Catapult: DaVinci Catapult

About Da Vinci's Catapult:

• Leonardo da Vinci’s catapult is one of his most fascinating and inventive designs, showcasing his lifelong curiosity about engineering and warfare technology. Unlike traditional catapults that relied on sheer force, Leonardo’s version introduced a sophisticated system of torsion springs and gears, promising a more powerful and controlled release. His sketches reveal a machine both practical and elegant, embodying the Renaissance pursuit of combining art and science. Da Vinci’s catapult reflects his mastery of mechanics and his ability to innovate from existing concepts. His design included a detailed study of kinetic force and precise angles for maximum impact, elements that suggest he aimed to perfect siege weaponry and push the limits of ancient warfare technology.

Assembly:

1. Slot to spring into the dedicated place on the base so the two holes line up.
2. Carefully but firmly insert a strand of filament spool into the holes using pliers.
3. Place the ratchet piece onto the lower hole in the base
4. Separately, insert the catapult arm into the axle so the two holes line up
5. Carefully but firmly insert a strand of filament spool into the holes using pliers.
6. Now place the axle into the base so the ratchet lines up with the gear
7. Finally place the top onto the base making sure the holes all line up correctly

Strings:

To string the design, simply tie a sturdy string to the axle and tie it to one of the springs, make sure that that the string is relatively tight so that even when the bucket is fully down the string won't sag. Repeat this with the other spring and get shooting! I use nylon for my string but you can use almost any other string that will fit through the holes.

Other than that just get printing and DO NOT SHOOT IT INTO YOUR EYES!