Buzz
The compass, a time-honored tool for navigation, has been used for centuries to help determine the four cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west. At its core, it consists of a magnetized needle that aligns with Earth's magnetic field, always pointing towards the north. If you're caught without a compass in a pinch, you can easily craft your own using a small piece of magnetized metal and a bowl of water.
Instructions
Collecting Materials
Choose an item for your compass needle. The needle for your compass can be made from any piece of metal that can be magnetized. A sewing needle works well and is practical, especially since it’s likely to be part of a survival or first aid kit, something you might have on a hiking or camping adventure. You can also try using the following "needles":
- A paperclip
- A razor blade
- A safety pin
- A hairpin
Pick a method to magnetize your needle. There are several ways to magnetize your needle: you can tap it with steel or iron, rub it with a magnet, or use static electricity by rubbing it on an object that can create this effect.
- A refrigerator magnet is an excellent tool for this purpose. Craft stores also sell simple magnets that will work.
- If you don't have a magnet, you can use household items like a steel nail, a crowbar, or even a horseshoe.
- The hair or fur seen in the photo is not useful for magnetizing! Only a magnet will work to magnetize a metal object. Rubbing it on other materials can electrically charge it but will not magnetize it.
Gather your other materials. Apart from the needle and the magnetizer, you'll also need a bowl or jar, some water, and a small piece of cork roughly the size of a coin.
Constructing the Compass
Watch
Magnetize the needle. Whether you're using a sewing needle or any other metal object, rub it with the magnet. Make sure to stroke the needle in one continuous direction, rather than back and forth, and keep your strokes steady and even. After about 30-40 strokes, the needle will become magnetized.
- If you're using silk, fur, or hair to magnetize the needle, stroke it up to 50 times in the same direction. Avoid using these materials if you're working with a razor blade instead of a needle.
- If your magnetizer is a piece of steel or iron, you can tap the needle to magnetize it. Place the needle in a piece of wood and gently tap it on the top 50 times.
Watch
Place the needle on the cork. If you're using a sewing needle, insert it horizontally through the edge of the cork, ensuring that it pierces through and exits from the other side. Push the needle until the same length sticks out from both sides of the cork.
- If you’re using a razor blade or another type of needle, simply place it evenly balanced in the middle of the cork. A larger piece of cork may be needed for larger objects like a razor blade.
- If you’re in the wild, and don't have cork, any small floating item, such as a leaf, can serve as a substitute.
Watch
Float the compass in water. Fill a bowl or jar with several inches of water and place the cork with the needle on top. The magnetized needle will automatically align with the Earth's magnetic field, pointing north-south.
- If the compass has trouble pointing in the right direction, a breeze may be interfering. To protect it from the wind, try using a deeper container.
- Keep in mind that currents can disturb the compass’s direction, so don’t expect accurate readings if you try it in moving water, such as in a lake or pond. A calm puddle could work better.
Interpreting the Compass
Watch
Check if the needle is magnetized. The needle, along with the cork or leaf it rests on, should begin to rotate slowly, either clockwise or counterclockwise, aligning itself to point from north to south. If the needle doesn’t move, rub or tap it again to ensure it's magnetized.
Watch
Determine the direction of north. Since the needle aligns from north to south, you’ll first need to identify north before figuring out the other directions. Use one of the following methods to identify north, then mark it on your compass with a pen or pencil so you can navigate in all directions:
- Look at the stars. Find the North Star, which is the last star in the handle of the Little Dipper constellation. Draw an imaginary line from the North Star to the ground; this line represents true north.
- Use the shadow technique. Stand a stick upright in the ground and observe the shadow. Mark the shadow’s tip with a rock. Wait 15 minutes and mark it again with a second rock. The line connecting the two marks is roughly east to west. If you stand with the first rock on your left and the second on your right, you're facing north.
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For your next hiking adventure, bring along a needle, magnet, cork coin, and a small bowl to test your homemade compass in nature.
Materials You Will Need
- Sewing needle
- Magnet
- Coin-sized piece of cork
- Bowl
- Water
