David Hawker has submitted the following entry to the 2020 BSS Sundial Design And Restoration Awards:

This sundial was made in early 2020 to celebrate a Ruby Wedding for April 2020. It is designed to be mounted on the south facing wall of a house in Sutton, Surrey. However, due to Covid 19 it is yet to be installed.

The dial is made from Welsh blue/black slate and is 380mm high x 254mm wide x 20mm thick (15” x 10” x 3/4”). Dial furniture includes names at the top of the dial, ‘40 Yrs’ carved at the bottom of the dial and a carved date curve for 5th April, the anniversary date. A carved daffodil indicates a spring time anniversary.

The gnomon uses a 5mm brass rod with a nodus made from an 8mm rod drilled and soldered to the gnomon. The gnomon rod is soldered to a brass supporting plate with a tang that is inserted through a slot cut into the slate. The back of the slate is recessed and two brass pins are set through the holes in the tang before being fixed and sealed with two pack epoxy. The dial will be supported by brass brackets.

The design, calculations, carving and metal work are all by the dial maker.

BSS Sundial Design And Restoration Awards 2020

There’s still time to enter the competition, so for those who have been creating dials during lockdown now is the time to share! For more information, see details of the competition.

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