How to Make a Catapult

Catapults come in sizes ranging from small hand-held to large sophisicated models.

Making a catapult is a scalable undertaking that can be adapted to suit any age group. You can erect big, elaborate catapults that can propel large objects, or you can build small toy models that can toss paper and other non-injurious objects. The makings of a catapult can include a wide range of materials: sticks, hard plastic, and metal are just a few possibilities. You can also make a small-scale catapult, using Popsicle sticks and rubber bands, that is capable of tossing lightweight objects. This basic catapult takes only a few minutes to construct.

Things You'll Need

• 20 Popsicle sticks
• Wide masking tape
• Scissors
• Rubber band
• Plastic bottle cap
• Sharp knife with a point

Instructions

1. Make the base for the catapult. Place a piece of masking tape with the sticky side up on a flat surface. Put two Popsicle sticks end to end on top of the tape. Lay a third stick on the center of the two Popsicle sticks, so that it overlaps half of each of the other two sticks, and wrap them together with the tape.

2. Repeat step one until you have five of the taped-together sticks.

3. Lay out three of the taped together sticks end to end in a straight line. Wrap tape around the ends of the first and second sticks and the second and third sticks, to join them.

4. Fold the three sticks, at the points where they are joined, to put them into the shape of a triangle. Wrap tape around the two extreme ends to secure the triangle. You have one complete triangle.

5. Lay out two of the taped-together sticks, end to end, in a straight line. Wrap tape around the ends of the sticks. Angle these taped-together sticks, at the point where they are taped, about 60 degrees, which is enough of an angle to form one corner of an equilateral triangle. Tape one end of the two sticks to one corner of the triangle that forms the base. Repeat this with the other end of the angled stick. You now have one upright triangle and a flat, horizontal triangle that share a common side.

6. Cut one Popsicle stick in half. Prop up your upright triangle so the base of the catapult can stand freely. Do this by taping a half stick between one side of the bottom triangle and one side of the upright triangle. Repeat with the other half stick on the other side. Your catapult base should look like an upright triangle joined to a flat triangle base with a stick on each side to prop it up.

7. Cut two rubber bands in half. Take three pieces of the rubber band and tie one to the bottom stick and one to each side stick. Form the knot in such a way that it is secure.

8. Poke three equidistant holes in a bottle cap. Insert one end of a rubber band into the hole and pull the band up and tie a strong knot. Repeat this step for the other two holes in the cap with the other two rubber bands. The cap is in the center of the rubber bands.

9. Place a safe object in the bottle cap and pull the cap towards you and let the object go.

References

• Stormthecastle.com: How To Build A Catapult -A Popsicle Stick Catapult-
• Howtomakecatapults.com: How to make catapults