How to Make a Weather Vane

Homemade weather vanes are authentic, country pieces that would add a touch of flair to any homestead. They have become highly prized items by collectors worldwide. Colonial weather vanes are even more coveted. In New England, you will probably see a weather vane on top of every rooftop. In colonial times, the vane would often times tell you about the owner's last name or the type of work that was done on their family farm.

To learn how to make a weather vane, gather a few materials. You will need two 12" x 12" aluminum baking sheets, a bamboo skewer, a straw, heavy-duty scissors, black paint or sharpie marker, paint, stapler, and some glue.

First decide what shape or pattern you want for your colonial weather vane. You could choose a farm animal such as a cow, sheep, or dog, or other theme from nature. Rooster colonial weather vanes will give your home an antique feel.

After you have chosen the pattern for your own weather vane, draw it onto the baking sheet with a pencil. You will need to cut out the shape with your strong scissors but keep in mind that they will be dull after cutting out your colonial weather vane. Also, remember that choosing an intricate pattern with many cuts and curves will make the cutting more difficult than one with smooth lines, such as a whale pattern.

Trace around your first image and cut a second one on your second baking sheet as exact as possible. Now you are ready to staple them together around the edges leaving two inches between each staple. Leave enough space at the bottom for the bamboo skewer to be inserted later.

Measure and cut your skewer to be 10". The top 2" should be covered with glue. Now place the skewer between the two pieces of aluminum and mold your shape around the skewer. You can place some encyclopedias on top of the weather vane to speed up the gluing process. Let the books and skewer sit for a few hours to allow the glue to dry.

When everything has dried, you can paint and color your colonial weather vane. To make sure your colonial weather vane will stand the weather, put it into a straw and blow on it. This will let you see if it will be able to turn with the wind. You can put your colonial weather vane on your roof or in a flower bed, as well as attached to a mailbox or railing. The options are endless.

This is how to make your own weather vane.