Making Weathervanes

Making weathervanes at home can be fun. People can experiment and design their own wind vanes.

A careful study of weathervanes is required before proceeding to make a weather vane. Location, as to where the weather vane will be placed has to be decided before building the weathervane.

The first step would be to gather necessary materials required to build the weather vane. Some of the materials required include cardboard paper or wood, heavy wires, wire coat hanger, scissors, paints, wooden stand or dowel and string. It is simpler to make weathervanes with material like cardboard or wood at beginner's level. A suitable design should be selected, keeping in mind, the material that may be used. Then the design will have to be stenciled on the material used. Thereafter, cardboard or wood needs to be cut carefully according to the shape of the design stenciled, using sharp scissors or saw. Once the shape is cut, it can be painted using different colors or finishes available in the craft stores. Various finishing kits are also available to impart depth and a look of antiquity to the texture of the vane.

The cutout of the wood or cardboard is then attached to the hanger using tapes in case of cardboard or fixed on the wooden dowel or stand in case wood. However, before fixing the weathervane all decoration needs to be completed. Holes are drilled on two sides of the dowel so that it forms a triangle for correct balancing of the wind vane. The weathervane is required to be evenly leveled for proper balance and help detect the direction of wind correctly. After fixing the vane, it should be ensured that it is indicating the direction of the wind properly.

Weathervanes built from metals need to be built by using separate techniques and expertise which may not be easy for a layman to acquire. Skilled coppersmiths are particularly trained in building such objects and thus known for their craftsman ship.

By Ross Bainbridge