9191 – Weather Vane
Great for the top of house or barn, or shed. Points in the direction of the wind. High quality. Easy to assemble (as shown below).
Height 45cm
You can download our eBook about the history of the weather vane, basic weather prediction, how a weather vane works and how to assemble our weather vane. Click on the image below.
Assembly Information
Assembly is relatively easy. See the video above. However, firstly open the box get the N-S and place it on top of the W-E. Then the Rooster is paced on top of the “spindle” or “axle” on which it spins pointing into the wind. There are a number of methods of attaching the weather vane to a house, fence etc. The assembled weather vane can sit on the top of a dowel (like a broom handle), it will need to be screwed into position so that the whole weather vane doesn’t rotate, it must be fixed and only the Rooster should move. There is a small indentation in the base which is where the screw needs to be placed – you may need to drill a hole out.
The broom handle (cut down to size) or dowel then can be fixed to the side of a house or fence. Alternatively, a small block of wood could have a socket drilled out, using a “lock hole drilling attachment” to a drill. The hole into which the dowel is placed should not go all the way through the wooden block as preferably two screws needs to come up from the bottom to hold the dowel in place, alternatively it could be glued into place with “no more nails”. The block is then screwed to the top of the house or turret… MAKE SURE THAT THE “N” FOR NORTH IS ACTUALLY POINTING TO THE NORTH.
What is a Weather Vane and how does work?
A weather vane is an instrument for showing the direction of the wind. They are typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building. Although partly functional, weather vanes are generally decorative, often featuring the traditional cockerel design with letters indicating the points of the compass. The word ‘vane’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘fane’ meaning ‘flag’.
The design of a wind vane is such that the weight is evenly distributed each side of the surface, but the surface area is unequally divided, so that the pointer can move freely on its axis. The side with the larger area is blown away from the wind direction. The pointer is therefore always on the smaller side (a north wind is one that blows from the north). Most wind vanes have directional markers beneath the arrow, aligned with the geographic directions. Wind vanes, especially those with fanciful shapes, do not always show the real direction of a very gentle wind. This is because the figures do not achieve the necessary design balance: an unequal surface area but balanced in weight. To obtain an accurate reading, the wind vane must be located well above the ground and away from buildings, trees, and other objects which interfere with the true wind direction. Changing wind direction can be meaningful when coordinated with other apparent sky conditions, enabling the user to make simple short range forecasts.
Source Wikipedia.org
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
With the Dunedin gale of 25 November last, once again my rooster weather vane snapped off at the narrow base!
Can you please supply a vane with a (metal?) reinforced base to secure that weak point?
The rooster is too large for the base on which it sits – some strengthening of the base is needed to withstand heavy gusts of wind.
Murray Elston
41 Howorth Road
Fairfield
Dunedin
ph 03 4880383
29 Nov. 2011
Hi Murray,
Unfortunately the weathervane doesnt come with a metal base.
If you would like, we are more than happy to send out a replacement set.
Our engineers are currently working on a way to reinforce the plastic.
Kind regards,
The Factory Shop Team