Conference 7.286::home_work

    I need some advice on installing a weathervane. I understand that
    it needs to be plumbed and also set with a compus. Any advice will
    be appreciated.
    

    Use the north star, not a compass.  Then you don't need to worry
    about allowing for magnetic declination.  Of course, since a
    weathervane is not exactly a precision instrument, maybe the
    15-degree difference or whatever it is where you live doesn't
    matter anyway.

    Question? Can I get to the North Star with enough light to do
              an installation?
    
    

    I assume the angle of the weathervane is adjustable after it's mounted
    on the roof.  You can probably do the mounting part, then just do
    a quick final adjustment to line it up.
    I wouldn't particularly suggest climbing around on your roof at
    night!  Check the north star to see where it is relative to your
    roofline, then set the weathervane in the daytime.  You can then
    look at it again at night (from the ground!) and see how close you
    came, and adjust it again if necessary.

    Just for info (or my understanding of it), "declination" refers to the
fact that a typical compass, in pointing to "magnetic" north, actually points
15 - 17 degrees west of "true" north (it's closer to 15� in Vermont and 17� in
Maine).  To set your weathervane, assuming North is at 0� (or 360�), aim your
weathervane's "N" at around 345�.  As said in .1, it's not exactly a precision
instrument.
    A compass can be purchased at most camping/hiking stores or, even, many
department stores.
    After you buy the compass, the next logical step is to try out orienteering
:-)   You can find info in LDP::HIKING or the Sunday _Globe_ Calendar section.

I don't think you're going to do much navigating by your weathervane, so 
chances are "north-ish" is good enough.  For that you can use a compass 
no matter what the magnetic deviation is.  Using the North Star to get 
an approximate fix that you then set in the daytime doesn't seem more 
exact, and for the application there doesn't seem to be a lot of payback 
for extreme precision.
					>>>==>PStJTT

    What plumbing is needed for a weathervane?
    
    Ed..
    

    Thanks, the weathervane is up and working.
    

    RE: .6
    
    Well, weather vanes typically have roosters on them, and roosters
    need to relieve themselves somewhere, so ....
    
    Seriously, I assume he meant plumbing as in running a plumb line,
    though I would have guessed the word level would be more appropriate.
    
       Gary

>    Seriously, I assume he meant plumbing as in running a plumb line,
>    though I would have guessed the word level would be more appropriate.
    
"Level" means perfectly horizontal.  To work properly, a weathervane 
should be "plumb" or perfectly vertical.
					>>>==>PStJTT

    Just to cover my ... self, in .4 I suggested aiming your weathervane's
North pointer at 345�, assuming North is 0� or 360�.  I had it backwards.
Magnetic north already points 15� west of true north here in New England.
To compensate, you should point it at 15� (E).  (Maybe this is why I get lost
while orienteering.)

    And, for another perfectly useless piece of information, if you want to
orient your house, solar collectors, etc. to get best use of the southern sun,
take a compass reading of "south" and then aim at 195�, or 15� west of south.