As aptly noted: the clock hands are represented by two hands that take away people's time. To determine what time it is at your summer cottage, you need to stop work, wash your hands, find a mobile phone. But what if you make existing ones in the country sundial? They will not only decorate some corner of the garden, but will also show the time.
And the kids will like the know-how: the children will seem to themselves fabulous wizards who have the secrets of time.
Horizontal sundial options:
A high-precision clock is not needed at a summer cottage, and making a simple sundial is not difficult and does not take much time. First, a site is selected in a sunny area, which is not obscured by buildings, fences, trees, and leveled. Do not forget that the constant presence of a sundial will be on outdoors, so the watch material must be resistant to precipitation. As a dial, you can take a natural stone with flat surface,
ceramic tiles,
laid out on a brick base, cut logs,
a metal lid from a barrel, a decorative plate large sizes and even a flower bed with varieties of undersized flowers planted on it
or just a flat area in the form of a circle from a few decimeters and more than one meter.
For hour points (divisions), you can use large pebbles,
decorative figurines,
stumps. On small dials, divisions are marked with paints or colored stripes are glued. This is only done after installing the gnomon (arrow).
The gnomon is cut out in a triangle, one angle is straight, and the other is equal to the geographical latitude where your dacha is located. The arrow is strengthened so that the sides of the triangle are in the same plane, which is placed perpendicular to the frame (dial) and oriented with a compass from south to north, while the top of the angle equal to the latitude of the dacha is set in the center of the frame.
Olga Shateeva
We determine the time by the clock. Everyone knows that watch is a device for measuring time. First watch that man has come up with solar, and it was just a stick stuck in the ground, and their main principle of operation is the shadow of the arrow. AT solar The clock is based on the knowledge and observations of our ancient ancestors.
Building DIY sundial - exciting activity, and for children it is also educational, this is an excellent educational tool for children to study time and movement sun.
Model sundial, which we have made - the most effective one.
And, they are very easy to make.
In the manufacture solar Watches need to know some points and features of their design.
Sundial consist of an arrow pointer, (this arrow is called a gnomon) and dial sundial. Time by sunny hours are determined by the shadow cast by the gnomon on the dial. Clock face solar hours is divided into 24 hours instead of 12 hours as in conventional mechanical watch. Sundial work in the midst of summer only in clear or slightly cloudy weather during daylight hours.
There are several types sundial.
We made the simplest horizontal ones, practically without making any calculations.
We need material ly:
3. Crushed stone
4. Shank from a rake
5. Several pieces of granite - marble facade tiles
6. Tile adhesive
7. Natural stone
8. Paint "Pinotex"
9. Can of gold paint
10. Ship varnish
11. A piece of linoleum for numbers
12. Glue "Moment"
First, they chose a site that was as well lit as possible, so that watch there was no shadow from trees or any other structures.
Then they dug a small pit in the ground for the foundation of the future clock.
The bottom of the pit was covered with sand and leveled.
They marked the center and installed the gnomon. As a gnomon, a rake handle was used, cutting its length a little. The sand was poured from a watering can with water from above in order to make it more dense.
Then the gravel was evenly scattered.
At the next stage of watchmaking, a foundation pit was poured cement mortar. They made a tie.
When the screed hardened, they laid granite and marble tiles on a special tile adhesive. Since we did not have a specialist in cutting tiles, we laid out the tiles in a square. Gnomon painted "Pinotex"
A day later, the platform for the dial was ready. With the help of a pencil and a ruler, measuring equal segments from the center to the edge, they drew a circle on the tile. Then, applying tile adhesive along the contour of the circle in two rows, they laid out gravel like a mosaic.
AT solar day after every full hour, they approached the clock and made notes on the tiles and on the ground in the place where the shadow of the gnomon pointed.
Natural stone was used as the design of the dial.
For greater reliability, the stone was laid on a cement mortar.
Before putting divisions and numbers on the dial, we decided to make watch bright and beautiful. Around the clock they leveled the area and sprinkled it with sand. From a spray can, they painted the gravel with gold paint, and the gnomon was decorated with stripes using the same gold paint.
The stones and the gnomon were covered with ship varnish. They became bright and shiny.
Numbers and stripes were cut out of linoleum. And in accordance with the applied markings, glued them to the dial with glue "Moment".
This is what our finished ones look like sundial. And they show the present time!
And now, with the children, during a walk, we learn by sundial Isn't it time for us to go to kindergarten.
It is good to have a clock in the country that can be seen from afar and which is easy to make from improvised material. They will help to spend time in the country with benefit: after all, you can only water the plants before 10 and after 4 in the afternoon, and it is strictly forbidden to be in the sun from 11 to 3 due to the active influence of solar radiation.
