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How to Make a Working Weather Vane

Wind vanes are mechanical instruments used to determine wind direction. Wind, which is produced by the interaction of hot and cold air, is something that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Plants and trees in surrounding areas may show the direction toward where the wind is blowing, but accurate wind direction can only be gauged using a weather vane. Making a weather vane is easy, and having one can help you understand more about the behavior of wind within your immediate area.

Things You'll Need

10-inch dinner plate
3/4-inch plywood
Pencil
Jigsaw
Power drill
7/8-inch drill bit
Sandpaper
Marking pen
Wood glue
9-inch long wooden rod
1/4-inch drill bit
12-inch long wooden rod
3-inch common nail
Hammer
Hacksaw
Plexiglas
Paint

Instructions

- 1
  Create the base of the wind vane. Place a 10-inch dinner plate on top of a 3/4-inch piece of plywood and draw the plate outline with a pencil. Cut the circular shape of plywood with a jigsaw. Drill a hole in the center of the circular piece of wood with a power drill fitted with a 7/8-inch drill bit. Sand the edge of the wood with fine grit sandpaper. Divide the plywood surface into four equal sections and mark the sections clockwise as N (north), E (east), S (south) and W (west) with a marking pen.
- 2
  Create the wooden post by applying wood glue on one end of a 9-inch long wooden rod with a diameter of 7/8 inches. Plug the tip of the rod into the hole at the center of the plywood. Align the rod vertically and allow the glue to dry. On top of the rod, drill a hole 2 inches deep with a power drill fitted with a 1/4-inch diameter drill bit, but verify the drilled hole is aligned vertically at the center of the wood surface.
- 3
  Draw a straight line lengthwise from end to end along the center of a 12-inch long wooden rod, which has the same diameter as the wooden post. Measure 6 inches from one end of the rod. Drill a hole through its diameter using a drill bit that is slightly smaller in diameter than a 3-inch common nail. Drive the 3-inch nail through the hole until its head is flush with the wood.
- 4
  Make a 2-inch deep cut lengthwise at both ends of the wood by sawing along the drawn line using a hacksaw. Ensure both cuts are perpendicularly aligned with the nail in the center of the rod.
- 5
  Cut a piece of Plexiglas using a utility knife into the shape of an equilateral triangle measuring 7 inches on each side. Cut another smaller triangle measuring 3 inches on each side. Slip the pointed end of the bigger triangle into the cut on one end the rod. Slip the flat side of the smaller triangle into the cut at the other end of the rod. Align both triangles so the center of each is aligned horizontally with the center of the rod. Fasten both triangles by nailing two 3/4-inch nails one inch apart along one side of the rod.
- 6
  Paint the arrows with your desired color. Mount the rod onto the post by inserting the nail into the hole you drilled on top of the wooden post. Place the wind vane in a windy area to test it.

Nature