On May 23, 9:45*am, "Martin Rowley"
wrote:
"Richard Griffith" wrote in message

...
snip I've heard various stories/comments over the years

about the idea of 'slinging' 2 glass thermometers around your heard
on a wood/plastic frame can/does have its problems *(How sturdy are
they against breakage etc) but if they give you accurate data then
it may be worth getting one.

... bought mine from Casella back in the 1970s (?1975 I think). Still
got it, still works fine - never any problems with breakage (if the
thermometers are held firmly in the 'cage' then there should not be);
problems to watch out for are of course getting into the routine of
reading the value quickly (and that gets difficult as you get older
and the eyes don't focus so well), shielding from the sun, choosing a
spot which represents where you are trying to measure data etc.

Also, I find, even after all these years, that the process of getting
the wick sleeve onto the wet bulb is fiendishly difficult! It's
annoying as the wick should be un-contaminated by dirt, grease etc.,
and handling via fingers isn't advised!

Otherwise - get one - makes you stand out from the crowd when you're
using the thing in the back garden - and is a great conversation
starter!

Martin.

--
Martin Rowley
E:
W: booty.org.uk

Agreed, I never had any problems with durability and even though they
were often used by students at a secondary school, in all years and
sometimes out on fieldwork, I never actually had one break (though I
had one, or two pinched!!) I also had difficulties with the wicks -
same with wet and dry bulb thermometers - but maybe not as many
difficulties as martin recounts and water can sometimes spray out of
the reservoir, which always causes some hilarity! The same can't be
said about the durability of my Max and Min thermometers. My main
method of reconnecting the mercury was to flick the thermometer quite
hard, whilst holding on tight. Unsurprisingly, over the years, a
couple have slipped out of my grasp.......

Well done keeping the Rh slide rule, Richard! One should come with the
instrument anyway. I bought all mine from Casella too, but that was
going on 20 years ago now. I always foung them acurrate enough for my
purposes. They are good for microclimate studies around the garden/
School/town/football ground *))

Paul