How to Construct a Weather Instrument
- 1). Cut the balsa wood into a 15-by-1-inch piece with the utility knife. You can also use an old ruler if balsa wood is not available. Cut a slit into each end of the balsa wood around 3/4 inches long.
- 2). Hammer the 2-inch nail through the center of the balsa wood piece. Place the washer over the sharp end of the nail, then hammer the rest of the nail into the end of the broom handle. The balsa wood piece should turn freely around the nail on the end of the broom handle.
- 3). Cut out the head and tail of the weather vane; typically they look like an arrow head and arrow feathers, but you can make whatever shapes you like so long as you know which one is the head and which one is the tail. They should be between 3 and 5 inches in dimension. Cut out an "N" shape from the baking tray as well.
- 4). Slide the head and tail into the slits on each end of the ruler and glue in place. Hammer in half of the 3-inch nail on the side of the broom handle around 6 or 7 inches below the top. Glue the aluminum 'N' to the nail.
- 5). Position the weather vane where you want to set it up. Set the compass on a flat surface and move it around until the swinging arrow matches up with the North mark on the compass and is still. Position the 'N' of the weather vane pointing in this direction and hammer the broom handle into the ground a quarter of the way or until stable.
