To travel to different chunkin' locations, we need to pack the system down onto our trailer. Deploying from the folded up position is challenging and time consuming, taking a day and a half at the 2002 chunk. This year at the 2003 Punkin Chunk, we were done in about 4 hours.

Our regular traveling configuration totals out at 17300 pounds hauled by Roger's friendly diesel truck. Our ballista cannot travel in firing configuration as many trebuchets do. The rope bundles are positioned over the wheels to balance the trailer. We had built the trailer ourselves and this was the first serious trip they went on. Everyone on the team was impressed by how smoothly a 7300 lb ballista cruises down the highway.

The first order of business is to deploy the rope bundles. To do this, we use the winch to drag them to the front of the Scapus. A specially mounted pulley there lets us pull the bundles in any direction we choose. The winch we use is the same one we use for pullback when operating the machine.

Here is an image from earlier in the season showing the pulley. The drawback winch at the tail of the scapus runs under the scapus (over another pulley) and around the nose pulley, and up to the rope bundles. This lets us drag the bundles forward with ease.

Next, a come-along is used on the tail of the bundle assembly to start tipping it upright into position. Once the heavy lower scutula's start swinging down, it becomes very easy for two of us to lift it.

Before we get too carried away, we hook up the winch cable to the top so we can raise it slowly into position. As it tips the final moment over, it goes Kathump. A frightful event if you are standing nearby.

After the bundles plunk in place, we start adding the transverse regulae. This is one of the more time consuming tasks in raw assembly. The longest piece is still quite heavy, and has to be carried and bolted into place.

Deployment Time Lapse Video

MetaCafe Video Service Mista Balista - A Modern, Steel And Compoisite, Full Sized, Anc Video

Information: Mista Ballista is a modern adaptation of a 4,500 year old Greek war machine. Resembling a giant crossbow, the arms of the bow are 30 feet (10 m) tip to tip. With a winch, the bowstring is pulled back 20 feet (6m) with a strength of 3.5 tons. A hydraulic system raises the machine to best firing angle, and the ammo is loosed. In 60X time lapse, you will see it transformed from 4 tons of steel, folded flat, packed for travel on its integral trailer, to in battery, ready to fire. Then, in real time, see it take out a wall of pallets at 80 yds (75m). with a single 17lb (8kg) stone. The machine was built from 99.98% (by weight) post consumer recycled materials (aka: scrap steel), fired, and rebuilt by Team Tormentum. It can be seen in action, live at the annual world champion "Punkin Chunkin" event, held in the US state of Deleware. Background music is a concert recording of a 17th century battle piece "L'homme Arme" (the armed man), arranged for consort of viols and lute, and performed by the Boston based El Dorado Ensemble - Its full of martial calls, battle noises, and assorted heroics.