Pathfinders STEM Kits – Leonardo da Vinci Catapult kit | Trebuchet Science Kits for Kids Age 12-14 | Toys for Ages 8-13 Physics Toys | Kids Engineering kit | Learning Resource | Engineering

Makes a great model. Clear easy to understand instructions, assembles easily, minimal sanding needed if any. And functions very well.*** INCLUDED PICTURES are of MY completed kit *** Built straight from the box,the competed model will look the same as photo on box.

The media could not be loaded. I bought this for my finace's son and I to put together (he is 13). It took us about an hour total, and here is how we did it:First, we laid everything out according to the chart. This was to help keep his interest in the product, as he gets distracted very easily. The pieces are all made of wood, and well-cut. No splinters, no broken pieces or anything. Then, we assembled the catapult according to the instructions BEFORE we glued anything together. This is the smart thing to do, as some of the pieces do not fit perfectly together (the kit comes with a small bit of sandpaper to file down the pieces so they fit snugly). At this point I did NOT tie the strings in place yet.Next, I disassembled the catapult and he watched me glue it together (I used this as a teaching tool for him). There isnt enough glue for the entire model, in my opinion. So, next model I will make a trip to the hobby store and purchase a bit more, just to insure the model is tight all around. Just my preference.Thirdly, after gluing all the pieces in the appropriate place, i tied the strings in place after carefully ensuring the correct way was obvious.Fourthly, We used Pill Pockets (dog medicine treats) as ammunition after our little Tiki tried to eat one of the clay projectiles we made. Little rat. So, we figured we would make treats the dogs would chase and make it fun for them as well. As you can see in this video, it works wonderfully! Very stable, easy to operate. We probably fired stuff of it for about an hour, and it is still in excellent shape.This was a great Saturday afternoon project for he and I, and I am looking forward to purchasing more of Leonardo's stuff for future projects. Hey- at least he got off the Minecraft.

I purchased two of these. One went together very easily. On the other, however, one of the long frame pieces was very warped...and I decided to proceed anyway. Based on this experience, I would suggest checking the long frame pieces before proceeding, and if the pieces are not straight, ask for a replacement.

Son wanted a catapult but we did not want the rubber band ones. 7 year old required help with assembly, especially with tying the knots on the strings (dexterity), but if you set aside an hour or 2 TOPS you can have a nice, fun time assembling it with your child. I was worried from reviews that it was a persnickety model and required some hardy engineering skills, but we bravely glued as we went and the finished product was flawless. Just double or triple check your pictures as you go/glue so you don't get the barrel on backwards or something like that. We ended up using stronger glue for the the little pad that your moment arm falls onto because it wouldn't stay with the "elmer" type glue that was included (this is a minor deal that you can see at the end). He wants to mount it on a board (which should make it easier to operate with a single set of hands) and it is fun to toss different types of projectiles. It's great quality and can be recycled (no plastic).Company it shipped from did a nice job.

This is really great. It is a rare toy - wood, consisting of gears, and MECHANICAL stuff. Refreshing. So, disclosure. I bought it for my 5 year old. Yep, says 14 and up, maybe that is for anti-liability purposes? My 5 year old kind of liked to assemble it, and though he got tired of that (he was physically tired), he was fascinated in the way it worked. Side note: yeah, weapons. My son loves them. BUT, I have had many people tell me - he'll grow out of it, and I have seen that is true. So this is more a mechanical thing than a weapon.

My son had a school assignment where he had to build a catapult for class (4th grade). The rules of the assignment did allow for kits to be used. Fair warning: almost every kid in class bought this exact model, all without talking or planning that. It was the cheapest one that looked decent, and was very popular. This is not to say it is bad in any way, but it was an obvious choice for most. If you are doingnthis for an assignment, then there is a very good chance someone else will also buy this model, if that is somethingnthat matters to you.It does work decently well though. In that class, they tried using some pretty slippery metal bolts to launch, and that did not work out as well. The clay balls that come with it are better as they grip the wood better. Some slippery things may not launch as well potentially. Also, it is wood that bends. I did not have any problems with this breaking. It still now is in one piece and works well. If I was going to use it a ton, I would think about something where wood is not being used as the spring to launch it though. Who knows, maybe I am wrong about that, but it always makes me nervous it will wear out or break, though it never did give me problems.It is a decent product for a decent price. Certainly not for everyone, but it works for what we needed, and made for a good experience that my kid enjoyed.

The construction quality has improved much over the last several years. The quality of the wood is much better, and now all pieces are sanded pretty smooth.This kit would be great for children 10 and up. Follow the instructions precisely! I can't emphasize this enough. Many of the parts look identical, but they aren't. One may have a tiny hole the other does not. Get this wrong and you'll be pulling glued pieces apart. Look carefully at the instruction drawings before gluing anything.It's probably best to buy wood glue instead of using the white glue supplied. When firing this catapult, it's under a lot of stress. My first attempt at firing pulled the entire base apart. I disassembled the whole thing and used wood glue and it's now strong enough to triple wind the string.

It was pretty hard to put this together for my child even with my husbands help. After a couple attempts they just gave up.