Time out
Mark Rayner keeps time with a traditional looking sundial.
You will need
- Two 300mm x 300mm concrete pavers
- Two 250mm x 250mm concrete pavers
- Terracotta pipe, stones to fill the pipe and sand for levelling
- 22mm marine ply (approx 300mm x 300mm),
- A few offcuts of flat Zincalume sheeting and a few offcuts of vinyl flooring
- Two small panel pins and four small clamps
- 25kg bag of builders' mortar mix
- Resene Galvo One primer and Resene Quick Dry Acrylic Primer/Undercoat
- 1 testpot Resene Sandtex in Resene Stack, 1 testpot Resene Lumbersider in Resene Fountain Blue, 1 testpot Resene Lumbersider in Resene Shuttle Grey, 1 testpot Resene Nero, 1 testpot Resene Paint Effects Medium, Resene Concrete Clear
- Exterior construction glue, exterior PVA glue, spirit level, tin snips, jigsaw, pair of compasses, protractor, pencil, craft knife and paintbrushes.
Note: The angle of the gnomon (40°) corresponds to the line of latitude for Wellington.
Instructions
Learn how to make a sundial:
Step one
In the position where you want the sundial, place one of the 300mm x 300mm concrete slabs on a flat bed of sand, ensuring that it's level.
Step two
Spread a thin layer of moist mortar on the slab then centrally position the 250mm x 250mm slab on top. Position the terracotta pipe, then fix the base with mortar. Fill the pipe,with stones and apply another layer of mortar to fix the 250mm x 250mm slab on top. Repeat with the 300mm x 300mm slab to complete the pedestal. Allow to dry overnight.
Step three
Using the jigsaw, cut a 29omm diameter circle from the marine ply. With the tin snips, cut a circle to match from the Zincalume sheeting and a band 24mm wide (to cover edge of plywood circle.) Create the gnomon from Zincalume by cutting two 40° triangles (with base measuring 145mm). Leave a 1omm overlap along the base and bend to 90° so the gnomon will stand upright.
Step four
Glue the gnomon triangles together with construction adhesive, then cut a thin slot into the Zincalume circle (from the outer edge to centre). Glue the gnomon to the plywood circle, then glue the Zincalume circle into position, sliding the gnomon into the thin slot. Clamp until it dries. Glue the Zincalume band around the outer edge of the circle, fixing each end with a small panel pin.
Step five
Prime the sundial face with
Resene Galvo One and allow to dry. With the craft knife, cut a circular band from the vinyl flooring (285mm in diameter) and glue to the sundial face to form a raised area for the numbers. Allow to dry, then paint the face with two coats of '
Resene Shuttle Grey', stippling the second coat for texture. Mix a little '
Resene Fountain Blue' with the Paint Effects Medium and apply thinly with a rag to create a verdigris finish.
Step six
With a felt pen, draw a line on a piece of vinyl flooring and mark a line 90° to this (this will be your "noon" line). Using a protractor, mark the angles from this noon line as shown above (9.8°, 20.4°, 32.7°, 48.1°, 67-4 and 90°). Cut a 2mm line around this fan shape with a craft knife and paint with
Resene Nero.
Step seven
Using the craft knife, cut Roman numerals, to denote the time, from the vinyl and paint with
Resene Nero. Once dry, glue the fan and the numerals to the sundial face, as shown above, with PVA. Allow to dry, and apply two coats of
Resene Concrete Clear, stippling the second coat for added texture.
Step eight
Paint the pedestal with a coat of
Resene Quick Dry primer and two coats of
Resene Sandtex '
Resene Stack', stippling the second coat for added texture. Position the sundial face on top of the pedestal so that at noon the shadow from the gnomon falls across the XII line (remember to add an hour during daylight saving). Glue the face into position with construction glue.
Get inspired ! Subscribe 
