Amidus Drexel's Alliterative and Awe-Accentuating Anvil of Random Banter CLXXXVI

[Amidus Drexel]

Wouldn't steel work fine? Or is that not enough?

Aye, I think steel is the answer.

A new problem has arisen: Where am I going to get a 15-20ft bar of steel? Hrm...

[Mynxae]

Aye, I think steel is the answer.

A new problem has arisen: Where am I going to get a 15-20ft bar of steel? Hrm...

Perhaps scrap metal from automobiles?

[DraPrime]

We actually have the counterweights (two 500lb metal... weights), it's the throwing arm that we need to get. The last trebuchet had a wooden throwing arm, and it was structurally pretty weak, so we need to make it out of something stronger.

I don't know if lead would work well for the throwing arm or not... lead's kind of soft.

Hmmm, lead would indeed be terrible. Steel would indeed be the better choice. Another possibility would be to make the arm out of some strong wood like oak, but to also reinforce it with pieces of metal. This probably be cheaper than making the arm out of pure steel, while being strong, especially if you do use good wood.

[Coidzor]

I don't know what you're talking about.

The internet machine must be guarded jealously for it is more precious than life itself.

Pffft. It's always Whiskey Season. Get with the program!

Whiskey is nice, but the regular variety just pales in comparison to Bourbon.

We who found it are just men. Not gods. Not giants. Just men. The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, Conan. You must learn its discipline. For no one - no one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts.
*points to sword*
This you can trust.

[Mutant Sheep]

Ah, Conan. What is better than crushing your enemies, seeing them driven before you, and hearing the lamentation of their women? (Answer: All that, in SONG.)

I never did get how they forgot how metal works. And why Arnold thinks underground cave-skeleton is Krom. Who goes to hell as he did not healp hihm.

[Amidus Drexel]

Perhaps scrap metal from automobiles?

You must have some odd cars in Australia, if you can get a 15ft straight steel bar out of them.

Hmmm, lead would indeed be terrible. Steel would indeed be the better choice. Another possibility would be to make the arm out of some strong wood like oak, but to also reinforce it with pieces of metal. This probably be cheaper than making the arm out of pure steel, while being strong, especially if you do use good wood.

That's a good idea. It'll be easier (or at least cheaper) to get a piece of wood the right length, but I don't know if it'll be strong enough. I may have to look for oak boards. I think our problem last time was that the wood we used (I don't remember what was, but it wasn't oak) was weak, even when we reinforced it. Then again, we didn't reinforce it all that much either, so that could have been the issue.

Hrm... I may need to go look at the blueprints.

I never did get how they forgot how metal works. And why Arnold thinks underground cave-skeleton is Krom. Who goes to hell as he did not healp hihm.

BY CROM!!!

[Coidzor]

You'll get my trebuchet dirty. Also, I need a material that can reliably hold 1,000lbs of weight. Wood didn't work too well last time.

What are you planning on flinging and what size of trebuchet are we talking here? I seem to recall wood working fairly well in the period where they were employed militarily and when my Scout Troop built an eighth or 16th scale one that was on the same rough size scale as a good-sized pick-up truck aside from the arm sticking out.

You must have some odd cars in Australia, if you can get a 15ft straight steel bar out of them.

I think some welding was implied in that scenario?

[DraPrime]

That's a good idea. It'll be easier (or at least cheaper) to get a piece of wood the right length, but I don't know if it'll be strong enough. I may have to look for oak boards. I think our problem last time was that the wood we used (I don't remember what was, but it wasn't oak) was weak, even when we reinforced it. Then again, we didn't reinforce it all that much either, so that could have been the issue.

Hrm... I may need to go look at the blueprints.

I'd recommend getting the thickest toughest piece of wood that you can find. Perhaps binding together four oak beams together for greater strength would work. Just make sure that they are well bound together (preferably with some sort of metal) and they should hold together pretty well.

[Amidus Drexel]

What are you planning on flinging and what size of trebuchet are we talking here? I seem to recall wood working fairly well in the period where they were employed militarily and when my Scout Troop built an eighth or 16th scale one that was on the same rough size scale as a good-sized pick-up truck aside from the arm sticking out.

