How to Make a Catapult Release

Make a catapult release using wooden craft sticks and pencils.

Catapults are mechanisms originally used to tear down the walls of castles during the Middle Ages. The manual machines were built to spring objects long distances. Today, children and adults build catapults to send objects through the air for fun. Everything from water balloons to rocks are thrown for recreational purposes. Because the catapult and the catapult release go hand-in-hand, you'll need to create the catapult base before creating the release.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Masking or electrical tape
• Ruler
• Pencil
• 10 wooden craft sticks
• Rubber band
• Small paper cup or box

Instructions

Making the Catapult Base

1. Gather 11 wooden craft sticks. Cut with scissors to create three pieces that are 2 inches long, six that are 4 inches long, one that's 3 inches long and one that's 4 inches long.

2. Form a long stick by taping a 4-inch stick to a 2-inch stick. Add another 4-inch stick and a 2-inch stick to the end. Wrap tape around the sticks several times.

3. Bend the long stick you formed at each tape mark to form a rectangle and tape the open corner of the rectangle closed.

4. Place a 2-inch stick on the inside of one of the 2-inch sides of the rectangle. Tape the inner stick to the outer 2-inch stick by wrapping the sticks together with tape. Leave a space at the middle of the sticks untaped so there's a small slot between the two sticks. Set the rectangle aside.

5. Tape two 4-inch sticks together so they're parallel. Tape two more 4-inch sticks together so they're parallel. Wrap the tape around several times for a secure hold.

6. Tape the two sets of 4-inch sticks long ways onto the base of the rectangle, so there's an open space at the middle of the base.

Making the Catapult Release

1. Cut open a rubber band so it's flat and tape one end of the rubber band to one end of a 3-inch stick. Wrap tape around the the rubber band and stick plenty of times to get a secure hold.

2. Place the opposite end of the rubber band stick into the untaped slit on the rectangle base.

3. Place a 2-inch piece of tape - sticky side down on a table. Place three more 2-inch pieces of tape on top of the first piece to form a four-layer piece of tape. Remove the tape from the table and cut the tape in half length wise so you now have two 2-inch layered pieces of tape. These will act as the hinges.

4. Tape one of the hinges to the only remaining 4-inch stick. The hinge should be taped to the flat end of the stick so it's halfway on the stick and half way hanging over the stick. Tape the other hinge to the opposite flat side of the 4-inch stick in the same manner. This forms the catapult arm.

5. Place the catapult arm onto the open middle section of the rectangle base, so the tape portion of the catapult arm is upright against the rubber-band stick. Securely wrap tape around the tape piece of the catapult arm and the rubber-band stick to hold the two together. You should be able to move the catapult arm up and down.

6. Move the catapult arm up so that it is at a 45-degree angle and reaches the end of the rubber band. Tape the rubber band to the catapult arm.

7. Tape a small paper cup or small paper box to the top of the catapult arm for placing objects to catapult. To catapult an object, simply spring the catapult arm down with your finger and watch the object fly.

References

• Storm the Castle: How to Build a Catapult
• Ikatbag: How to Build a Catapult
• Storm the Castle: Make the Teeny-Tiny Catapult