Non-motoring > Help needed....again!	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Pat	Replies: 38

Sun 10 Apr 11 07:55   Help needed....again! - Pat

I have just spent two hours Googling for something but I'm not getting anywhere as I don't really know what we need. Yesterday we tried to fit a Weather Vane on to a concrete line post at the top of the garden. As soon as we started to drill the post a big chunk fell out of it:( We realise now that the only way to fit the weather vane is to attach a 6' wooden post to the concrete post so it stands about a foot taller than the concrete post and attach the weather vane to that. The concrete post is tapered at the top being approx 3''x3'' at the top and 4''x4'' further down, and the wooden post is 3''x3''. We,ve tried the local DIY to no avail for inspiration. Googled Aerial chimney fixing/huge square Ubolts etc. What we have in mind is using three wire things that can be tightened similar to small ratchet straps which we have as extra storm scaravanon the cravan awning ( but not bright orange ones!) We are hopeless at DIY and the situation is getting fraught here to say the least, with me muttering things like 'why does a simple job always turn into a major expensive refit?' Any suggestions welcome please! Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 10:00   Help needed....again! - Old Navy

One way would be to get four long bolts (with appropriate nuts) from a DIY shed, while you are there get four repair plates or lengths of of substantial metal strip. If you can't get drilled metal bar drill holes and make up two square clamps. Anything less than substantial metal clamps will not last long. DIY sheds also sell TV aerial fittings but these may be too big, but worth a check. Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 10 Apr 11 at 10:01 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 10:09   Help needed....again! - Iffy

It's possible to get 'high torque' jubilee clips. I've seen some which are sold 'open'. Three of those evenly spaced would do the job: www.jubileeclips.co.uk/products-clips-high-torque.aspx The 'correct' solution is steel band, as used to hold road signs to posts. I believe most systems need a special hand tool to tension the band, so it will be expensive for a 'one-off'. Worth asking this company if there are alternatives: www.surefast-strapping.co.uk/images/pdf/stainless%20steel%20band.pdf?phpMyAdmin=X6BLPO-3I37tf92HQ7554rQOS21 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 10:05   Help needed....again! - Fenlander

Pat you'd be amazed how well three or four very large plastic cable ties would hold for starters to see how it looks. For a similar problem here I've used very long jubilee clips that were sold for ventilation ducting (might see some in the extractor fan section of B&Q?). For the ultimate solution go to Boons of Benwick* (if you know them) with a drawing of what you want to clamp and they'll have/make something. *Boons are a classic example of Fenland endeavour.... they can sort anything mechanical but you have to accept they are one of the few places in the UK the health & safety boys have never reached. I've never seen such a tip of a workshop and yard. tinyurl.com/3zuzc2f (streetview) Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 10:09   Help needed....again! - CGNorwich

I think I would forget about the concrete post and just use a wooden pole in the ground. If you use a fence post you can use a post spike. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 10:17   Help needed....again! - sherlock47

The people who live opposite must be impressed - looks worse than the average travellers site! On second thoughts my wife keeps saying our drive looks like this:) Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 10:33   Help needed....again! - Zero

You cant get sufficient torque on plastic cable ties (by hand anyway, you can pull them tight with a tool designed for the job) and you need to pull the timber tight to the concrete, Some large jubilee clips (joined together if required) should do it. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 14:56   Help needed....again! - Ted

If you go down the Jubilee/cable ties road, Pat....I have some stainless steel cable ties about 10 inches long. I attached our washing line pole to a concrete fence post with them. I haven't used any for a few years so you're welcome to some. They can be joined together to make them longer Just don't play around putting one round your finger for a joke...they can only be removed with a Dremel/angle grinder cut-off disc........ouch !! Ted Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 17:16   Help needed....again! - Dog

This is about the best that I can come up with ~ www.screwfix.com/p/expansion-vessel-mounting-bracket/20531 Cut the jubes to size & fix bracket to Wodens post. Eh ... I dunno what size the bracket is (doesn't say) but I'm one of those geezers that would make it fit. Last edited by: Dog on Sun 10 Apr 11 at 17:20 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 17:24   Help needed....again! - Pat

Well that makes some interesting reading and thanks for all the suggestions. I'm only about 3 miles from Benwick so if all else fails that will be the place to go Fenlander. I didn't even think of going to them despite being on the doorstep! Ted, that sounds like it may do the job fairly easily so if you could pop them in the post I'll certainly reimburse any costs etc to you. We won't be doing anything now to it until next weekend so my next question will be 'How do you find due North without a compass?':) I've always wanted a weathervane but I want it where I can see it from my office window so there isn't any other option and there isn't room to put in an additional post either. Thanks again all. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 17:34   Help needed....again! - Ted

Pattie, EMail me your address or ring me. Let me know how long you need to get right round the project.. Ted Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 17:58   Help needed....again! - Pat

Email on it's way Ted, dinner is burning.....again:) Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 17:57   Help needed....again! - Zero

>> We won't be doing anything now to it until next weekend so my next question >> will be 'How do you find due North without a compass?':) Google Earth, check a map, Moss is on the northern sides of walls and trees, Sun rises in the east sets in the west so at this time of year North is opposite the sun at about 12:00 o'clock (stick a stick in the ground and the shadow points north) >I've always wanted a weathervane I have a fish weather sock, Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 18:31   Help needed....again! - CGNorwich

