How to make a compass with your own hands at home. Making a regular compass with your own hands Making a compass without water

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Today we want to tell and show how to make a compass from improvised materials in a couple of minutes.

A modern traveler goes on a hike, armed to the teeth with technology: a smartphone, a navigator, a portable charger, a camera - probably not yet full list travel gadgets. But, as they say, rely on technology, but don’t make a mistake yourself: knowledge of the basics of survival in conditions wildlife It hasn't bothered anyone yet. Therefore, today we want to tell you and show you how to make a compass using improvised means.

So, you will need: a container for water, a needle and a piece of any floating material (foam, sponge, cork or a simple sheet, as in our case).

The next steps are simple. Take a container and pour water into it. Then we take out the needle and magnetize one end of it: for this you can use a magnet, or if you don’t have one, you can use fabric or even your own hair. Now we place the magnetized needle on a piece of floating material and lower it into a container of water. After some time, our needle-arrow will stop oscillating, and its magnetized side will point from south to north.

Here's what it all looks like in practice:

Now you will probably be able to find your way in unfamiliar areas, because making such a compass will not be difficult.

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Compass on a thread and a needle

In fact, making a compass using needles and threads is very simple and most importantly effective! To begin with, take an ordinary needle; everyone has one somewhere at home. Then rub it properly with a magnet so that it becomes magnetized. The next step is to take any thread; if you find yourself on a hike and don’t have a spool with you, you can tear one from any clothing. Next, thread the needle and tie it in a knot. Be careful, it is advisable not to take it too tightly in your hands, it can transfer the charge to you and thereby become demagnetized.

Place it horizontally and observe. One end of the needle will point north and the other end will point south. To the right and left side there will be eastern and western sides of the world. Note which end showed the north, this can be done with the help of brilliant green, iodine, which travelers always have. That's all. You can safely determine the cardinal directions using it, just like a standard compass.

DIY compass from a needle and a container of water

A glass or ceramic container with fresh water (metal ones are not suitable as they will distort the magnetic field).
Needle
A piece of floating material (cork, polystyrene, foam rubber)

Assembling a homemade compass

Cut off a small piece of floating material. The most important thing is that it is of such a size as to ensure the buoyancy of the needle attached to it and at the same time that it is of such a size that the forces of surface tension of the water and the drag forces are negligible - this is necessary to ensure the accuracy of the readings.

Our needle will serve as an arrow. First you need to make sure that one end of the needle is magnetized and the other is not. If you have magnets at hand (they are present in the speakers of the player, receiver, electric motors, etc.), then you can magnetize the needle-arrow with their help. If there are no magnets, then you can simply hold one end of the needle over the flame for 25-35 seconds, after which this tip will be demagnetized (if you were interested in physics at school, you understand why this happens). So, the arrow is ready. Its magnetized end will point to Serer, and the non-magnetized end will point to the South.

We attach the needle-arrow to the float. The most convenient way is to carefully pierce the float with a needle along the axis of symmetry. This fastening is simple and at the same time reliable. All that remains is to simply place the float with the arrow in a container of water so that the walls of the container do not interfere with the rotation of the arrow. The compass is ready, all that remains is to calibrate it.

If you know which tip of your needle was magnetized and which was not, you can immediately judge where north is by the position of the magnetized tip. If you don’t know, then the following facts will help you determine where North and South are: the place where the sun rises and where it sets (Sunrise-East, Sunset-West) or the position of the polar star. Using these signs you can easily calibrate your homemade compass.

How to make a compass from a needle and water

One more the easy way The method for making a compass is with a needle and water. This is a very handy method that allows you to make a compass at home. So, to make a compass using this method, you need to take a needle. Magnetize it properly, this can be done using a magnet. Rub the needle on it, but not the whole part, but only one end. The other end must be uncharged. To discharge it, you can hold it over the fire, this will neutralize the charge. If you don’t have a special magnet, you can use any, even the smallest ones, like those on the refrigerator. Or use silk, it charges objects perfectly like no other.

The next step is to mark in color which side is magnetized so as not to confuse the sides. You can mark it with any paint or brilliant green, iodine or any other impurities. Next comes the most interesting part, pour water into the bowl, place the needle on a stable surface that will float on the water (pinoplast, wine cork, plastic, and any other objects that float on the surface of the water). Next you need to observe. The arrow will turn towards the north, behind it will be the south, and on the right and left sides there will be a direction to the east and west.. This is the way! Very light and effective in any terrain.

Compass made from a paper clip

So, to make a compass from a paper clip, you need to properly charge it. This can be done using a well-known magnet, or remember seventh grade physics and use silk. Rub it to recharge it. Next, you need to carefully place the paper clip on the cardboard or paper surface and lower it into the water. Make sure that nothing interferes with the movement of the paperclip. Eliminate all drafts and gusts of wind. It is also worth using a small piece of paper surface to avoid collision with the bowl of water. That's all, the compass is ready. If you did everything correctly, he will show you the way to the north. Bon Voyage!

