable size.   All the scouts will hopefully be able to participate in zoom calls that will allow them to ask questions and get instructions and help both from Richard and each other.

What is next for the Black Bears?

Hopefully, a socially distanced ping pong ball WAR! What else would you do with 18″ tall trebuchets?

And After that?

Richard has also spent the last few months creating full-sized spars that the scouts can use to create a 8 foot tall trebuchet! Taking the skills they learn with the miniature version and applying them to a full-sized pioneering kit is the ultimate goal. We hope to be able to bring you updates on how that goes!

Trebuchet Directions

Get the instructions HERE for how to make this 18″ tall trebuchet! Complete with an appendix full of directions showing how to tie the knots and create the lashings.