NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
From: Gary LaPook
Date: 2015 Jun 23, 22:17 -0700
Anybody can buy mercury but it ain't cheap. I bought mine more than 40 years ago and I don't remember what I paid for it. Frank might remember the Science Center on Northwest Highway (long gone) in Chicago where I bought mine. I have about a half pound and I would consider that as the minimum because it doesn't make a very large puddle so the field of view is limited, a pound would be much better.
Here is a source for it today:
http://www.mcssl.com/store/gallium-source/025---mercury-metal
We have discussed the use of mercury many time in the past and you might find them interesting, for example:
http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Making-an-artificial-horizon-Huxtable-jan-2011-g15358
http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Mercury-artificial-horizons-Hazards-Hazards-Morris-dec-2013-g26055
http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Childrens-landlocked-Sextant-LaPook-nov-2007-g4166
gl