Make: Kit Reviews

These three great starter kits for making small tabletop siege weapons pack quite a kick. They’re simple to build, and include well-documented, easy-to-follow instructions. All components are made of quality materials accurately machined and drilled. The Ballista kit (pictured) is built of laser-cut hardwood and is a real blast to assemble and fire. It’s a bit more difficult […]

Siege & Ballistics: ballistics, desktop, siege, tabletop, wood

I’ve built my share of catapults (see MAKE Volume 28, “Gravity Catapult”), and this floating-arm kit has thoroughly impressed me. The parts come pre-cut in solid ash, and you clip off tabs to remove them, just like the plastic models I built as a kid. A file will help clean up the tabs. It’s put […]

Siege & Ballistics: ballistics, siege, trubuchet

Desktop battering ram? I think yes. This small kit is a lot of fun to build and use. It takes some time to put together and uses a fair amount of wood glue, but the instructions are clear and easy to read. The kit comes with two ½”-thick boards that are CNC’ed out with all […]

Siege & Ballistics: ballistics, battering ram, desktop, siege, wood

RLT Industries has gone above and beyond with its Desktop Trebuchet kit. Each piece of wood is carefully chosen and precisely computer-cut. All the required tools can be found around your house or at a hobby shop, and the instructions are very detailed. However, as instructed, I used wood glue on the main frame and […]

Siege & Ballistics: ballistics, desktop, siege, tabletop, trebuchet

If you’ve ever wanted to hurl spears to bring down a woolly mammoth, then these two kits from Thunderbird Atlatl are the way to go. The Nanticoke and Kanakadea kits are both high quality and simple to build, so with a little time and effort you can make a very nice-looking atlatl suitable for serious […]

Siege & Ballistics: atlatl, ballistics, siege, spears