Trebuchet – WIP! After weeks of working on hedges, trees and stone scatter, I wanted to challenge myself with something more precise and mechanical. So I decided to scratchbuild a medieval trebuchet, inspired by both the Lord of the Rings setting and the Games Workshop model.
Working with balsa wood was a new adventure for me. The material is soft and easy to cut, but fragile and sometimes unpredictable — I had to re-cut some parts more than once. You definitely need to learn how to use it properly and in which direction the cuts should go. Still, shaping each beam and frame piece by piece was really enjoyable. Everything is glued with PVA, an obvious choice for this kind of project. Some smaller details were made using Milliput and thin cardboard.
There’s still more to do: I need to add a chain, a sling with a stone, and then move on to painting. I’m curious how the final look will turn out once the weathering and wood tones are layered in.
It feels refreshing to build something “engineered” rather than organic. Terrain pieces like trees and rocks create atmosphere, but war machines bring a different kind of presence to the table — like something epic and heavy is about to happen and you should be prepared for everything.
💬 Question for fellow makers: do you know any good (and cheaper) substitute for balsa wood? I’d love to hear your ideas.