I think some welding was implied in that scenario?

Small objects that weigh roughly 10-20lbs (we used the last one to throw large pumpkins), and a little bit bigger (but not too much) than that, if I'm remembering correctly. I would be rather surprised if the actual body of the trebuchet (excluding the arm) was more than 10ft tall.

Yeah, but they had giant timbers and a military budget. I don't think I (or my friends) can afford 200gp* of trees.

Probably. My ability to sense things implied is very poor after about lunchtime.

*Note: not a researched value.

I'd recommend getting the thickest toughest piece of wood that you can find. Perhaps binding together four oak beams together for greater strength would work. Just make sure that they are well bound together (preferably with some sort of metal) and they should hold together pretty well.

Tis a good idea; I'll keep that in mind when I am acquiring (or at least instructing the acquirer, if I am not he) the arm.

[MoonCat]

Tough decision. Be accurate in description of Egyptian medical procedure,s sparing no details, and squick out the teacher who I'm terrified of, or gloss over it slightly becuase I know she'll prefer it that way?

[Amidus Drexel]

Tough decision. Be accurate in description of Egyptian medical procedure,s sparing no details, and squick out the teacher who I'm terrified of, or gloss over it slightly becuase I know she'll prefer it that way?

Be sociopathically accurate. Let the teacher stop you if she's uncomfortable.

[Mutant Sheep]

Tough decision. Be accurate in description of Egyptian medical procedure,s sparing no details, and squick out the teacher who I'm terrified of, or gloss over it slightly becuase I know she'll prefer it that way?

Play with her, like a mouse. Go over the boring parts in a wide sweep, thn when we get into the brain removal, squick the **** out'a her.

[Dimonite]

Tough decision. Be accurate in description of Egyptian medical procedure,s sparing no details, and squick out the teacher who I'm terrified of, or gloss over it slightly becuase I know she'll prefer it that way?

Honesty is the best policy. Especially since squicking out teachers is really fun - and the more terrifying they are, the better it is (IMO, of course).

[Amidus Drexel]

If you're trying to brown-nose this teacher, then you may have asked the wrong people for advice.

[DraPrime]

Tough decision. Be accurate in description of Egyptian medical procedure,s sparing no details, and squick out the teacher who I'm terrified of, or gloss over it slightly becuase I know she'll prefer it that way?

Do it the way the teacher wants, but throw in a little bit of squick for fun. You want the best grade you can get, so do it the way your teacher likes.

[LaZodiac]

I'm not sure what it is Moony is doing exactly, but my GUESS is that you're reporting on that subject, so I imagine the report would want you to be as accurate as possible. However, I can understand censoring it a bit so as to not gross your teacher out.

Also, it occurs to me, half this page is Pony avatars.

[DraPrime]

It's funny, I expected a lot of the chores that come with adulthood to really annoy me, yet here I sit polishing my shoes due to insomnia, and I thoroughly enjoy it.

Also, it occurs to me, half this page is Pony avatars.

Join us!

[Amidus Drexel]

It's funny, I expected a lot of the chores that come with adulthood to really annoy me, yet here I sit polishing my shoes due to insomnia, and I thoroughly enjoy it.

Gah, insomnia. It has been long since you have troubled my mind.

I would be asleep right now if I wasn't busy arguing about tunings.

[Coidzor]

It's funny, I expected a lot of the chores that come with adulthood to really annoy me, yet here I sit polishing my shoes due to insomnia, and I thoroughly enjoy it.

...I must admit, I never did learn how to do that. I should probably do so, as my current pair could use some. What I know of it does seem like it's the sort of massaging motions that are conducive to a bit of a reverie.

Actually I must admit that I'm quite fond of that sort of quasi-trance when I'm working something in my hands...

Tough decision. Be accurate in description of Egyptian medical procedure,s sparing no details, and squick out the teacher who I'm terrified of, or gloss over it slightly becuase I know she'll prefer it that way?

Is an indepth description of the medical procedures pertinent to the subject you're covering and any points that you're making? Otherwise decorum calls for transmission of what is factually needed without getting into the viscera of the matter.

