egarrard
10-10-2004, 11:48 PM
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/10804-bb-pumpkin.html
A group of friends who are metal fabricators built a 56-foot-tall wooden catapult for this weekend's Harvest Festival.
Their goal is to break the world record of 1,145 feet for pumpkin-tossing.
"This particular machine was designed not just to beat the world record. We want to decimate it," said Wes Frank, team leader.
Frank believes this year's device, officially called a trebuchet, can throw a pumpkin upward of 3,000 feet.
The group created the monster machine after a crudely built one made from several alder trees hurled a pumpkin 500 feet at last year's festival.
This year's machine was cut from two 100-foot Douglas firs. Frank estimates the effort may have cost $10,000.
The festival is set for Saturday and Sunday at Skagit River Park here.Half a mile? :noway
A group of friends who are metal fabricators built a 56-foot-tall wooden catapult for this weekend's Harvest Festival.
Their goal is to break the world record of 1,145 feet for pumpkin-tossing.
"This particular machine was designed not just to beat the world record. We want to decimate it," said Wes Frank, team leader.
Frank believes this year's device, officially called a trebuchet, can throw a pumpkin upward of 3,000 feet.
The group created the monster machine after a crudely built one made from several alder trees hurled a pumpkin 500 feet at last year's festival.
This year's machine was cut from two 100-foot Douglas firs. Frank estimates the effort may have cost $10,000.
The festival is set for Saturday and Sunday at Skagit River Park here.Half a mile? :noway