SubscribeHow do you make a homemade wind vane?
Wind vanes are mechanical devices showing wind’s direction. Though the weight is evenly distributed, the surface area of a wind vane is designed unequally distributed so that the pointer can move freely on its axis. It is the larger surface area that is being blown away from the winds direction. The smaller area where the pointer is located then points towards the wind direction.
Though wind vanes can basically give idea about wind’s direction this may not be accurate especially when there are too many interferences around such as trees, buildings and other objects. For this reason, these mechanical devices are sometimes use for decorative purposes. Earlier wind vanes even had ornamental pointers but nowadays, they are usually found with simple pointers.
There are many materials from which a wind vane can be constructed. However, the design has to consider the main purpose of these instruments – to tell the wind direction as accurate as possible. Wind vane can be an important tool for those with homemade wind turbines.
Using this device, the owner can always have a way of tracking wind direction. Moreover, wind vanes can also be used by those planning to build homemade wind turbines to properly select the best location for these electricity generators.
One of the simplest ways to make a home-made wind vane is by using plastic materials, cardboards and some markers. The first part that should be done is the base or the stand of the vane. A plastic soda bottle will do. Fill this with dirt, sand and pebbles. It is important to make sure that this will be stable enough to hold the vane as it follows the wind direction.
Near the top of the bottle, mark four points of equal spaces. These points will represent the four directions: north, east, west and south. Cut out two pieces of cardboard for the tail and for the point. A recommended measurement for the tail is 3 inches long by 3 inches wide. The other piece of the cardboard should be in the shape of a triangle that is 2 inches high at the wide end.
Lay the tail and the pointer on the table and lay a straw over them. Tape these two cardboards on each end of the straw. It is important to ensure that the tape will be long and strong enough to hold these cardboard pieces on both ends.
Find the exact middle of the straw and push a straight pin. The end of the pin is then push in a pencil eraser. Let the pencil stick into the dirt or pebbles inside the base bottle. Take note that after accomplishing these steps, you now have a wind vane and that the straw should move freely to serve its function.
The final step is doing some calibration. Find the true north using a compass. Upon locating, position the wind vane such that the N or the north markings on the bottle is in line with the same north as with the compass direction. Unlike the homemade wind turbines, making a home-made wind vane is definitely much easier with no so much money involved. Scrapped materials can even be used.