This is de bloemenplanter2000. It is a dream machine invented by a 10-year old girl named Liv. The bloemenplanter2000 is a butterfly that hovers over a field and in drops little seed so flowers will grow. We have taken the concept and thought it out more deeply. Looking for a possible and fun project we decided to make a trebuchet that can shoot biodegradable butterflies that drop seeds in their flight. Here you can see how we have built the machine.

Step 1: The Base of the Trebuchet

Needed for this step:

4 long beams of 1000 X 35 X 50 mm
2 short beams of 650 x 35 x 50

Start building the trebuchet with building the base. The base is made out of a rectangular frame with two supporting beams in the middle. Start with screwing a long beam straight on the end of a smaller one. Then do the same on the other end of the smaller beam. Add two more long beams in the middle and then screw a smaller beam on the ends of the long beam. Now you have the base of the trebuchet.

Step 2: Upright Arms

Needed for this step:

2 long beams of 1200 x 50 x 35 mm
4 short beams of 460 x 50 x 35 mm
axis of diameter 25 mm, 500 mm long

Now build the upright arms which will support the axis and work as a stopping mechanism for the swinging arm. Start with placing a beam upright on the middle of the frame on the inside. Repeat this step on the other side. Now place a supporting beam in between the upright standing ones close to the base.

Then make a hole in both upright arms through which you later will put the axis. After that you make the stopping mechanism by adding 2 beams at the wanted height for stopping.

At last add a supporting beam at the top of the upright arms for strength.

Step 3: Supports for the Upright Arms

Needed for this step:

4 beams of 1000(long side) x 50 x 35 mm chamfered 45°

Add chamfered beams as support for the upright arms. Screw the supporting beams with one side on the upright arms and with the other against the frame.

Step 4: Swinging Arm

Needed for this step:

1 long beam of 1200 X 50 x 35 mm
2 short beams of 600 x 50 x 35 mm
axis diameter 25, 500 mm long
Frisbee or container
weights

To make the swinging arm start with drilling a hole the size of the axis in a beam that is the wanted length as swinging arm. If necessary add some more pieces of wood to the beam for extra strength. Then drill a hole at the end of the swinging arm where the weight is supposed to be. Put an axis through the hole and add as much weights as wanted. On the other of the swinging arm you can add a container or basket (or in this case Frisbee) which will hold the butterflies you want to launch. Put the swinging arm on the axis in the two upright arms.

Step 5: Building the Pulley Block (part 1)

Needed for this step:

2 long beams of 1000 x 50 x 35 mm
2 beams for cross form : 500 x 50 x 35 mm
4 chamfered beams (45°) of 700 x 50 x 50 mm
1 middle beam of 700 x 50 x 50 mm
2 short beams 350 x 50 x 35 mm
2 chamfered beams (45°) 500 x 50 x 35 mm
board 480 x 200 x 15 mm

First build a small table on which the pulley block will come. This small table will be connected with the trebuchet. Start with adding two beams at the base of the trebuchet. on the end of the two beams we will add the small table with the pulley block.

To build the table: start with connecting two beams in a cross form. then add 4 chamfered beams on the ends of the cross that point inwards, leaving just enough space in the middle for on standing beam. then add the standing beam and add some more beams for support at it the top. Then use 2 chamfered beams to make a v-like shape that comes as high as the top of the centre beam. Then place a board on the centre and 2 supporting beams and attach it. On this we will build the pulley block.

Step 6: Building the Pulley Block (part 2)

Needed for this step:

3 u shaped plates of 200 x 200 x 25 mm
2 beams of 350 x 50 x 35 mm
2 short beams of 130 x 50 x 35 mm
axis with diameter 25 mm, 520 mm long
gear with diameter 130 mm, 25 width mm
circle with diameter 120 mm, width 25 mm
second axis with diameter 12 mm, lenght 500 mm

The pulley block exists out of two compartments: the first compartment includes an axis around which the rope used to pull up the weight gets rolled up. The second compartment contains a gear and a smaller axis which prevents the pulley stop from unrolling.

First add a beam on the plate that has the length of the first compartment. do the same on the other side of the plate. Now cut out three filled u shaped plates. Drill a hole the size of the axis through all three of them. Make a groove in 2 of them a bit above the first hole. When you put an axis through the groove it should block the gear in its lowest point. Now attach the plate without the groove to the beams on the outside of the table and attach one with a groove at the other side of the beams. Now add some smaller beams on the table and the middle plate.

To wind up the rope on the pulley block you need a handle. The handle exist out of a circular plate attached to the axis, with in it a trench in which the handle fits. Make sure the plate is attached firmly to the axis. Also drill a small hole in the axis somewhere in the first compartment. That hole will later be used to add the rope. Now put the axis through the compartment. Now cut a wooden plate in the shape of a gear. Attach the gear on the axis in the place where the second compartment will come.

Then add the last plate with groove to the axis and attach it to the end of the beams. Put a second axis through the grooves so it can be used to prevent the pulley block from unrolling.

Finally attach the pulley block to the extra beams attached to the base.

Step 7: Quick Release System

Needed for this step:

4 eye screws
rope
pin

Start building the quick release system by adding 2 eye screws to the top of the swinging arm on the side of the Frisbee. Then add two more eye screws on the base in between the two beams that connect to the table. As quick release system you use a pin that's put through the two beams on the base. Knot a piece of rope to the pin so you can pull it out from a safe distance. Now knot a piece of rope to the eyes screws on the swinging arm. then pull the rope underneath the pin and finally through the hole in the axis in the pulley block and knot it firmly around the axis.

Finally the trebuchet is finished. To pull up the weight just make a rotating movement with the handle. When the weight is at the highest point pull out the pin and doing so launch the object on the Frisbee.

Step 8: Making the Butterfly

Now that the trebuchet is finished it is time to make the butterfly.

Needed for this step:

biodegreadable flower pots
biodegradeable cardboard
paint, glue

For the butterfly you'll need biodegradable flower pots, biodegradable cardboard and non-toxic paint and glue.

Take two flower pots. Make in each of them 2 grooves in the side through which the wings will come. Draw the wanted shapes of the butterfly's wings on the cardboard and cut those out. In the example the wings are about 125 mm high, 120mm broad at the broadest part, 100mm broad at the smallest part. Also cut out a fold out of a cube ( 50x50x50mm). Now make the cube and glue it together. Then put the two flower pots over the wings with their open sides connecting to each other. Also glue a small weight in the flower pot that will be the upper part of the body. Then glue the cube on top of the body of the butterfly. Make a small hole in the bottom of the flower pot that's the lower body. Through here seeds will be able to fall out of the butterfly as it flies. Then paint the butterfly and pour in de seeds. Put the butterfly on the container, wind up the rope by turning the handle and then pull the quick release and watch the butterfly fly and drop the seeds.