How to make a homemade compass

In order to make a homemade compass from cardboard, you need to cut out a circle. You need to draw the drawing correctly to get an even circle. The next step is to charge the needle using a magnet or using a lye by rubbing it against these objects. Or you can use a paper clip rather than a needle, the principle is the same. Next, insert a needle or wire into the cardboard. We install it and watch its movements. It should point towards the north. Next, we plot the cardinal directions to the south, in the appropriate order. That's it, the cardboard compass is ready! This can be given to a child for learning orienteering, your child will be happy!

How to make a cut and a hole in a compass

How to make a compass in 3d? To do this you need to draw correct drawing. There should be several such drawings from different sides. Top view, left side and interior. This is all done using different programs that are made specifically for these purposes. They are quite easy to use. On the drawing you need to indicate the main markings; they are indicated by a thick line. Thanks to this method, you can make different types.

Assembly of the structure

We make a compass needle and magnetize it, as described in the previous instructions. To make an arrow, you can use a needle or a safety razor blade. You can also make an arrow from half a razor blade.

We tie a thread or fishing line to an improvised arrow at its center of gravity. We place the arrow inside the transparent vessel so that it is suspended. The vessel will protect our structure from the wind.

We calibrate the resulting compass using the method described in the last paragraph of the previous instructions and obtain a device ready for use.

As you can see, making a compass yourself is not that difficult. On the one hand, we looked interesting solutions, and if you dig deeper, it becomes obvious that we have expanded our knowledge base extremely useful information! Happy travels, friends.

And there's still something waiting for you interesting video from the network on our topic:

Watch the video: Lifehack. How to make a compass from a needle with your own hands at home (January 2020).

The main stages of assembling the compass:

First of all, you need a round box, ideally with a lid. Use a metal box, for example, from some shoe polish. Iron box you need to anneal it - heat it in the stove until red-hot and let it cool slowly. Next, you should remove the scale from it and paint it with nitro paint. Throughout internal diameter of this box, using a compass, you should draw the very bottom on the cardboard. Cut it out and make a hole two millimeters in diameter with absolutely straight edges, into which you should fasten a regular underwear button so that the existing blind hole in the nipple of the button itself is at the top.

According to the drawing, the compass card itself should be made from very thick paper; paint it with watercolors and cut it out. The card should be glued to the prepared bottom, and the bottom itself should be placed in a box. The side is also made of cardboard and, having previously been lubricated with glue, is tightly installed in the jar, pressing the card itself to the bottom of the existing jar.

The side must be five to six millimeters below the top edge of the can or rim. Next, along the diameter of the jar, you need to cut out a small circle from the thinnest plexiglass - the glazing of the compass itself; it is necessary to make the required hole in the center of the circle and fasten a second underwear button to it so that the existing blind hole of the button itself is at the bottom. Instead of plexiglass, it is possible to use any transparent film or use photographic film with a pre-washed emulsion.

Having installed the glazing itself on the resulting side, you need to secure it on top using a spring ring made of ordinary steel wire. The linen buttons, which are installed on the bottom, as well as the glazing, are thrust bearings in which the axis will rotate together with the needle of your compass.

The assembly of all the parts of a homemade compass is shown in Figure 5. Based on the existing height of the box, you should determine the height of the axis of the arrow itself. The axle can be made of wire, which can rotate freely in ordinary thrust bearings. The ends of the resulting axis must be carefully filed with a file and sanded with a block to sharpen the knives.
The arrow must be transferred to the tin, cut it out, put it on a board, install an awl in the center of the resulting arrow and, lightly hitting the awl itself with a hammer, punch a hole for the axis itself so that this axis can fit tightly into the hole for the arrow. Next, you need to take the axis with the arrow in your fingers and, holding it a little, check whether the arrow itself is balanced.

If any end of the arrow outweighs, it should be filed with a file. Once the needle is balanced, it will need to be removed and then magnetized. First, on one of the ends of the arrow you need to scratch the letter N with the tip of an awl, then take a magnet (Figure 2) and draw its south pole (it will be painted red) several times from the middle of the arrow itself to the end of it with your mark. Then the north pole (it will be colored in blue colors) do the same with the other end. And this should be repeated several times.

To carry out magnetization, it is possible to use magnets from loudspeakers of radios, televisions or tape recorders. They have the shape of a ring, so this ring must first be carefully broken into several pieces with a hammer and chisel. individual parts.
Now you should place the arrow directly on the axis, and, holding the axis vertically in your fingers, you can see how it will immediately take a certain position. No matter how you then change the position of this arrow, it will begin to take only one direction. The end of the arrow that is marked with the letter N will always point north, and the other end will point south. Now you need to install the axle in the bearings - and the homemade compass will be ready.

It happens that you need to know exactly which side is south and which is north. At home, this can be useful when setting up an antenna, but travelers cannot do without such knowledge, especially in the wild. Of course, the easiest way is to use a regular compass. What to do if it is not at hand? How to make a compass at home and outdoors? It turns out it's very simple. You won't need special devices- only improvised materials that every home has, or can be easily obtained in the forest.

at home

1. In order to make an indispensable tourist attribute, you need a needle, a small piece of foam rubber and a mug of water. To begin with, you should take foam rubber, approximately 3x3 centimeters. We will need it so that the needle floats on the water and does not sink. We pierce the foam rubber with a needle in the center and place simple design in a mug of water.

