At 02:06 AM 12/26/98 EST, you wrote: >Am interested in the book and the process used to make sundials with slate. I >have a question, who do you connect the gnomen to the slate? > >thanks > >Buddy > >
I bought a rectangular piece of sheet brass about 1/16" thick and about 8" by 6" to cut out the gnomon, which I made using drills, a hacksaw and assorted files. I made some decorative curved cutouts in the interior. Separately using part of my brass, I made a base strip about 1" wide with rounded ends, and about 3/4 longer than the base of the gnomon. I drilled this with four small screw holes and brazed it perpendicular to the base of the gnomon. (Actually, I had it brazed. I had thought I could braze it myself, but didn't have the technique, or the right equipment, and had to take it to the metal shop where I had got the brass piece.) I drilled small holes into the slate and fastened the whole thing using little brass screws and plastic inserts, or possibly epoxy, I don't remember which. Unfortunately, brazing of the brass shoe to the gnomon itself was the most expensive, and in some ways the most difficult, part of the whole operation. It required several phone calls (is it done yet?) to the metal shop, which lost track of what was for them a small nuisance job. I would like to learn to braze something like this, but think I need at least an oxy-acetlyne torch and possibly even an argon rig so this is now another one of those things that I plan to get into when I retire and have more time. Jack
