This is an original design for a patron who requested a knight’s shield to display. It is fully functional defensive armor for various axe, sword or arrow affronts.
The ‘Knight of Sword and Cross Shield’ was created in spruce. The frame was cut and glued, then a design was sketched. Next the design components were chiseled and sanded. Then the shield was stained in Prairie Bench Storybook and finished in polyurethane. The rivets or ‘clavos’ were fired from bolts and the heads were ground. These are to dull the opponents’ blade in battle. A handle was fired and bolted to the back. Finally, the shield is branded and hand numbered.
Designed in spruce. 32″ tall. Finished in Prairie Bench Storybook. #17-03-11-BL
This is a wand carved from a hazelnut branch and bears an affirmation in runic Middle Earth script. It is approximately 15″ long and 1.5″ thick. The natural color displays beneath a clear oil finish. The storybook style is typical of wands used by wizards in training.
When realms combine… We’ve recently completed a set of thrones for both king and queen. Designed in reclaimed spruce and finished in extra layers of Prairiebench Storybook, these are regal accents for a newly weds in their new castle.
Hers: a double-headed eagle crest and Rococo styled crown with seven Cabernet coloured jewels;
His: a double lion crest with crown of seven silver jewels.
These were built on sunny days, outdoors, beneath birds and willow boughs on our farm. To add precision to the design, we asked our friends at Sawitall.net to plot the design onto each backboard.
Royal Couple Wedding Thrones
Size: 5’6″x22″x24″
Finished in Prairiebench Storybook and polyurethane
#04-12-16 AK 1 & 2(2/2)
How to send your love 300 meters in three seconds: the Prairie Bench Trebuchet. (more pics and video below)
Siege engines, such as ballistas, catapults and trebuchets are medieval devices for throwing stuff. Originally developed somewhere in France? the trebuchet became famous during the reign of King Edward Longshanks when he employed the use of one to storm the walls at Sterling Castle. Since, trebuchets have mystified and terrified audiences with their immense power and rudimentary use of physics. We’ll be using this device to send tennis balls and water balloons, maybe a small pumpkin.
ready to launch
The trebuchet is really just an unbalanced see-saw with a counter weight on one end of a long boom or mast, and a sling on the other. The counter weight can be anything heavy enough to lift the long wooden mast and whip a sling holding the ammunition. When the sling moves overhead, centrifugal force causes one looped end of the sling to slip over an open prong at the tip of the mast. The latent energy to fling the ammo is held by raising the counter weight and then releasing it. Gravity does the rest. There are many strange terms and phrases used for trebuchets available online, however this post uses our own novice phrases.
The trick to designing a trebuchet involves three main variables: the size of the ammunition, the mass of the counter-weight, and the angle of the prong to release the sling. By adjusting these variables, consistent and powerful shots can be made quite easily. It’s also important that the entire frame is free to rock back and forth, allowing for a ‘whip action’ used in traditional hand slings.
Enter the Prairie Bench Trebuchet—sort of a wild west variation:
-V8 350 flywheel counterweight
-60″ mast
-steel axle bearings with grease reservoirs
-100 kgs of latent energy (optional 400 kg spring upgrades)
– fold down portable
-adjustable chain stays
-adjustable launch center board by degrees
-wooden wheels and rocker
-easy load magnetic trigger set
-variable thrust dial including mayhem, havoc, and doom
-adjustable prong
-hand woven sling
-hand carved ‘loosing’ handle
-front and rear triggers
-safety lock
-hand crank draw winch
-barrow transport handles, optional
The trebuchet stands 7 feet tall with a three foot sling. Less than 30″ wide, our siege engine can easily fit through any castle door.
Our design uses a solid fir mast hand planed to a taper with steel flat bar reinforcing, laminated spruce pillars, fir frame, and chain stays. The trigger mechanism is used from the rear or the front using 1/4″ steel push rods and a safety lock. The sling is hand woven from sisal fiber.
In golf yell, “Fore!” With a cannon yell, “Fire!” With a trebuchet yell, “Loose!”
Prairie Bench has designed another replica throne for use on stage and in traveling campaigns… it’s portable!
The Crown Throne is 6′ tall, 27″ wide, with a seat height of 18″. The throne is for traveling and comes apart in five pieces. It takes less than a minute to set up or dismantle, making the Crown Throne a piece of furniture ideal for royalty on the move.
Designed in reclaimed spruce headed for the chipper, we take pride in giving new life to used wood and preserving the trees we have. The finish is Prairie Bench Storybook with rich walnut tones. There are 13 glass ‘onyx’ jewels on the backboard and the crown is positioned to hover over his or her highness. The middle of the backboard and frontspiece are open in case the patron requires some custom engraving such as a name or crest. The armrests are beveled in an elegant design and the seat is hand ground for comfort.
The component parts are left side, right side, frontspiece, seat and backboard and the entire throne weighs less than 20 kgs.
#280-BL-04-14
Designed in reclaimed spruce
Finished in Prairie Bench Storybook and polyurethane.