Set your watch back to GMT. Place watch on flat surface Point the hour in the direction of the sun . Bisect the angle between 12 on the watch and the hour hand. That line will point due south. If you are working at night use the pole star Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 18:37   Help needed....again! - Old Navy

As Zero says look at your house on Google maps, North is at the top. Your house faces almost due north, slightly offset to the west, about 5 degrees. Your garden faces slightly east of south, but not enough to make any difference. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 18:32   Help needed....again! - Dave_

>> my next question will be 'How do you find due North without a compass? solarempire.co.uk/HowtofindPolaris.aspx It'll be about 10 degrees to the right of straight ahead, as you look out the front of your house :) EDIT: CGN, you were in the Scouts weren't you? Last edited by: Dave_TDCi {P} on Sun 10 Apr 11 at 18:34 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 18:42   Help needed....again! - Iffy

Saw something on the telly about putting a blade of grass - or it might have been a cat's whisker - in a bowl of water. Or it might have been a bowl of something else. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 18:58   Help needed....again! - CGNorwich

"Saw something on the telly about putting a blade of grass - or it might have been a cat's whisker - in a bowl of water." You left out the main component, the magnetised needle which you lay on the floating blade of grass. - Not following you into the untracked wilderness Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 18:46   Help needed....again! - CGNorwich

you were in the Scouts weren't you? No, the Army Cadet Corps. Can take a Bren gun to bits as well as find true north Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 21:18   Help needed....again! - Ted

Get a straight pole, point one end South.....the other end will point to North....Seemples ! Ted Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 22:00   Help needed....again! - Zero

>> Get a straight pole, point one end South.....the other end will point to North....Seemples ! Only if its at 90 degrees to the garden path. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 10 Apr 11 23:05   Help needed....again! - Ted

Of course, I hadn't vectored that in, Z. I also omitted to say that this had to be done on the 15th of any month with a Y in it. Making sure the distance, in furlongs, to the equator was exactly twice that of the garden path. Even more seemples ! Ted Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 04:59   Help needed....again! - Pat

I like the Google maps explanation best but let's get the weather vane up first:) My MIL told me you did it with a cork on a piece of string and a small bowl of water....but I don't know how it works. I think I'll take ON's advice as;) Although I hope his navigation on a submarine didn't rely on Google maps. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 08:32   Help needed....again! - -

Another vote for Jubilee clips, i used them to attach the pole carrying the Union Flag. They were too short, but opened up and then joined together, two worked fine, useful in that they can be tightened or indeed removed at any time as needed. Worth putting grease on the screw though as they can rust up over time. Modern truckers eh? ratchet straps my backside, rope it in place with some dollies.;_) Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 08:58   Help needed....again! - Iffy

...rope it in place with some dollies.;... Wish I had a couple of dollies to do a few jobs around here. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 09:04   Help needed....again! - Clk Sec

Is the washing machine due it's weekly fill? Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 09:15   Help needed....again! - Iffy

...Is the washing machine due it's weekly fill?... Steady, it's only Monday - too early in the week for extravagance. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 09:14   Help needed....again! - CGNorwich

isn't the taper of the concrete post going to cause problems ? To get the wooden post vertical you are going to need some of spacer. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 09:25   Help needed....again! - Zero

Someone else can do the trigonometry but no not really, one inch taper over 6 feet (1 in 72) is not going to lean the extra one foot of wooden pole much out of the vertical. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 10:32   Help needed....again! - bathtub tom

Keep putting folded up fag packets in until it's vertical. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 10:35   Help needed....again! - Iffy

...Keep putting folded up fag packets in until it's vertical... Smoke enough of a certain type of fag and you'll not care one way or the other. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 14:56   Help needed....again! - devonite

it`s not really a Weather vane! it only attempts to show wind direction so it`s a wind vane! and wind vanes are useless for predicting the weather especially if theres no wind! You would be much better off pegging a bunch of Bladderwrack seaweed onto your line, when it waves around -it`s windy, when it`s soft and limp - it`s raining and when its dried up an crispy -heatwave! - see! far more predictable! Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 15:00   Help needed....again! - Pat

Now there speaks a man who doesn't live in the Fen devonite:) You can see the weather coming 50 miles away, you just need to know which way the wind is blowing to know if it's going via Bill's Mothers or over here. I've got a barometer to tell me anything else I need to know:) Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 16:56   Help needed....again! - Zero

>> I've got a barometer to tell me anything else I need to know:) I have an Iphone App, its been pretty accurate so far, even for the fens and north Norfolk coast. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 18:29   Help needed....again! - Old Navy

>> I have an Iphone App, its been pretty accurate so far, even for the fens >> and north Norfolk coast. >> Until the battery dies. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 19:03   Help needed....again! - Zero

you check the weather before it does. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 15:01   Help needed....again! - Dog

>>You would be much better off pegging a bunch of Bladderwrack seaweed onto your line, when it waves around -it`s windy, when it`s soft and limp - it`s raining and when its dried up an crispy -heatwave!<< Plus you could always eat it, as it is rich in Iodine which is good for the thyroid gland (unless you're hyper T) Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 15:02   Help needed....again! - Pat

I had my thyroid gland removed some 25 years ago Dog, so I don't think it would work for me! Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 11 Apr 11 15:14   Help needed....again! - Dog

>>I had my thyroid gland removed some 25 years ago Dog, so I don't think it would work for me!<< Sorry to hear that Pat. Reply to this message | Report message