Of course, with medical procedures it's usually possible to sanitize them anyway.

[Mynxae]

You must have some odd cars in Australia, if you can get a 15ft straight steel bar out of them.



That's a good idea. It'll be easier (or at least cheaper) to get a piece of wood the right length, but I don't know if it'll be strong enough. I may have to look for oak boards. I think our problem last time was that the wood we used (I don't remember what was, but it wasn't oak) was weak, even when we reinforced it. Then again, we didn't reinforce it all that much either, so that could have been the issue.

Hrm... I may need to go look at the blueprints.

What are you planning on flinging and what size of trebuchet are we talking here? I seem to recall wood working fairly well in the period where they were employed militarily and when my Scout Troop built an eighth or 16th scale one that was on the same rough size scale as a good-sized pick-up truck aside from the arm sticking out.



I think some welding was implied in that scenario?

I meant to melt down the scrap metal and then forge it into the bar. Silly AD.

Also, it occurs to me, half this page is Pony avatars.

Join us!

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[DraPrime]

...I must admit, I never did learn how to do that. I should probably do so, as my current pair could use some. What I know of it does seem like it's the sort of massaging motions that are conducive to a bit of a reverie.

Actually I must admit that I'm quite fond of that sort of quasi-trance when I'm working something in my hands...

It's worth learning how to shine shoes. It makes them look nicer, and more importantly, last longer. You save yourself the trouble of buying yourself new shoes in the future. If you want to get really intense about it, do this. For something simpler and less time consuming do this or this. As you said, it's enjoyable to get that sort of relaxed state when you're working on something like this. It's a nice bi-weekly ritual that I have.

[LaZodiac]

Join us!

I don't have a pony avatar though!

[DraPrime]

I don't have a pony avatar though!

Commission one! There is a thread for it. Make it a pony-fied version of your avatar.

[Mynxae]

I don't have a pony avatar though!

Commission one! There is a thread for it. Make it a pony-fied version of your avatar.

Ask Ele.

[Dimonite]

Commission one! There is a thread for it. Make it a pony-fied version of your avatar.

I'd almost like to see them TRY to come up with a ponified dragonpuppy. Almost.

[LaZodiac]

Commission one! There is a thread for it. Make it a pony-fied version of your avatar.

Ask Ele.

I don't wanna bother anyone.

[Elemental]

Also, it occurs to me, half this page is Pony avatars.

Hmm... It appears to be mostly my work...
I feel famous.

I don't have a pony avatar though!

That can change. But not today as I'm busy. Bother me about it tomorrow.

I'd almost like to see them TRY to come up with a ponified dragonpuppy. Almost.

I already told you, that kind of chimerisation wouldn't end up working out. It's hard enough to combine a dog with a pony, let alone add a dragon on top.


Anyway... News from me:
I went Christmas shopping today with Mynxae and bought him stuff (chocolate and a book). But more importantly, I bought me stuff.
And I must say my new speakers play Gershwin very well.
Now to see if my computer will run Starcraft II or whether I need to perform surgery upon it.

[Mutant Sheep]

I'd almost like to see them TRY to come up with a ponified dragonpuppy. Almost.

Nooooooooooo.... Not the cute dragonpuppy...

Ask Ele.

He's already made half the pony avvies here. Do we really need more?

ION: Misfile is fun comic. I tried reading itbefore, but went all "pot smoking whatnow?". And now there are FUNS and CHARCACTERS and DRAMAS, and SLIGHTLY less 'this is awkward just to READ' moments.

[Coidzor]

^: That's good to hear. It was less awkward than most of its ilk, but I had to put it down because there was just too much of it for me to continue when I first picked it up.

I don't wanna bother anyone.

I think that's rather missing the point. Got to practice the craft or you'll lose it after all.

[DraPrime]

I don't wanna bother anyone.

That won't happen. The people there specifically look for requests to make avatars. Just post what you want, and see if anyone would like to do it. You're not bothering them, you're giving them a chance to do something that they enjoy.

In other news, it seems that I have gotten quite soft. While working out in the seminary's weight room, I found that my arms started aching from overhead pressing a mere 45 lb. I gotta get down there to exercise more.