Hi All,
Its been a while since I've posted anything here but recently I had a request (given a challenge more like!) to build a weathervane in the form of a De Havilland DH.88 Comet. So the first place I went looking for info on making a weathervane was this forum. Having benefited from what I found here I though I'd post up a few pics/notes on my project which might be of use to someone else later on with theirs.
Its been a while since I've posted anything here but recently I had a request (given a challenge more like!) to build a weathervane in the form of a De Havilland DH.88 Comet. So the first place I went looking for info on making a weathervane was this forum. Having benefited from what I found here I though I'd post up a few pics/notes on my project which might be of use to someone else later on with theirs.
- The flowing form of the Comet was too nice to not try and recreate in 3D rather than a traditional 2D silhouette. It adds a fair bit of weight and complexity, but for me the results were worth it. Luckily I was able to find some CAD drawings of the Comet on a Radio Controlled Plane forum, which really helped working out the shapes I wanted to use.
- The plane was made out of some pieces of scrap stainless sheet I was holding on to, so using the CAD templates I was able nest the parts to get everything I needed to cut from what I had available. The finished plane is the biggest I could get it and luckily its scale works pretty well.
- I wasn't able to source a ball bearing in time so ended up grinding a point on the vertical post for it to spin on. The actual end of the point and the piece which rest on it are both stainless, hopefully there won't be any issues of them welding themselves together with the weight and rotation. Theres plenty of grease in there, but time will tell.
- The letters are made of 10mm dia stainless rod. The radius on the letter 'S' would have been two tight for me to form, so I cut & shut two stainless steel bow shackles form B&Q and knocked back the polished finish with some emery cloth. The height of the finished 'S' informed the height for the other letters.
- Because its of the wings I was a little concerned in really strong gusts of wind it might lift despite its weight, so I added a safety feature - I notched the vertical post just below the point, and welded on a nut to the weathervane tube which sits over it at the same level. Once assembled a bolt can be wound in tight, so it's end sits within the post notch, this doesn't impede the rotation but prevents lifting off.
- I'm really pleased with how the propellers turned out, not what I originally had in mind, but I love the sense of movement / power they provide, and the slight Art Deco vibe. I had intended to just have a single loop to suggest the spinning props. I wound a 3mm stainless TIG rod tightly around a tube to get a few rings, but when I let go it naturally sprung apart forming the coil shape - and I was like oh, maybe I'll just use that instead!
