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+--- Thread: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! (/showthread.php?tid=11676)
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - P. Clodius Secundus - 02-07-2008
Quote:Thank you very much Randi.
Last year was the first session with the machine as inswinger. The new, shorter arms and the new arm construction increased the range and piercingpower much more against the old outswinger construction. Now, we reached nearly 250m of range.
Marcus,
It is very exciting to hear from someone who has reconfigured their weapon and significantly improved performance. Please post any information you have about the rebuild and results. Other winter projects have delayed work on my ballista but I am determined to have at least a prototype working by the start of the spring campaign season.
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - brennivs - tony drake - 02-07-2008
Will do
Regards Brennivs
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - Marcus Iulius Chattus - 02-07-2008
I don´t know the exact technical datas from our Scorpio (i think, some parts are inspired by the book "Die römischen Katapulte der Saalburg" and the Osprey-Book about the Roman Artillery, but forgot the title), but i ask our Scorpionarius in next time.
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - JVL - 02-10-2008
More info on my progress:
Arms ready, rope inserted into the field frame. All ready for the first shot... it will occur on the following week.
I'm all exited to see it's performance... but I haven't got a name for it. If anyone comes up with something suitable, tell me!
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - D B Campbell - 02-11-2008
Quote:How much is one dactyl in centimeters?16 daktyls in a Greek foot, which varied from about 27cm to 35cm across the Greek world.
Eric Marsden suggested 19.3mm for an average daktyl.
As you probably know, the arrow length should be dictated by your spring diameter -- 9x diameter. If you look at actual finds of probable catapult arrowheads, you'll see that the sockets are a hefty 1.5cm/2cm diameter. With a 50g head, a complete 3-span (70cm) arrow should weigh about 200g.
Quote:the machine weights significantly more than I expected, 50 kg. I expected only 30-40 kgs...Schramm's reconstruction of the Ampurias catapult weighs 60 kg (approx.).
By the way, your woodworking skills look superb!
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - JVL - 03-01-2008
The scorpio is now complete, and I have tested it at approximately half power against different targets, including a lorica(not a real reconstruction, by the way, just an old practice model perfect for target duty!). I still have to make the pins and holes to the underwashers to prevent the modioli from moving and losing tension.
Here's some pictures of the finished scorpio and target test against the lorica:
p.s. I still haven't come up with a good name for the machine...
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - Aurelianus - 03-01-2008
From which distance did you shoot?
.
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - Iagoba - 03-01-2008
Woow!
hock: Great to see that! :wink:
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - M. Demetrius - 03-01-2008
What is the range of your scorpion, compared to the originals? By that I mean, what is the relative power of yours/theirs?
Good visual. That would be bad if you were INSIDE lorica and hit like that. Yikes.
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - Matt Lukes - 03-01-2008
Quote:Here's some pictures of the finished scorpio and target test against the lorica:
p.s. I still haven't come up with a good name for the machine...
OUCH
hock: How thick are the plates that were pierced? That kind of penetration certainly seems to fit with some of the ancient descriptions of the power of the Scorpio I've heard of.
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - JVL - 03-02-2008
Quote:From which distance did you shoot?
The distance was 6-7 meters- which is quite a short range, but that is also the length of the room it was tested in... the scorpio has never been outside my garage for logistical reasons( I don't have a trailer to move it with), and also my neighbours wouldn't like me shooting in the yard... which is by the way not that long either, only 25 meters... so I wouldn't want to shoot my neighbours house with it...
Quote:How thick are the plates that were pierced?
The plates on the "lorica" were only mere 0.5 millimeters thick... but in some points the plates overlapped and so making the thickness 1mm. I also did tests against a 1mm plate, and it went through that easily as well with only half the force available.I'll have to make the pins and holes for the washers so the modioli wouldn't move when tensioned!
Quote:What is the range of your scorpion, compared to the originals? By that I mean, what is the relative power of yours/theirs?
I will have to test the range later when the snow melts and it is warmer so I can go to the 300 meter shooting range to test it. I would however say that the force is roughly half of what it is in a full power reconstruction, about 1100 pounds of pulling force is needed, mainly because the amount of rope isn't as big as in some other reconstructions like for instance Alan Wilkins' scorpio, which I used as a model in some points of construction. It has twice the amount of rope when compared with this one! :?
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - M. Demetrius - 03-02-2008
It will be interesting to see what happens when you test it a longer range, against the armor. Even if the bolt does not penetrate, I'll bet the impact will be horrendous!
I'll elect not to wear the test lorica, either way, although there are those who might want to persuade me otherwise.
If you can get even 100 meters range, the idea will be convincing. I'm guessing that like lofted arrows, by the time they get to a usual target, the power is supplied by gravity, mostly, anyway.
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - AuxArcher - 03-02-2008
Friend, you did a great job on this machine.
As for naming it, that is a very personal choice, and up to you. I named my hand-held scorpio minor "sharp little teeth", inspired by my pug and the size of the machine. The larger 3.5" machine I have in progress too I will name when the inspiration strikes me. Comitatus named their metal framed ballista Constantine, I believe. I know from some experience that soldiers sometimes name their weapons obscene names that may not be family friendly,
I'd like to see some pictures of the machine in progress, specifically how you created the various joints as you assembled the spring frame.
Are the washers welded steel pipe? Or machined?
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - JVL - 03-02-2008
Here is one picture which shows clearly the joints of the spring frame. The joints on the outer stanchions are just straight but the joints for the middle stanchion are made so that they are wider at the front than the rear, so that the middle stanchion cannot move backwards at any point. The joinery was finished with wood glue and some little pieces of plywood to fill the small gaps in the outer stanchions. The joinery on the middle stanchion was so precise that there wasn't any gaps between the holecarriers and the stanchion!
The modioili are made of steel pipe welded to a washer from the topside only so that the modioli have a smooth surface on the pressure bearing surfaces. I think they are strong enough to withstand the forces involved. :?
Re: The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete! - AuxArcher - 03-02-2008
Jusso, thanks for the info I had requested. You should be justifyable proud of this weapon. Now, find some Romans to play with!