The sundial was the first device to tell the time. They show the exact time only three days for the whole holiday season(spring and autumn equinoxes and summer solstice). On other days, the difference can be up to 17 minutes, but for dacha works it is not essential. Therefore, you can do without creating a table of errors or a graph that specifies the time every day and hour.
The sundial shows exact time only on equinoxes and solstices
What are sundial
There are three types of sundials:
- vertical;
- horizontal;
- equatorial.
Spherical, semicircular and others are varieties of the main types. The principle of all watches is based on the readings of the shadow from an object (gnomon), falling on the divisions pre-applied on the dial (frame) per hour, fifteen, ten or five minutes, depending on the manufacturer's wishes.
For horizontal clocks, the frame is parallel to the horizon. In the center or closer to the south, a gnomon is installed - a vertical object, the shadow of which will indicate the time.
In a horizontal clock, the dial is parallel to the horizon.
From a vertical gnomon, the shadow at any latitude in Russia will have a different length. For the shadow to have equal length, the gnomon is tilted at the angle of the latitude of the area, which can be accurately determined by a GPS navigator or on the Internet. For example, Moscow stands at the 55th latitude, the angle of inclination is 55 degrees from the horizon. The gnomon leans only in the north-south direction along the line of the shortest shadow at true noon. True noon is the moment of the upper culmination of the center of the Sun for a given point on the earth's surface.
True noon, as a rule, does not coincide with the official time. Therefore, those who have previously marked the divisions on the frame will simply have to turn the dial by the angle of error. At the same time, the gnomon remains tilted towards the true noon.
The noon line points to the geographic pole, not the magnetic
equatorial clock
At the equatorial hours, the frame tilts towards the geographical north (for Russia) relative to the horizon at an angle: 90 minus the latitude of this area. That is, the dial will be parallel to the equator line. The gnomon is installed perpendicular to the cardan, that is, parallel to the earth's axis. Amendments for the local time the same as for horizontal clocks.
The equatorial clock is visible from afar
The vertical clock is placed on a plane perpendicular to the horizon line, and the gnomon is set at an angle to the framer along the noon line at an angle equal to the difference between 90 ° and the latitude of the area. The midday line is determined by the line of the shortest shadow from the horizontal gnomon.
On a vertical clock, the numbers are not always symmetrical if the wall does not face due south
DIY sundial
First determine the place and purpose of setting the clock:
- if you work more often in the garden than relax in the country, then set the clock in the center on an area open on all sides;
- if the clock should remind you of the time to leave the open sun, then make them in the center of the recreation area;
- in a flower bed near country house the clock will remind annoying neighbors of the transience of time.
After you have decided on the installation location, select the type of clock. The vertical clock is only suitable for the south wall, otherwise it will be in the shadow itself. Horizontal ones are good for open spaces, while equatorial ones will look better on playgrounds or recreation areas.
Making a horizontal clock
The easiest and least expensive way to make a sundial is with a pole and stones. Instead of a pole, a piece of rebar, a long snag or rod, a piece of plastic or iron pipe, even a tall bottle, for example, from champagne. We take the following actions:
- We choose a site of at least 1 m 2, illuminated by the sun all day. Fans of more accurate time will have to align it or set the base with building level(you can also take a bottle, pour water into it, without adding 1–1.5 cm to the edge, close it with a cork. In a horizontal position, the air bubble should be exactly in the middle of the straight part of the bottle - this is the horizon line. Of course, this is a less accurate device than the level, but much better installation"by eye").
- We strengthen the pole in the middle of the site.
- Set your phone's alarm to ring every hour.
- As soon as the alarm clock rang, we approach the pole and see where the shadow falls. At the end of this shadow we drop a pebble on which you can paint the time.
- The stones will be aligned in an ellipse as the shadow changes its length. To make the clock round, select the shortest shadow and set the rest of the stones along this radius.
After a few days, such horizontal clocks will deviate by a minute, but they will show true noon (even if it falls on your one in the afternoon) they will show exactly.
Photo gallery: horizontal sundial
By planting grass or low flowers around the clock, we get an elegant flower bed. A paved courtyard easily turns into a sundial. Laying out a sundial with small colored materials will keep your children busy for a long time. indoor flowers for the summer they can become part of a sundial, indicating one hour or another. It is easy to make a clock from a wide round flowerpot by setting a pole in the center and noting the clock readings. The equatorial clock, installed in the corner of the site, is clearly visible from all its ends
Video: how to make a horizontal sundial
Whether you tilt the gnomon to get the same shadow or not, decide for yourself. You can tilt the dial itself, that is, set the equatorial clock. You don’t have to approach such a clock to find out what time it is, which saves both time and effort of the summer resident.
