How to Make a Compass with a Stick

If you are lost and without a magnetic compass, fear not. You can make one with a stick and a few rocks. A compass normally works with the earth's magnetic field, but a stick compass uses the sun and shadows cast by the stick to help you find your way.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Stick about 18-inches in length
• Four big rocks
• Several small rocks

1. Gather four large rocks, several small ones and a straight stick about 18 to 24-inches long.
2. Find a flat surface in a sunny location. Dig a hole and bury the bottom 6-inches of the stick. When you are finished, there should be 12 to 18-inches of the stick standing straight up and down.
3. Start early in the morning by putting a small rock at the tip of the shadow made by the stick.
4. Check in the afternoon, when the shadow is the same length as it was in the morning but in another direction, and put a second small rock at the tip this shadow.
5. Stand with you right foot on the first rock and your left foot on the second rock, and you will be facing south. As you are facing south, put one of the big rocks 1 foot away from the stick.
6. Put another big rock in the opposite direction an equal distance from the stick, and this will be north.
7. Place the other big rocks on the east and west sides, measuring to make sure they are also equal distances from the stick. When you are finished, you will have the stick in the middle and four rocks, which are the same distance from the stick in four directions.

Tips & Warnings

• When you are gathering rocks, pick one that is obviously larger than the others are and use it to mark the north point on the compass.