How to make a weather vane from plastic bottles with your

Weather vane is a special device used to measure wind strength and direction. It has long migrated from meteorological laboratories, in which more precise electronic devices appeared, onto rooftops, becoming a successful and useful element of decor. Windmills in the form of exotic animals or birds with moving parts, driven by a light breeze of the breeze, look elegant and always attract attention. Sophisticated forged products are easier to buy or order from an experienced craftsman, and we will tell you how to make a weather vane with a propeller with a creative approach and a plastic bottle with your own hands.

Device

The weather vane was originally considered to be a purely meteorological instrument, with the help of which scientists observed the speed and direction of air currents. But people who noticed the useful properties of this simple device, began to make with their own hands out of improvised means and install wind turbines on the roofs of houses. Over the years, the vane has not changed its design, which consists of the following elements:

• Corps. The case is the part in which the axis of rotation of the windmill is placed. It can be cylindrical or rectangular. For models of steel, the tube section in which the bearing is inserted is used as the housing. For improvised windmills, the hull is made of wooden bar.
• Cap. The cap is a funnel-shaped or round piece that is worn on the axis of rotation to protect the body from moisture penetration. In addition, it performs the functions of a limiter, fixing the axis of the vane at the required height.
• Axis of rotation. This is a mandatory element of the design of the windmill, which is put on a wind vane. It is inserted into the body and performs rotation of the vane due to the effect of gusts of wind on the wind vane. The axis can be made with your own hands from metal rods, wire, sticks or even a nail.
• Rose of Wind. This term is called a device for determining the cardinal points. It consists of two, crosswise fastened sticks or pieces of pipes, each of which points to a specific direction (gray, south, west, east). When the wind sets the vane in motion, the arrow points to one of the sides of the world, which helps to determine the direction of the gust.
• Flyugarka. Flyugarka called the rotating element of the windmill, which indicates the direction of the wind. It consists of an arrow and a counterweight and is fixed on the axis of rotation. Flyugarku can be made in the form of a simple pointer, an animal, a bird or the whole plot. It is made of galvanized steel, copper, wood, and with your own hands the easiest way is to make a wind vane from a plastic bottle.

Note! Some models determine not only the wind direction, but also the force of gusts. For this, the vane is equipped with a hanging part on a rope and a special scale. The suspension can be made from a metal plate or wood. This element is fixed on the flyugarke. The deviation from the vertical position with the help of the scale determines the force of the blowing wind.

Bottle making

If you do not want to spend money on an expensive metal windmill, you can make it yourself out of scrap materials, for example, from plastic bottles, which accumulate in the summer house a lot. This activity can be turned into a fun workshop for children or enjoy the creative process on their own. To manufacture a weather vane in the form of an airplane with a propeller, you will need 2 large bottles with lids, a wooden block, a long nail, wire, cardboard, a marker and a sharp stationery knife. Work is performed in the following order:

1. It is necessary to thoroughly wash both bottles, as well as to remove the labels. To do this, you can soak them overnight in a soap solution, and then remove the remnants of paper with a stiff brush.
2. From the cardboard to make the pattern of the wings and the propeller of the future aircraft. Attach the pattern of the wings on the side of the bottle and circle with a marker. Propeller cut from the bottom.
3. In the lid with a nail or drill to make a hole is in the middle. Make such a hole in the propeller. Connect the cover and the propeller with a nail. It is necessary to check that the screw rotates freely around the axis.
4. Cut the blank of the wings, and then use a sharp clerical knife to make cuts in the bottle, which will soon become a weather vane. The length of the slot should match the size of the wings, as they need to be inserted there.
5. Using a hot nail to make a hole in the neck of the bottle that passes through. Next, you need to prepare the bar, and using a nail to attach the fuselage of the airplane-weather vane to the body and screw the lid.
6. On the body of the aircraft, you can glue bright stickers in the form of a number or stars, as well as scribble with acrylic paints.

Important! During the manufacture of the weather vane make sure that all materials used are lightweight and moisture resistant. A heavy windmill will spin badly in a light wind, and a cardboard craft will quickly become sodden in the rain. If you want the wind vane to accurately show the direction of the wind, it should be fixed at a height of at least 4-5 meters.

Wind turbine functions

The weather vane is a constant attribute of seaside towns and villages where the winds blow constantly, and the knowledge of the direction of air movement is not useless information, but a means of survival. Sailors, fishermen and other people whose life is closely connected with the sea are installing windmills to know if there will be a storm. Properly made and installed vane performs the following functions:

• Helps determine the direction and strength of air flow. This information is useful for access to the open sea, to perform some agricultural work (planting, processing fungicides and other chemicals). Helps to keep diaries of observation of nature.
• It is a bright decorative elements that distinguish the house from its neighbors. The weathervane complements the architectural image of the house, making it authenticated and demonstrating the homeowner's individual style. Models with moving parts depicting narrative paintings immediately attract attention, and hand-made windmills from bottles or plywood speak of the creative abilities of the owner.
• Rotating parts and the sound produced when the weather vane, scares the birds. Some species of birds are malicious pests that destroy the harvest of fruits or berries in a matter of hours. The vane of plastic bottles or sheet metal, rotating, scare away uninvited feathered guests with the help of noise and brilliance.
• A windmill can perform the functions of a sign, symbolize the occupation of the owner of the structure. For example, shoemakers often installed a weather vane in the form of a boot, millers in the form of a mill, and a hairdresser can make a wind vane in the shape of a scissors.

Interesting! In the old days, the weather vane was considered a powerful amulet, protecting against the evil eye, evil spirits. The rotating parts, the noise should have entangled and scared away all the malevolently adjusted forces from the dwelling. Even if superstitions are alien to you, a beautiful weather vane can become a kind of talisman or family sign.

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