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 19

The position of the shadow cast by the top of the gnomon alone indicates the time. The simple design, ably executed, and the conical gnomon, have been sufficient to create much interest in this otherwise ordinary horizontal sundial. Many interesting sundials have been painted on wood and masonry walls. Simplicity is the keynote of the sundial, painted on a wall in Roscoff, Brittany. Contrast this with the sundial painted on the wall at Queens College, facing page 35. Paint is an excellent material for sundials. Its use makes the construction of a sundial easy. A wall sundial Figure can be made in the cellar, painted there, and later attached in its proper place. No carving, no worry. If you make a mistake, it is easily rectified. A painted sundial will last a lifetime, as evidenced by many old ones to be found in England and European countries. Only one word of caution is necessary for painted sundials buy good paints. They cost a little more but are well worth it in the end. There are many reputable brands on the market, one as good as the other. If paint is to be used on brick or masonry walls, the area covered by the sundial should first be prepared to receive the paint, to avoid flaking off or peeling within a short time. This can be done by first washing the surface with a dilute solution of muriatic acid, a sufficient quantity of which may be procured from your druggist or a chemical supply store. When the washed surface is thoroughly dry, apply a coat of raw linseed oil.

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