2. In order for it to become a real compass, it remains to magnetize one tip of the needle. Finding a magnet in an apartment is very easy. It is in the headset, holding the doors or in the speakers of the music center. To demagnetize the needle, just bring one of its tips to gas burner and hold over the fire for 20 seconds. Thus, the magnetized tip of the needle will show us north, the demagnetized tip will tell us where south is. We place our structure in the water again.

3. To understand where north is and where south is, stand facing the direction of the needle. Remember which window the sun shines through in the morning (this will be the east), respectively, the sun sets in the opposite direction - this will be the west. Now stand along the needle so that the east is on the left and the west is on the right. This will put you facing south and your back to north.

How to make a compass in nature

Sometimes when hiking, for example in the forest, it is important to know the exact direction of the path so as not to get lost. It turns out that it is also easy to understand where is north and where is south, using available means. Let's look at two options for how to create your own compass in extreme conditions.

1. For the first option you need to find something metal. Any nail, wire or needle will do. To magnetize our arrow, just rub it on your hair. Next, the nails need to be tied to a thread or fishing line and hung on a static surface (for example, a tree branch). It is important that the length of the thread is at least 40 centimeters, otherwise the result will be inaccurate. Now the arrow will accurately point with its magnetized end to the north. You already know how to determine other directions.

2. For the second option you need a bowl of water. Magnetize one end of the arrow and place it in a bowl, placing it on a piece of bark. The arrow will definitely tell you where north is.

So now you know how to make a compass in any situation. This procedure will not take much time even in conditions modern apartment, even in a dense forest. All you have to do is show a little ingenuity and find suitable materials, create a simple device with your own hands, and you will always know exactly in which direction you should move. Now you are not afraid of any troubles while traveling.

Making a mini compass at home is not big problem. The main thing is to make sure that the magnet, which plays the role of the arrow, rotates with minimal friction. Typically, a magnetic needle is mounted on a point, which is essentially a bearing that provides minimal friction when turning the needle. Another option could be a magnetic needle floating on the surface of the water. This is exactly the option that was used by the author. Of course, for one-time use, you can limit yourself to a piece of foam pierced with a pin or a piece of an unbent paper clip. But for regular use, you can make something more fundamental, however, also at minimal cost.

Round elements are used as body elements. plastic lids from dairy products, with a diameter of 31 and 28 mm, the height of the lids is 10 mm. The lids fit into each other perfectly, forming halves of the body.

Actually, the role of the magnetic needle in the device is a ferrite magnet in the shape of a 10x4x4 mm parallelepiped; in addition, you will need two short strips of 10 x 4 mm tin. The magnet was taken from an old reed keypad. For reliable fastening in the case, a holder is cut out of packaging plastic, packaging scraps are selected that have a groove of the required width for installing a magnet.

Tin plates are bent in the manner shown in the photo, so that they are reliably magnetized to the ends of the magnet.

Into the lid smaller diameter install one half of the holder, cut into place.

Place the magnet.

Place the top half of the holder.

Using Moment glue we connect the halves of the body.

Now, using another compass, we determine the poles of the magnet and apply the appropriate markings.

Floating on the surface of the water, the compass copes with its tasks quite well.

A group of compasses can demonstrate the domain structure of a ferromagnet.

Summarize

Of course this design is not a full-fledged compass, its main purpose is to demonstrate the behavior of a magnet in an external magnetic field, to demonstrate. Naturally, if it is possible to demonstrate this more easily on compasses, but in the absence large quantity compasses, this option is also suitable. Author - Denev.

Discuss the article HOW TO MAKE A COMPASS WITH YOUR OWN HANDS

Sometimes on long trips there is an urgent need to correctly determine the cardinal points. It may even happen that the life and health of the expedition members will depend on this. If you have a compass, it doesn't matter. What if it fails or is lost? Then the options are: determine the cardinal directions by the stars, the sun, signs, or make a primitive compass yourself. I just want to tell you how to make a compass yourself, using only available material. We will look at several variations of such homemade devices.

DIY compass from a needle and a container of water

We will need:

A glass or ceramic container with fresh water (metal ones are not suitable as they will distort the magnetic field).
Needle
A piece of floating material (cork, polystyrene, foam rubber)

Assembling a homemade compass

DIY compass without using liquid

We will need:

Safety razor needle or blade
Transparent bottle
Thin thread or fishing line

Assembly of the structure

We calibrate the resulting compass using the method described in the last paragraph of the previous instructions and obtain a device ready for use.

As you can see, making a compass yourself is not that difficult. On the one hand, we looked at some interesting solutions, but if you dig deeper, it becomes obvious that we have expanded our knowledge base with extremely useful information! Happy travels, friends.

And you will also find an interesting video from the network on our topic:

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