Create an equatorial clock
The process of making an equatorial clock:
- For an equatorial clock frame, you can take a lid from an old pan, a piece of plywood, a wide board or plastic. The main thing is a light background, on which the shadow will be clearly visible even with light clouds. This can be achieved with elementary painting.
- We install the gnomon by gluing, drilling or in other ways at an angle of the desired latitude with an inclination to the geographical north.
- We apply time intervals and, depending on the size of the watch, mark the readings with stoppers, bottoms from plastic bottles, old plastic toys, jars of creams - everything that is enough for imagination.
Photo gallery: equatorial sundial
Granite clocks will last for many years Globe clocks will be more difficult to make, but nothing is impossible Thematic sundial will decorate any flower bed
Video: making an equatorial sundial
A handmade sundial will make the cottage unique and help you better plan the necessary business and leisure on the site.
AT modern world the sundial looks at least exotic, and in most cases is a banal decor - decoration of a summer house or a plot of a residential building. But we should not forget that in ancient times it was a very useful and functional thing, the accuracy of which even some may well envy. modern products of this type. If the sundial is made correctly, then it may well compete with yours. wrist watch. You can make three different ways, which will be discussed in this article. Together with the website, we will get acquainted with the question of how to make a sundial with our own hands - we will talk about three varieties of these items and their proper manufacture.
Equatorial Sundial: DIY
This is a very simple sundial to manufacture - this is due to the fact that the divisions of their dial are the same and are 15 degrees, which corresponds to one hour. In principle, this is where everything simple in this watch ends and difficulties begin - watches of this type it is necessary to establish correctly, which in itself is difficult. You need to install such a clock simultaneously in two planes.
As for the direct manufacture of equatorial sundials, everything is very simple here. For them, it is better to use a hard material like plastic. First you make a dial with a gnomon, then you think about how you can set it obliquely, but also orient it to the north, after which the clock will work. By the way, the angle of inclination of the gnomon can be easily adjusted with a protractor with rulers - the drawing tool has a special lock that allows you to install between a pair of rulers desired angle. By the way, for our hemisphere, the clock must be directed to the true north pole, but if you make a clock while in the southern hemisphere, then the gnomon and dial should look towards the true south pole. In this case, the dial will also be a little different - it will be a mirror image of a sundial for the northern hemisphere of the Earth.
You can see what a sundial can be in this video.
DIY horizontal sundial
A distinctive feature of watches of this type is the horizontal arrangement of the dial - only the gnomon is oriented to the true pole of the Earth. On the one hand, this is good easier technology manufacturing), but on the other hand, not so much, since setting the clock looks very problematic. In such watches, the shadow from the gnomon does not move the same distance during the hour, so you need to be patient and have a watch. Divisions will have to be applied in accordance with a mechanical or electronic chronometer. Such watches are made as follows.
In even hours, we simply put marks where the shadow of the gnomon points.
After the marking of the dial is completed, the watch can be fully used. In principle, they can be used immediately after installation, but without divisions, you can determine the time exclusively intuitively.
How to make a polar sundial for the garden
The beauty of this solar chronometer lies in its dial - it is not round, like most illogical devices, but linear. The shadow from the gnomon moves along it in a straight line, which greatly simplifies the technology of manufacturing a sundial. By and large, this is all the same equatorial sundial, only their gnomon is not a pin, but a stick located across the so-called dial. The divisions in such watches are also applied unevenly, which makes it possible to assert that this type of sundial is a kind of hybrid between the first two options. Do-it-yourself polar sundial is made as follows.
In principle, there is a fourth version of the sundial, which is very difficult to manufacture and set up - this is a vertical, or, as they are also called, wall-mounted sundial. They are more convenient to use, but for their assembly you need very accurate calculations and very jewelry (no less accurate) production.
DIY sundial photo
In conclusion, the topic of how to make a sundial with your own hands, I will say a few words about the materials. Their choice entirely depends on the purpose of manufacture. If it's prank or just Toolkit for children, the chronometer can be made of cardboard. If you want to make a really working model and use it to determine the time, then you need to choose more reliable materials. In this case, the dial can be made of concrete (as an option, cut off the surface natural stone big size), and a steel gnomon - such watches can be safely left on fresh air and they will last for a very long time.
Very useful tool. And extremely entertaining for kids. In addition, if you approach the matter on a large scale and creatively, you can make not only a cardboard model, but also a whole composition that will decorate your garden or country cottage area. So let's see how to make a sundial with your own hands. And first of all, consider the device models.
What can be a sundial?
Throughout its history, mankind has invented four types of such watches:
- horizontal;
- vertical;
- polar;
- equatorial.
