After the near fatal accident during the last aired “Punkin Chunkin” event, it hasn’t been held since (insurance too high). Several smaller events are held at other locations around the country, and I’m sure that several ‘amateur chunkers’ are still pursuing the perfect launcher.
A long time ago it was an annual competition for the engineering department where I got my undergrad degree, to have the students build catapults of various styles and fling beer kegs. Being students, it was of course their sacred duty to empty the beer kegs first, then fling them.
B.C. is long on humor but a little short on the technology of trebuchets. The long bed and the sling for the projectile are missing. About four years ago, I got to see a full-size trebuchet in action, flinging pumpkins up to about 100 yards. My grandson and I also built a table-top size one from a kit a few years ago. I was impressed that he quickly learned the proper name for it and was able to make it work fairly well.
Got to say – launching pumpkins and watermelon with a trebuchet and firing off potatoes with a potato gun was about as visceral a weekend as I can remember.
Amazing what those molecular fabricators and optical educators can do for them in this very hot and sunny future after regular humanity has mostly died out. Except at the poles and in orbit.
eromlig about 4 years ago
Isn’t that how Gallagher got his start?
jagedlo about 4 years ago
Men In Tights Stealth Catapult…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDyZp-F3hEQ
I Mad Am I about 4 years ago
October is well on its way! It is the time of the year we have powered air cannons. These monsters are set to crush cars!!!
LeftCoastKen Premium Member about 4 years ago
Watermelons … or pumpkins. Or, if you’re Monty Python, cows?
Farside99 about 4 years ago
I love to watch Punkin Chunkin’.
pschearer Premium Member about 4 years ago
And pianos. Don’t forget pianos.
hariseldon59 about 4 years ago
Back in his younger years, David Letterman had a recurring segment where he would drop watermelons and other things off a five story tower.
guy42 about 4 years ago
The nuclear weapon of the middle ages, and later.
BigDaveGlass about 4 years ago
Sooner or later, someone will sit on it…..
ccnrob about 4 years ago
Monty Python used it to launch cows.
sandpiper about 4 years ago
Now, if he’d said pianos, I wouldn’t have believed it. But then . . .
kenshively about 4 years ago
Have you ever been hit by a flying watermelon. SPLAT…
jpayne4040 about 4 years ago
Imagine the pranks you could play with that.
mrcooncat about 4 years ago
After the near fatal accident during the last aired “Punkin Chunkin” event, it hasn’t been held since (insurance too high). Several smaller events are held at other locations around the country, and I’m sure that several ‘amateur chunkers’ are still pursuing the perfect launcher.
lars_doyle about 4 years ago
I never realized cavemen spoke French. Learn something new every day.
Technicholls about 4 years ago
Like Gallagher.
clacou about 4 years ago
Every time a new weapon is invented, someone says “this will make war impossible”…
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member about 4 years ago
Once you get tired of launching watermelons and cows you can head over to Id and show Rodney and the FINK your new toy.
Wizard of Ahz-no relation about 4 years ago
once i can get it over the plate they’ll never stop my fast ball
Amra Leo about 4 years ago
And fruitcake!
assrdood about 4 years ago
Just saw a YouTube vid about a squirrel catapult.
heathcliff2 about 4 years ago
Fun is fun. Anarchy is anarchy. If you like war do as Action Steve, pal with Fanatic Anarchist Vlad.
Zebrastripes about 4 years ago
A cauldron of hot oil is coming….
cubswin2016 about 4 years ago
Wile E. Coyote showed us how dangerous catapults can be.
wes tnt about 4 years ago
remote seeding?
Plods with ...™ about 4 years ago
Punkin’ Chunkin’!
ComicsBinger Premium Member about 4 years ago
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1a/Big_10_Inch_-World_Record_Moab_Shot.JPG/220px-Big_10_Inch_-_World_Record_MoabShot.JPG
zeexenon about 4 years ago
I’ve watched several, but prefer my potato cannon. On second thought, my Wrist Rocket to shoot cherry bombs was fun too.
42ntson about 4 years ago
chunkin punkins
timinwsac Premium Member about 4 years ago
Is that legal to possess in california?
RobertaPyle about 4 years ago
Time for punkin chukin’
Bruce1253 about 4 years ago
A long time ago it was an annual competition for the engineering department where I got my undergrad degree, to have the students build catapults of various styles and fling beer kegs. Being students, it was of course their sacred duty to empty the beer kegs first, then fling them.
DCBakerEsq about 4 years ago
Cat launcher.
Troglodyte about 4 years ago
He should just put up an “Out to launch” sign and leave.
WhoDat about 4 years ago
And that’s how punkin’ chunkin’ started in DE…
Billy Yank about 4 years ago
B.C. is long on humor but a little short on the technology of trebuchets. The long bed and the sling for the projectile are missing. About four years ago, I got to see a full-size trebuchet in action, flinging pumpkins up to about 100 yards. My grandson and I also built a table-top size one from a kit a few years ago. I was impressed that he quickly learned the proper name for it and was able to make it work fairly well.
Thinkingblade about 4 years ago
Got to say – launching pumpkins and watermelon with a trebuchet and firing off potatoes with a potato gun was about as visceral a weekend as I can remember.
WCraft Premium Member about 4 years ago
I hate it when they run out of cows …
BlueKnight1966 about 4 years ago
Chunkin’ Punkin’s!
JenSolo02 about 4 years ago
Okay, but no castles yet, not even mot and bailey. Pumpkin chunkin’ is fun though….
dflak about 4 years ago
Trebuchet: the weapon of choice for geeks.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] about 4 years ago
Amazing what those molecular fabricators and optical educators can do for them in this very hot and sunny future after regular humanity has mostly died out. Except at the poles and in orbit.
falcon_370f about 4 years ago
Wasn’t it called “pumpkin” chucking?
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace about 4 years ago
Tools are what their users use them for.
DelWatts about 4 years ago
There is a guy with a TV future on the Discovery Channel