Page 13 - HIWT Spring 2015 World of Welding

Halloween, I always effects it had on the
dedicate some class other variables of the
time to show the trebuchet. Also, all of
Welding students the other trebuchets
an episode of the at the competition
competition. I find all were made of wood.
of the engineering and Since we had the only
fabrication of these metal trebuchet, it
pumpkin throwing showed the students,
machines to be firsthand, that they can
fascinating and I want do something that a lot
to show the students of other people can’t
some engineering/ do! This experience
fabrication that is kind was a great eye opener
of “outside the box”. that was relevant, fun
and proved that hard
In mid-September of work and the dedication
the 2013/14 school spent learning the
year, I received an Brad DeMont and 2014/2015 Welding Students welding and fabrication
email regarding a high trade has its rewards!
school trebuchet contest that was open to any STEM (Science, Not only does this project highlight our outstanding program at
Technology, Engineering, & Math) program in Ohio. I asked the DACC, but it will be a project that the students will never forget!
students if they would like to enter and they hopped at the chance.
Be sure to check out DACC Welding Lab Facebook page that
Last year, we built a Whipper Trebuchet. The whipper is built so highlights all of the stories mentioned above, including pictures,
the counter weight drops over an axel, which in turn spins the axel, videos, etc. www.facebook.com/DACC.welding
“whipping” the projectile a full 360 degrees prior to launching. Our
furthest launch was a competition record at 323 feet (over a football
field!) for throwing a 4 pound pumpkin. We ended up winning the
Show your
all-state contest, almost doubling the distance of the second place Student ID for
winner. The contest was held at Pickerington Central high school 10% Discount!
and had 18 student built trebuchets entered in the competition.

This school year, the students decided they wanted to go a different
route and build a completely different design of trebuchet. They Celebrating 95 Years In the Miami Valley
opted for a Floating Arm Trebuchet. They knew they had big shoes
to fill since we won the event last year. The students did research Your Complete, One Stop
on the design, figured out measurements, made blueprints and
started fabricating. We ended up with a trebuchet that stood over Welding Supply Center
10 feet tall and 10 feet long. Most of the metal was 2 ½” by 2 ½”
square tubing and GMAW was used for the majority of the project. Five Locations to Serve you Better:

At the competition, the first round throw of a four pound pumpkin Moraine Richmond, IN Fairfield
was a disappointing 220’. After a slight modification, the second Sandridge Dr. 5 East Main St. 3225 Profit Dr.
throw was a new competition record of 467’! The last throw, we 937-222-8312 765-966-9353 513-874-9353
had about 900 pounds of counterweight and threw the pumpkin Piqua Springfield
literally out of the playing field and into the woods just outside 8598 Industry Pk. Dr. 403 W. Columbia Ave.
of the competition area. They measured our final throw at 567’! 937-778-9353 937-323-6408
That’s almost two football fields! Once again, we took first place
and won back-to-back championships at the all-state competition.
(The farthest throw by another school was 245’). Open 7:30-5:00 M-F & 8:00 - Noon Saturday
Can’t Come In:
I personally love competing in these types of contests against Call in your order and we will ship it UPS!
other schools because it shows the students that anything is
possible! We incorporated geometry and physics in order to find 1-800-526-9353 or
out the correct angles and ideal launching paths of the pumpkin. www.weilerwelding.com
We also calculated how much counterweight we needed and the

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