The first effort was the result of lots of Internet fishing for pictures and casting many GOOGLE nets. The result was mixed. I came up with DIY kind of posts from all walks of life. Some rustic cabin kind of looks, western motif to eastern coastal tones, lots of WHIRLIGIGS with mechanical movements and aircraft. The most interesting were old, called antiques, weathervanes made by east coast trades/fishing people. Auction sites were selling the weather worn and tired looking pieces for thousands of dollars. My interest was something that would be mounted outside, a true weathervane. Bicycle wheels mounted on a post or a spinning whirligig were not the aesthetic feel I was after. Fish are naturally hydrodynamic in their underwater world. So, a fish out of water should be aerodynamic, have the ability to move in the wind with a tail and fins to react to the changes in moving air. A fish out of water, moving in air.
The searching developed some real gems and really nothing that came close to what I was after. The history of weathervanes, at least what I have gleaned from Internet searches, place many of the works on top of homes and barns in the colonial days forward. Origins indicate that sheet copper was shaped/pounded into a carved form, brazed or joined, a spire/pivot installed and the entire work went onto a cupola. Round spheres, a fixed compass/cardinal compass rose arguably defining a purpose for the weathervane may or may not have been useful. I just think that they were installed because they looked cool. I seriously doubt that a meteorologic prognostication was ever formed based on the movement of a weathervane. Still, that is the name that attached to them. So..... who knows. Trees move with the wind and trees are trees not weathervanes.
The tiny offerings from Internet based mass produced stuff are small and not of a scale to really be mounted anywhere and be seen. Perhaps the biggest deterrent are owner associations with restrictive covenants (CCRs) that demand compliance with uniformity. So having a roof mounted, or something above the fence line would not meet the CCRs of many homes/subdivisions guarded by CCRs. My homes are all encumbered with restrictive CCRs that prevent the installation of wind spinners or related adornments visible from the street. So, my thinking was that big is better and the installation is ground level, in a backyard, below the fence.
My searches were to follow the path of others before me. Why chop a new path when there is a proven course trod by many others in the past.
Connecting the fish with some type of bearing/pivot point to assure there was a smooth movement was important. Where I live has regular and recurring winds in excess of 50 mph. Not at all unusual to have wind gusts in excess of 60+. So, the installation needed to be weather resistant, compliant with CCRs, move in the wind, be attractive and use the stuff that I had access to. My first thoughts were that something without a concrete base, two feet in the ground would just blow away and fall apart. Past experience with WHIRLIGIGs confirmed certain wind destruction and lots of maintenance. I wanted to use the hubs from bicycle wheels as the bearing element. I ended that pursuit after some effort and realization that the hubs were rotating on the axle. The hub would need to be installed within the fish shape to achieve the use. Hubs were out for that fact.
After making many fish weathervanes, I stumbled on to some real artistry. The absolute best of the best is from Mike Butler, fish carver and I am sure a great guy. Check out his website, https://mikebutlerfishcarver.com/. His weathervanes are amazing: https://mikebutlerfishcarver.com/weathervanes.asp He creates art that is as accurate a recreation of fish that exists on the planet. Waaay more involved than I aspired to. Again, I was after something that moves with the wind in a backyard. Something that I could make in my garage turned shop when I move the cars. Something I could finish in my lifetime with the tools and skills I had. Rustic, perhaps crude was what I was after and I could aspire to. So, I started.
Wooden FishFirst Fish: Red Cedar from 4X4 post, glued to a 7"X3.5" form before shaping, with sheet metal fins
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