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MAKING A WEATHER VANE - Level 1

EXPERIMENT 12

 

Equipment:
  • Thin wood strips (white pine is good):
  • 1 20" x 4"
  • 2 12" x l"
  • 2 8" x 3"
  • Long, slender nail
  • Small nails
  • Wooden or glass bead
  • Post about 10' high (or exposed corner of building, such as garage)

 

Cut arrow and shaft from 20" strip. Cut tailpieces from 8" strips. Nail them to shaft of arrow on each side; spread them apart to form an angle of 20 degrees in order to catch the wind easily. Use a protractor to measure angle aob (see illustration). Find the balance point by resting the shaft on extended finger until arrowhead and tailpieces balance level; drill a hole at this point. Insert long nail in the hole. Place bead on nail to act as bearing. Mount on post, preferably away from building.

With compass, determine north. Using the 12" strips, one marked N and S, and the other E and W, as pointers, nail the pointers on the post to show direction from which the wind is blowing. Observe the changes.

 


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Updated: February 23, 1999