So, we have been challenged!!!
There is a meeting on August 4th (https://www.facebook.com/events/917131055063905/?ti=cl) that a few of us should go to. After that meeting we should plan out our own build and get started.
Please respond here if you are interested in helping.
What are the limitations on pyrotechnics? Rocket powered semiautomatic trebuchet?
Hmm…
Per the rules, there might be semantics.
Rule 3: no explosives.
Explosives, per Merriam Webster:
able to cause an explosion : used for exploding something
Explosion, per same:
the sudden, loud, and violent release of energy that happens when something (such as a bomb) breaks apart in a way that sends parts flying outward
Pyrotechnics, per same:
-a bright display of fireworks
-a very impressive show or display that requires great skill
Now, being that most (3/5, i.e. “crowd choice”, “builder choice”, and “funky fling”) of the metrics are subjective, one would assume definition 2 of “pyrotechnics” should be applied “with extreme prejudice”.
As for your question, though, can you apply “rocket power”? I say yes, as most rockets are powered by non-explosive fuels, by definition, since the causation of “parts flying outward” is most undesirable to the intention of “rocket power”.
But should your “rocket” become “explosive”, you’d have broken the rule, most certainly.
So, does “supply own ballistics” mean you supply your own pumpkins?
Because manipulation of this seems W-I-D-E open…
But it might be hard to get around Rule The Final: “Don’t be a jerk”.
@bgangwere @themitch22 I know y’all had expressed interest in a serious build. So tagging to make sure you guys see it.
With out a trial of some kind the final rule is unenforceable. 
JK
This sounds funny and possibly fun. I know Fired Arts has a bunch of 2x4s gathered lovingly and that @Nathan_Jones has donated towards projects in the past.
I’m cautiously standing back to observe the rules before submitting my formal joining of this party. I hope this can be something fun that we can use to promote makerspaces as well as our own space so we can make an argument to have the space help fund the idea if it is needed to be competitive.
Nice!!!
Im available that night. Rsvpd to meetup 
How can I help? I have little knowledge in this type of stuff but I’m not afraid to get into it.
I would like to read the rules, but I’m getting a 404 error on Github. Any suggestions?
No.
Looks like they removed pretty much everything from github.
Here’s their .ms page about slingfest: https://thelab.ms/slingfest/
nothing about the rules.
I’d email the “participants” address ([email protected]) and inquire. I have a hard time thinking they aren’t going to let participants in on the rules.
Also, there is the slingfest’s homepage at http://slingfest.com/ but there’s nothing on it about the rules, either.
I could have sworn I copied those things down, somewhere, but I’m unable to find them, so… 
What do you say to this - (at the very least) let’s make an effort to get everyone in the same DMS shirt that attends plus the team for a little visual gang T-shirt based unity.
Shirts at Michaels are currently $4 and buy one get one 1/2 off. So - they are cheap and right down the street-ish from DMS. Colors are predictable and are of a general nice quality.
I would love say I could get a screen burnt specifically for this event but I don’t want to over promise. I think the DMS pegasus designed by Michael is a good choice (black ink) for the team we could give them names and numbers. It’s already on hand at the space so people can make shirts if they miss the day to make shirts.
On October 18th (I will post a link when the events calendar is back up) I’m setting up the screens in the workshop to allow everyone/anyone the opportunity to screen print shirts and work with the new flash dryer. By that time you guys all agree what the “trebuchet team/support color” buy that colored shirt and bring it (or drop it off and I will have someone practice with it). Tra-la-la easy cheesy puddin pie.
PS I love this image I found when I was looking for some design ideas - reminds me to tell people not to drink and siege. Or possibly people should drink and siege.
Ohhhhh look at what I just figured out!
Vote on a t-shirt color for the trebuchet support/team
0 voters
I vote RED, in the event of a catostrophic failure. It will mask the blood…
Good plan, I would suggest that whoever buys the shirts gets to pick the color, in a related note, we still need to paint the trebuchet once construction is complete, unless someone wants to donate some different paint it will be rust primer brown (color of dumpster, because we still have some of that left over so it added $0 towards budget)
It will have to be cans as glass bottles are not allowed on the field.
We can do this quickly with Dye Sub.
I would like that but I saw that one show where the kid got hit in the head with a pumpkin trebuchet and was in trauma surgery so tlc scared me off of trebuchet life.
Oh come on. This is a Brandon engineered and guided built project. What could possibly go wrong? This is a guy that wears safety glasses and gloves all the time.
No, truly. I think you watch too much of whatever you’re watching. This will be amazing. Brandon will bring glory and fame on the field of Honor. The trashing will probably be so bad we’ll not be asked to compete next year.
If you are referencing the accident on the Rolloff Farm, in this instance the kid was trying to fix the mechanism while the device was setup to fire.
If you stay back a safe distance you will be fine.
