weathervane

[Norm]

Hi Guys, made a start on trying to make a weathervane, first attempt at this type of thing and skills and tools a bit limited so go easy on me.

Started off with part of a steel box about 1.6mm thick picked up from a local scrap merchant for a few pence, made some paper patterns of a profile, letters and arrow head / tail and drew them onto the box.

Cut out with a jigsaw, cleaned edges up with a file and welded onto some 10mm bar to make the main pointer which is about 800mm long end to end.

That's as far as I have got, an enjoyable few hours spent relaxing in the garage and little bit more practise at welding, this is the thinnest stuff I have tried to weld so far. and there's a fairly thin line between a weld and a hole
I know you can buy the profiles and letters but it's supposed to be home made and a bit of a memorial for my german shepherd. I Will update as I progress
Regards Norm.

 

[roofman]

looking a great job that Norm...thats one of my next projects mate

 

[strube1369]

I like the work and the concept so far. I know what a challenge these are as I have built exactly one weather vane...

 

[Sparkey]

Wow that's absolutely gorgeous Norm!
I lost my german shepherd too a few years ago...it still is difficult for me...weird how someone can attach to an animal like that eh?
Here she is: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=66411

 

[Norm]

Wow that's absolutely gorgeous Norm!
I lost my german shepherd too a few years ago...it still is difficult for me...weird how someone can attach to an animal like that eh?
Here she is: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=66411

thanks sparkey, Shiva was beautiful, thanks for sharing that.
best wishes Norm

 

[Norm]

Quick update, todays mission was to make a mounting bracket, a flat plate, some rectangular tubing and two attempts at welding interrupted by a visit to a very kind and generous forum member to pick up my new vice finally resulted in this, early days yet but still a little more progress.
regards Norm

 

[Delta]

Nice work! You might need a bigger mounting plate (depends what you are fixing it to I suppose), we recently had to alter one which was mounted in a similar way, but vertically and it kept coming loose in high winds, I made a large L shaped mounting so it was braced along the roof and down the wall to stop it.

 

[magnet]

looks great can't wait to see it finished

 

[Norm]

Nice work! You might need a bigger mounting plate (depends what you are fixing it to I suppose), we recently had to alter one which was mounted in a similar way, but vertically and it kept coming loose in high winds, I made a large L shaped mounting so it was braced along the roof and down the wall to stop it.

Thanks for the advice Delta, I'll bear that in mind, it going on the front of a garden shed at the apex above the door and I am hoping to fix it by bolting through the shed face with another plate on the back, I may need a bigger shed

 

[Norm]

No progress today as far as the weathervane goes but just thought I'd show you the new vice It's mahoosive and makes my original look tiny in comparison needs a little fettling, a clean up and a spot of paint and I should now be able to bend anything I want as it's more likely to be me that gives up before the vice. Think I'll need to strengthen the workbench first. It's missing a couple of screws for the jaws but I'm sure I'll be able to get those easily enough massive thanks to Roofman for this

 

[roofman]

looks better in a home that loves it Norm...never mind tarting it up anyway we want to see this weathervane

 

[Norm]

..never mind tarting it up

oops !!! sorry I'll crack on, you'll see it soon enough as I am hoping someone I know with a lathe is going to help me make the pointy bit that will enable it to turn.
cheers Norm

 

[roofman]

oops !!! sorry I'll crack on, you'll see it soon enough as I am hoping someone I know with a lathe is going to help me make the pointy bit that will enable it to turn.
cheers Norm

as i said the kettles always warm in this house

 

[Norm]

as i said the kettles always warm in this house

Cheers fella be in touch soon,

I have made a little bit more progress, the new vice in now securely bolted to the workbench, so my first job was to make a twisting tool so that I can make the bars that will carry the direction letters, 6 No 90mm long lengths of 10mm square bar and two lengths of 25mm angle cobbled together with some extremely poor welding and voila I can now add a twist when I make the bars, picture of first practise go attached

Regards Norm.

 

[breezer]

Like it - good work

 

[the artfull-codger]

Nice arrow design,[I'll put that to that back of the book for future designs] good traditional font for the cardinal points, stands out well up a height, I've used the same one myself on some of the weathervanes I've made, I say ''weathervanes'' but I don't know why they're called that,as they're really only wind vanes,they don't tell you the weather, only the wind direction, one of lifes little mysteries I suppose.
slan go fol.

 

[Robotstar5]

I say ''weathervanes'' but I don't know why they're called that,as they're really only wind vanes,they don't tell you the weather, only the wind direction, one of lifes little mysteries I suppose.

If it casts a shadow = sunny
If it's shiney = raining
If it's white = snowing
If it's missing = hurricane

 

[brightspark]

If it casts a shadow = sunny
If it's shiney = raining
If it's white = snowing
If it's missing = hurricane

err just look out of window and its obvious realy

 

[Norm]

err just look out of window and its obvious realy

Now you tell me !!!!!

Anyway managed to get a bit more done, the welds are a bit poor Looks wise but they are strong and have bitten in well and I am getting better the more I do, I will clean them up a bit prior to painting and I think it will be ok.


I am now waiting for a (don't laugh) steel ball from brindley's so I can make the next part.

cheers for now

Norm

 

[roofman]

looking great mate