Weather vane — how to make a beautiful design element with your own hands (65 photos)

For the first time, a weather vane known to modern historians appeared in the ancient Greek city of Athens in the forty-eighth year BC. It crowned the roof of the octagonal Tower of Winds twelve meters high, built by astronomer Andronikos of Cyrrhus, and depicted the figure of a deity named Triton, who has a human appearance and a fish tail.

Later, the practical device became the main part of marine vessels. His ship's version was a flag attached to the top of the longest mast of the ship.

To reduce the sailing time, professional pilots set the necessary sails after determining the side of the world in which the wind was blowing.

During the Middle Ages, city chimney sweeps wanted to know the strength of the wind for the safe performance of their duties. That's why they started fixing weather vanes on the tallest pipes. A few centuries later, the device in question has become an excellent decorative element for modern country houses.

Experienced designers fix the wind detector on the roof ridge to beautifully decorate the upper part of a residential building. The widespread use of this idea is proved by numerous photos of the weather vane.

Its optimal decorative properties were worthily appreciated by residents of European cities who came up with the fashion for equipping high towers with unique products that were equipped with forged or stamped figures. The latter serve as talismans, and also symbolize mystery and romance.

This hobby has spread to the territory of the Russian Federation. Owners of suburban plots planning to put a weather vane on the roof of their private home will certainly be interested in information about the varieties of such a product. Then their device will definitely stand out among the other options, showing the good taste of summer residents.

Summary of the article:

For the correct distribution of devices by classification categories, specialists use the criterion of functional purpose. Therefore, there are effective adaptations for

Meteorological purposes. Such products are a structure consisting of forged parts. Properly performed balancing increases the accuracy of determining wind directions, and the appearance of the working element resembles a child's flag.

To add functionality, you need to attach a special metal plate. It will help to find out the strength of air flows by calculating the angle at which the part bends under the influence of wind gusts.

Decorative purposes. The main difference of such products is the absence of moving parts. The design and materials of manufacture are determined by the owner of private housing, guided by individual preferences when creating an aesthetically attractive roof.

Scaring away birds. The wind detector is supplemented with a special propeller that makes unpleasant sounds for birds. Thanks to this, the roofing can be protected from the accumulation of bird droppings, the salts of which destroy the structure of the material.

Preventing the return of air into the pipe of the building. A special weather vane on the chimney is mounted above the hole, blocking the access of the wind to the solid fuel heating device. It effectively preserves the optimal traction force, protecting the room from filling with fuel combustion products.

Basic materials of manufacture

Forged metal is traditionally used for the production of classic weather vanes, and wood and a more durable polyvinyl chloride material are used for demonstration products. Metal products are characterized by the most simplified design.

Skilled craftsmen decorate the working part with some kind of animal. It is attached to a metal rod, the lower end of which is fixed on the roof of a private building. The dimensions of the decorative part vary from 40 to 70 centimeters. Turning under the control of the moving air, it shows the direction where the wind is blowing.

In order for the weather vane to function as correctly as possible, its mounting rod must be placed extremely vertically.

Wooden determinants are demonstration devices through which specialists teach children the names of the cardinal directions. After installation on the roof, the main material of the devices will quickly collapse under the influence of temperature, ultraviolet light and precipitation.

To make a wooden weather vane with your own hands, you need to cut out the main elements from a plywood board. Then they are covered with multicolored paint and varnish materials, treated with deck varnish and assembled into a single structure. Varnish impregnation for a short period of time will protect the product from adverse factors.

Design features

Modern shops sell classic types of weather vanes made by stamping copper or steel sheet. The figured part is decorated with images of animals or fairy-tale characters with some symbolic meaning.

In order to ensure the correct determination of the wind direction, the structure is fixed on the roof according to technological rules, information about which is contained on many Internet sites. The standard structure of the weather vane contains three main elements.

Among them is found:

A rack used to hold all structural parts, as well as their fixation to the roof.
A weather vane, which is a rotating element.
The pointer of the cardinal directions, which helps to notice the directions of the blowing winds.

Installation of the detector on the roof ridge

Before the start of the installation processes, the maximum height of the roof structure is determined. When drawing up a weather vane, it is necessary to provide for the presence of fasteners from special sides and plates made of metal alloy.

It is installed strictly vertically, and the position of the wind indicators is determined using a compass. Then a weather vane is fixed on the steel pipe, after which the tube is fixed in a vertically placed rod.

The bearing placed at the base of the product helps the pointer to move freely in any direction around its axis. Before installation, this part is treated with protective means that prevent the penetration of moisture and slow down the rate of corrosion processes.

In the finished samples, a special node is found, thanks to which the wind pointer is able to move easily and improve the accuracy of the functioning of the entire device.

Installation of the pointer on the chimney

Before making a weather vane for a chimney, it is necessary to make sure that a reliable protective cap is present. In its certain places, holes are drilled with a drill, which serve for mounting metal brackets.

The main structure of the device is securely attached to them. This combination provides free rotation of the housing and deflectors, eliminating the possibility of air moving back into the pipe. Then solid-fuel devices will begin to heat the dwelling more efficiently due to the improved traction force.