Things You'll Need
Instructions
Cut two equilateral triangles -- with 4-inch sides -- from a disposable-aluminum baking tray. Cut two "N" shapes from the aluminum tray, roughly 4-by-4 inches in size.
Cut a 2-inch-long slit in the middle of each end of a 15-inch long piece of 1-by-1-inch balsa wood. Use a utility knife to make the cuts.
Squeeze a little glue into the slits in the end of the balsa wood. Insert one of the aluminum triangles base-first into a slit. Insert the other aluminum triangle tip-first. Let the glue dry.
Hammer a 3-inch nail through the center of the balsa wood. Place a washer over the end of the nail, and then hammer the nail about halfway into the top of a broom handle. The balsa wood with the aluminum triangles must spin freely around the nail.
Hammer a 5-inch nail into the side of the broom handle. Insert the nail 6 inches from the top, penetrating the handle to a depth of 1 inch. Glue the "N" shaped pieces of aluminum together around the nail.
Take the weather vane to a high location; use a compass to determine north. Point the "N" on the broomstick in this direction. The balsa wood rotates around the nail to determine wind direction.