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

SUNDIAL MATERIALS - Page 16

It is admirably suited to an old house. Note the sundial on the Rebecca Nurse House in Danvers, Massachusetts. This house was built about 1658, but the sundial was placed over the door only a few years ago. Wood was quite popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. Whitewood, white pine, and hardwoods may be used with success. Such sundials may be carved or painted. The gnomon is generally made of metal copper, brass, bronze, or wrought iron; that on the Nurse house sundial is a wood dowel that has weathered the storms without visible damage. The illustration facing page 63 shows a painted wood sundial with iron gnomon, on the south wall of Smith Hall, Harvard University. Next to wood, lead is most easily "worked". It comes in three hardnesses soft, medium soft and hard. Hard lead should be purchased, because the other two grades will not hold their shape without backing, and they have a tendency to curl at the edges in the spring, if left out all winter. The gnomon can be of the same material, but brass or bronze will be more serviceable. An accidental touch of the hand is apt to bend a lead gnomon. The use of lead sundials should be confined to well protected places, for they are easily damaged. Lead has a very pleasing color if allowed to weather naturally.

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