I decided to make a couple wind direction indicators for the target range, but didn't want to spent much money. So, this is what I came up with. Not bad for one buck each!
First buy a Pin Wheel at Dollar Tree store, or equivalent store for $1.00. You will also need a scrap piece of wood, a nail, a plastic milk container, and a few squirts of spray paint.
Remove the long stick part of the pin wheel, it just twists out. Use a stick about 12" long and drill an appropriate size hole in one end to snuggly fit the pin wheel axel.
Using scissors, cut a tail fin from the milk container. Cut a thin slot in the stick to receive the tail fin. Now test assemble the weather vane and mark a balance point on the bottom of the stick. This is so the weather vane doesn't lean forward or backward. Drill a hole, at the mark, on the bottom, to receive the nail. This nail should stick out about 2 or 3 inches, and is the vertical axel on which the weather vane will spin. Now permanently mount the tail fin in place, with tiny nails or staples. A few squirts of spray paint on the tail and that's it.
To use it, mount it on top of a top of a post or drive a pipe in the ground. make sure the hole for the nail isn't much larger than the nail diameter. It should not wobble in the hole, but also not restrict it from spinning. A few small washers would help.
P,S. I think the pictures are very large, anyone know how to make them smaller?
First buy a Pin Wheel at Dollar Tree store, or equivalent store for $1.00. You will also need a scrap piece of wood, a nail, a plastic milk container, and a few squirts of spray paint.
Remove the long stick part of the pin wheel, it just twists out. Use a stick about 12" long and drill an appropriate size hole in one end to snuggly fit the pin wheel axel.
Using scissors, cut a tail fin from the milk container. Cut a thin slot in the stick to receive the tail fin. Now test assemble the weather vane and mark a balance point on the bottom of the stick. This is so the weather vane doesn't lean forward or backward. Drill a hole, at the mark, on the bottom, to receive the nail. This nail should stick out about 2 or 3 inches, and is the vertical axel on which the weather vane will spin. Now permanently mount the tail fin in place, with tiny nails or staples. A few squirts of spray paint on the tail and that's it.
To use it, mount it on top of a top of a post or drive a pipe in the ground. make sure the hole for the nail isn't much larger than the nail diameter. It should not wobble in the hole, but also not restrict it from spinning. A few small washers would help.
P,S. I think the pictures are very large, anyone know how to make them smaller?