What can you do yourself?
Of the listed sundial with your own hands, it is easiest to build the following:
We already know approximately how to make a sundial with our own hands. But let's turn to detailed instructions?
Homemade equatorial clock
We will make a model of a sundial with our own hands according to the following scheme:
- Cut out suitable circle plywood, plastic or thick cardboard.
- We take the good old protractor and make markings every 15 degrees. In the middle we have 12. To the right of the number goes 11, 10, 9, 8, 7. To the left of twelve goes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Thus, we will have a semicircle in front of us, which will "lie" on the most convex point.
- You can simply apply these numbers with a felt-tip pen or pen, or you can approach the matter with enthusiasm and arrange it all beautifully.
- In the middle of the semicircle, right above the "12" mark, we insert a straight stick, rod, pin, or something similar.
- How to make a sundial with your own hands next? Now the most important thing is to position the structure under right angle. As we said, it should be related to the latitude of the point where you are. This can be found out as geographical map, and turning to search engines, Internet encyclopedias.
- How do we determine the correct degree of inclination? From 90 we subtract the latitude of your location. For example, you are in Moscow. This is 55° north latitude. So 90 - 55 = 35°. At 35 degrees we will tilt our dial.
- Got it sorted out. Now we determine where the north is. It is there that the arrow and the "face" of our watch should look.
Do-it-yourself equatorial sundial can be done like this. Their disadvantage is that in winter the device will not correctly show the time.
Cardboard equatorial clock
It is possible to make a sundial with your own hands from cardboard. We act according to the instructions:
Horizontal sundial
The easiest way is to make a sundial of this type with your own hands for children. Begin:
- We cut out a gnome from a dense material - an arrow for our device. Here we also need a protractor - we make one corner straight, and the one that will lie on the dial must be determined - it will be equal to the latitude of your city. Let's take Moscow - for this locality this angle of the gnomon will be equal to 55°.
- The arrow is set to the calculated angle on a solid foundation- plastic, plywood, etc. You do not need to apply divisions yet.
- We set the sundial on the ground so that the tip of the calculated angle will look south, and the sides of the triangle emanating from it should rush to the north.
- It is important that our design is static.
- And now it's up to observations on a sunny day. Every hour we apply the appropriate division in the shadow of the gnomon.
Sundial in the country
It is not bad to make a sundial in the country with your own hands - horizontal or equatorial. This is not only a useful craft, but also a curious thing for children, an element that decorates the landscape. Since the clock will be in an open space, not protected from the elements, these facts must be considered when making them:
- First of all, choose the sunniest area that is not obscured by buildings and trees, level it.
- As a dial, you can use ceramic tiles, a stone with a flat surface, saw cut logs, a large decorative plate, a metal tank lid. Looks great on the photo sundial, equipped with their own hands on flower bed.
- You can simply level the area, fill it with sand, and then lay out the divisions and numbers with pebbles. You can use acrylic, enamel or other durable paint.
- Gnomon is also made of durable materials - plastic, wood. In the case of an equatorial clock, you can use a metal rod, a pin.
About other types of sundials
We have figured out how to make a sundial with your own hands - horizontal and equatorial. If this seemed not enough to you, then you can try to create experimental models other varieties.
Polar sundials are characterized by the fact that their dial line is horizontal, elongated in the east-west direction. The gnomon is a rectangle lying in the middle of the dial on its wide side. Digital divisions are applied to the right side (from the gnomon) from 1 to 6, to the left side (from the gnomon) from 12 to 7. The markup is placed every hour along the shadow that lies from the rectangle. It is also important here, as in the case of the equatorial clock, to tilt the dial according to the latitude of your location.
Vertical sundials are difficult because they need to be made on a surface perpendicular to the earth, always on the south side (for the northern hemisphere). If this is a wall, then you should take care of how you will mount the arrow on it. The dial is parallel to the horizon. After you have set the hand (just above the base of the dial), a plumb line descends from it - it sets the time of noon. Other digital designations are applied over the shadow of the gnomon.
Note to the master
Here we have dismantled everything practical instructions. We would also like to conclude by presenting you practical advice:
- The sundial "works" as long as our main luminary is visible in the sky. Therefore, you should not put time on the dial after sunset or before dawn - this is extra work.
- The expression "works like clockwork" does not quite apply to our invention. Due to the nature of the fluctuating daylight hours time on them will rush in the spring and lag behind in the fall. Therefore, it is not necessary to make the construction monumental in order to be able to adjust the divisions of the hours in accordance with the season.
Making your own sundial is interesting, easy and educational. This is not only an educational toy for children, but also a great decoration for a summer cottage!
