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Rhode Island

CALL ME CRAZY BUT FOR SEVERAL YEARS I HAVE WANTED TO BUILD A PUMPKIN CATAPULT IN SIMILAR FASHION TO THOSE " PUNKIN CHUNKIN " TYPES WE HAVE SEEN IN COMPETITION

ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING I WANTED TO USE THE CATAPULT IN COMPETITION ,AS A FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR ANY ONE OF SEVERAL NEEDY ORGANIZATIONS

AND, INSTEAD OF CHUCKING FIELD PUMPKINS I WOULD HURL PIECES OF ONE OR MORE OF OUR EARLY AG CULLS ( LIKE I SAID EARLIER CULL ME CRAZY )

IN THE NEW ENGLAND AREA ALONE THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PUMPKIN CLUBS THAT COULD BUILD ONE TO REPRESENT THEIR CLUB
A COMPETITION COULD BE HELD IN EITHER LATE JUNE OR EARLY JULY WHEN CULLS ARE PLENTIFUL
CULLS COULD BE CUT INTO SAY FIVE LB PIECES AND FIRED AT A BUNCH OF WOODEN TARGETS
I WOULD CHARGE A ENTRANCE FEE , LOOK FOR A SPONSOR, SELL SOME HOT DOGS AND SODA, PLUS THE TOP TWO OR THREE FINISHERS WOULD RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF CRAZY LOOKING AWARD

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER ALL PROCEEDS WOULD GO TO A LOCAL CHARITY BUT THE PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MEDIA ATTENTION WOULD GO TO EACH CLUB

I BUILT MINE WITH SOME PRESSURE TREATED TWO BY FOURS, FOUR GARAGE DOOR SPRINGS, A MANUAL WINCH, AND A LOT OF WOOD SCREWS, I/2 INCH NUTS BOLTS AND EYELETS

I ATTACHED A WHEEL BARREL WHEEL ON THE FRONT, AND GOT AN OLD TRAILER AXEL AND TWO FOURTEEN INCH TIRES AND RIMS ON THE BACK
ITS PAINTED " OF COURSE " ORANGE AND GREEN AND IM THINKING OF CALLING HER " THE CULLINATOR "

I HAVE NOT FIRED IT YET SO BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS I COULD BE IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM SOMEWHERE

IF ANY OF YOU NEW ENGLAND GROWERS OR CLUBS WANT TO PUT THIS EVENT TOGETHER WITH ME ID BE GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU

WE COULD WORK OUT THE DETAILS AND LOCATION IF ENOUGH INTEREST IS SHOWN ( RIGHT NOW IM THINKING IT COULD BE HELD AT OUR FRERICHS FARM WEIGHOFF LOCATION IN WARREN RI )
LOTS OF ROOM AND THE OWNER HAS MENTIONED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CATAPULT AT HIS FARM

YOURS IN PIECES

PAP

3/3/2005 5:47:09 AM

[email protected]

This sounds like a great idea! If the CT GS&PGA are in then we'd need to trailer ours to RI. There is no way we'd get away with firing a catapult at Penfield. LOL

Are we proposing an open category on design?

3/3/2005 7:14:11 AM

Somers, CT

I think the 5000 ft range air cannon may do it.

3/3/2005 8:02:08 AM

Somers, CT

There is a farm in S.Windsor, CT that has one. They use it in the fall. It is quite the attraction. I may have to take a ride.

3/3/2005 8:04:45 AM

That State Up North

What if some crazy loon shows up from Ohio with a giant pumpkin launching device? Can we come in and compete with you new england boys? Better keep an eye on your western boarder, there is some heavy artillery out here.


Nic Welty

3/3/2005 11:20:39 AM

Webster, NY

There is a local farm market that has one. They don't chuck AG's but smaller, maybe 20 lbers. You give them $5 and get 3 shots at an old car. Hit the car and win a prize. All proceeds go to charity. It's great fun and they always to a good business. Good luck with it.

Dave

3/3/2005 2:22:15 PM

Hobbiton New Zealand

I got given a catapult of the movie set of Zena warrior princess with a bit of adjusting and tweeking I had pineapples flying a bit short of a hundred meters will put up a photo next time im am in auckland as it is on a friends place at the moment

3/3/2005 2:32:31 PM

Western NY

DARKY - that is so cool. getting Lucy Lawless would have been better, but i'd still like a catapult for my backyard.

3/3/2005 2:39:03 PM

Rhode Island

nic
i could never compete with the big boys because i mainly built this for fun and possibly a charity fundraiser as i had mentioned
i doubt this would throw pumpkins the distance the ohio boys are accustomed to

steve
it would be good if your club built one and joined in the fun
if we all used four garage door springs we would pretty much have equal power for target practice or charity
competition

rob t
if we had an air cannon it might clear the entire state of ri and end up in steve jepsons back yard

3/3/2005 3:07:59 PM

Long Island,New York

My friend built a trebuchet last fall and we took third at a local event...trebuchet, catapult, air cannon all different things with different abilities....which will it be?

3/3/2005 3:32:18 PM

Nic, why don't you hook up with Tom and Kelly? They could probably provide a stolen army HumVee to transport the catapult on.

3/3/2005 3:37:26 PM

[email protected]

Andy, you cant say that anymore, you are nearly married! lol..

3/3/2005 6:01:03 PM

Western NY

ha ha! yeah, well, lucy has been married a few years anyway.

3/3/2005 8:33:58 PM

Butler, Ohio

Hey Nic, sounds like a great Idea to me. That would be pretty wild.

3/3/2005 8:54:02 PM

Indiana

SHHHHHH Brigitte!

No chatter on the bandwidth

3/4/2005 12:20:00 AM

C N Y

the original post here was hiarious, and
i'd prefer Zena's little blonde buddy instead. lol.

3/5/2005 12:40:45 AM

[email protected]

Dick & I had a very constructive sonversation about this. I think we both agree this would be a fun crowd pleaser. Especially tied to a summer picnic for chucking culls.

A weigh-off might be time for even smaller catapults (not larger) where the emphasis could be on accuracy rather than distance. This chucking the smallest pepos (3-5lb), Jack-Be-Littles, or even apples into a field target for small prizes would keep children distracted along the ideas of the balloon clown or face painters we see at fall events & fairs now.

Personally I am in awe of anyone who can launch a pumpkin nearly a mile. But as a crowd pleaser I think that flights under 100 yards would provide better entertainment value. Seeing a 10-15 pounder smash on impact with guts & seeds flying all over is much better than having to use radios or golf carts to determine the winner.

Maybe if we capped the weight of the lauching device or the money spent building it we could properly handicap the teams without stifling the sense or creative genius we clearly all possess. HAHAHA!

3/5/2005 8:56:17 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Yikes! http://www.worldchampionshippunkinchunkin.com...

3/5/2005 9:29:12 AM

Waquoit Mass

i know warren cole had mentioned this idea years ago im sure he would be interested.

3/5/2005 10:46:56 AM