SUNDIAL SECTIONS:

Sundials Home

History of Sundials

Why the Sun Dial keeps time

Developing and Making Sundials

Sundial Materials

Sundial Hour Lines Lay out

Sundial "Furniture"

Declination Lines of Sundials

Portable Sundials

Interesting Sundials of the World

HOW TO DESIGN AND MAKE A SUNDIAL - Page 8

The lines could have been transferred by placing a piece of carbon paper beneath the drawing, and going over them with a sharp hard pencil. After the design and lines have been transferred to the sundial plate, they must be made permanent, prior to which the plate was cut in the triangular shape outlined in the sketches, by using a small, thin, fine tooth saw with a narrow blade such as may be bought in the ten cent stores. Cutting the lines in the lead was accomplished by first scratching them on the surface with the ice pick guided by a straight edge ruler. Do not bear on too hard when scoring the lines for the first time, a light pressure is sufficient. The rough edges of the triangular plate were smoothed off with emery cloth and a cheap file, after which the ice pick was applied to the lines a second time and then a third; each time more pressure was exerted. The third application of the pick gave sufficient depth and had raised the lead on the side of the groove as shown at A, Figure 21. A pocket jackknife was then brought in to play to cut off the raised portion, on both sides of the lines, and at the same time giving the desired V-shape to the cut by holding the knife at a slight angle.

  Back to the Sundials Home Page