The first finnish made Scorpio- Complete!

[JVL]

Ich kann auch deutsch sprechen(und vier unterschiedliche Sprache) und jetzt muss ich sagen, dass die Link nicht funktioniert. Können Sie einen anderen Photo auf Ihre Scorpio posten?

I don't know if it's written correctly, but I just wanted to say that the link doesn't seem to be working, so could you send another photo, I'd very much like to see your scorpio!

[Marcus Iulius Chattus]

Sorry, mistake in writing
www.vindeliker-kohorte.de/Veranstaltungen07/grkr/10.jpg

It´s a reconstruction from trajans column, and after some modifications and rebuilding called "Scorpio 9.0" :lol: :lol: :lol:

[brennivs - tony drake]

The bolt length may be to long there is an optimum length for each machine, we made bolts of different lengths to see how they work.At the moment I dont have our size at hand but if they are too long or short you do not get the same preformance. I know of machines made like this that the bolt has hit the inner frame, with the bolt flying around the artillary crew It might be worth making the bolts various lengths because the fireing range will have a vast difference in range and power.
Regards Brennivs

[JVL]

Most excellent catapulta you got there, Marcus!

About the bolt lenght issue- I have now bought six metres of 18mm round pine stick which should make a whole bunch of bolts of different lenghts to test. I've got a problem though- my steel tip is too heavy and it makes the bolts poorly balanced, making them to drop faster than they should... has anyone got references on how to make proper steel tips for the bolts? Would the choice of wood used affect the performance of one type of bolt?

[brennivs - tony drake]

Your shafts are too thin they need to be wider at the flight end I have the dimentions of the Dura find, Ill post if I can put my hand on them,Ha Ha found as I write D
Regards Brennivs

[Marcus Iulius Chattus]

We have bolts with the measurements from the Dura-Europos Bolts! They work really good, but we don´t use them with not more than half power. Even with half power, we receive ranges from about 150m!

[Titus Petronicus Graccus]

I'm no expert but it looks very good to me.
Laudes to you friend.
Keep up the good work, the lorica looks like it's coming along nicely too!

[Matt Lukes]

That's totally cool Juuso- I've wanted to build one of those myself for a couple of years now, but just haven't had the opportunity. Every time I see another excellent recreation it just pushes me more and more :wink: I'll be very curious to hear how it shoots once it's done

[P. Clodius Secundus]

Juuso, very nice work. Thanks for keeping us posted on your progress. Marcus, please post more on your iron-framer. I think we have a new leader in the "looks-like-Trajan's" category. I especially like that you've included the wider arch and kambestria covers. Is the arch "I" shaped in section? It really looks great. That's the first reconstruction I've seen with that included. I'm still undedcided whether to use that or two bars, one over the other. Did you find any evidence of the Romans using I-beams elsewhere? That would help me make up my mind. Also, are you planning to build an actual carrus as on Trajan's, or are you staying with the ballista-with-wheels design? Please don't be offended. It's just that you've come so far in faithfully reproducing what is seen on Trajan's that I'd love to see how it looks and functions if you go the last steps. Adding wheels to the base is the most common solution, but I fear that it is an anachronism. I have searched on my own and asked in this forum for evidence that it was done, but have found nothing. The only period sources I know of (Trajan's and Marcus Aurelius) both show more traditional mule carts with the ballista base set inside the bed.
Regards,
Randi R.

[JVL]

There's only a slight problem to fit the Dura- Europos bolts on my machine: the slider hasn't got wide enough gap to fit such a big bolt- it would get stuck on the frame! :lol: Are there any other types of bolts found- any smaller kind from the Caesar's wars era?

My scorpio hasn't got that much power when compared to other reconstructions- I think... but I haven't tested yet so I couldn't know... I'm expecting a distance of maybe +200 meters. My other projects include: The Newstead armour- and something that I can't show on this forum( it doesn't include romans)- a steel prod crossbow with a windlass system for spanning it- medieval desing.

How much is one dactyl in centimeters?

A photo of my Newstead:

[brennivs - tony drake]

JVL what I forgot to mention :oops: was to use the the general size of the bolt and scale it down so it can fit your machine The design of the way the bolt is made will help to stop the bolt being tip heavy and if the tip cannot fit the end then maybe you need to make smaller bolt heads.
Regards Brennivs

[JVL]

Oh, now I got it!

Do you have drawings of the bolt?

[maius]

WOW! Great job! Laudes.

Maius/Bill

[P. Clodius Secundus]

Sorry, mistake in writing
www.vindeliker-kohorte.de/Veranstaltungen07/grkr/10.jpg

It´s a reconstruction from trajans column, and after some modifications and rebuilding called "Scorpio 9.0" :lol: :lol: :lol:

Marcus,
I liked your ballista photo so much I couldn't resist PhotoShopping it into Trajan's. It looks pretty darn close to me. wink: If you have a more direct frontal photo it would look even better.
Regards,
Randi R.

[Marcus Iulius Chattus]

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.