Thursday 09/04/15
Two weeks ago I gave you a refresher on how to find north using the sun and your watch. Tonight I’m going to teach you how to find north if you can’t see the sun.
You’ll need a sewing needle, a magnet and a length of cotton thread. Make sure the needle is made of metal (ie: does the needle stick to the magnet?). If you can’t find a needle, a nail makes an acceptable substitute. You have to magnetise the needle. You can do this by running the magnet from the middle to the point; 100 to 200 strokes will do the job. Move the magnet in one direction only (not back and forth).
Next, tie one end of the cotton around the middle of the needle and hold the other end of the needle between your forefinger and thumb. Make sure there are no kinks in the thread. Allow the needle to hang free and give it a few moments to stop spinning. Once it has stopped spinning, it will point north. Alternately, you can place the magnetised needle on a leaf and float it on a bowl of water.
Magnets aren’t as hard to find as you might think. Most people have novelty magnets stuck on the outside of their refrigerators. There are quite a few children’s toys that contain magnets. If neither of these options are available, remember every speaker contains a magnet. You have to decide what item you are willing to sacrifice to obtain your magnet.
Cloudy skies and tall buildings are no longer an obstacle when you need to find north.