 |
| HOME |
| SUNDIAL |
| SITE |
| THE PROJECT |
| MY DIAL |
| FUNDRAISING |
| LINKS |
|
|
| Dial Plate |
| The
final job was to number the inner and outer dials and install
the 15 minute markers. The inner dial was to be numbered using
Arabic numbers sandblasted and painted into the grey pavers.
The outer dial was to be numbered using Roman numerals
sandblasted and painted into large rocks. The rocks were
collected from the banks of the Winnipeg River along the
Ironwood Trail in town. Harry Noel
and I did this job and a local contractor, Lloyd
Rattai, helped move the rocks to the site and later on
to the dial plate.
Access to a sandblaster was available for sandblasting at the site. Rubber masks of the numbers were prepared at a business that made memorials. Fred Bilsky applied these to the pavers and rocks and I did the sandblasting using sand left over from preparing the gnomon. The 15 minute markers for both dials are positioned in the grey pavers. These are made from 0.5 inch brass round bar stock. Jeff Harding machined these markers and I installed them. 92 markers were installed by first drilling the pavers and then setting them in using a silicon rubber compound. |
|
|
|
|
 |
The numbers for the inner dial are visible here. The rubber from the rocks has not yet been removed. The masks are not very large due to the cost. To provide additional protection an inner tube was used to provide additional coverage when sandblasting. |
|
|
|
A hole was dug by hand for each of the rocks. A mixture of limestone and cement was used to backfill the hole. When it rained the cement got wet and then set. |
|
|
|
 |
The last
rock is set in place!
This photo also shows the noon gap very well; 6 inches between the centre of the two rails. |
|
|
|
 |
 |
| Two of the 15 rocks used to mark the hours of the outer dial. Each rock is unique and has its own special shape, colours and markings. | |
|
|
|
 |
These are the brass buttons used for the 15 minute markers. The grey paver has one installed. |
