Helix Oxford Metal Compass & Pencil, Black

Product Information

If you secure one leg to a surface, you can then determine the radius of a circle by setting the distance of the second leg. Now, hold the compass still and turn the compass housing bezel so that the “N” on the bezel and the orienteering arrow are point to grid north (the top of the map).

The children can use the compass to work out and practise directional language, including North-west, south-east, to get to their destinations. This site is registered and owned by Staples inc in the USA and operated in the UK under license to Banner Group Limited. Stand facing your objective, look straight ahead, and square yourself with the object by which you are taking your bearing.The imaginary line extending out from your body will travel through your compass along the direction of travel arrow. Very early compasses were made of the magnetised needle mounted on a piece of wood that floated in a dish of water. Many compasses have a smaller scale inside the compass housing to make this easier, or use the outer scale.

Also, be aware of any magnets or metal near the compass: mobile phones, magnetic buttons, metal belts and similar can 'deflect' the compass needle, making it inaccurate. The hinge can be adjusted, depending on desired stiffness; the tighter the hinge-screw, the more accurate the compass's performance.One branch has a pencil sleeve while the other branch is crimped with a fine point protruding from the end. As more people learned how to use them and the understanding of magnetism grew, the tools became more popular and useful.

Particularly easy to use, quick-setting compasses feature a spindle-guided push-button mechanism in addition to a spring-bow head and centre wheel. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

Turn the degree dial until the orienting arrow lines up with the magnetic arrow, pointing them both North, and then find the general direction you're facing by looking at the direction of travel arrow. Don’t focus on anything too distant, like a mountain, as huge objects aren’t precise enough to navigate by accurately. Our models are particularly sturdy, providing the ideal basis for creating precise drawings at school and in professional applications. Even with a GPS in your phone, it's important to know how to use a compass just in case technology fails or visibility is poor. Circles can be made by pushing one leg of the compasses into the paper with the spike, putting the pencil on the paper, and moving the pencil around while keeping the legs at the same angle.