Re: Wood for Dials
On the subject of things to make dials from, or should it be things from which to make dials, I have recently made a vertical declining Hours to Sunset dial (with a lot of calculation help from Mac Oglesby I must add). I used a material trade named (in the UK) Traffolite. This is rigid 5 ply laminated plastic sheet with the layers in different colours. It is relatively inexpensive, available from, and often used by Signwriters. When you cut through the outer layer, the second layer below shows through as a different colour. I used blue outer with white under. I have never personally seen a dial made from this before. I can e-mail a photo of mine if anyone would like to sight it. Mike Shaw [EMAIL PROTECTED] 53.37N 3.02W
Re: Wood for dials
I have used teak for the base of my sundial. Pictures are on my web site. It is nice to work with but does need care. Wood, if available to the public will end up with John loves Mary engraved in it. If I were to want a durable exterior wood I would choose Koa. Hard to work with but very durable. It is used on the bed of trucks and is the prefered wood for that purpose. It is really quite a beautiful wood as well. Not sure if Koa is available in Europe or elsewhere. I believe that its native habitat is Hawaii. Dan Wenger Daniel Lee Wenger Santa Cruz, CA [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://wengersundial.com http://wengersundial.com/wengerfamily
Re: Wood for dials
On Fri, 18 Dec 1998, Jack Aubert wrote: IMHO, the bottom line on wood-for-sundials is that wood is basically an unsuitable medium for this purpose, however there are some synthetic panels which have woodlike properties and may contain some wood that could work quite well. I once stopped to watch a sign being installed over a shop. The sign was one of those things where the letters are deeply incised as if they were chiseled into wood. I asked about the material and was told that it was a type of plastic. It was quite light, and seemed to have about the same workability as wood. I don't know what this stuff is called, but it might make an excellent material for a sundial. At least one of these products (sorry, I still don't know exactly what to call it, or ask for) is composed of recycled HDPE(?) milk jugs or the like. It's made into planks of various widths, and used in exposed conditions like playhouses... Dave
Re: Wood for dials
I once had a professor in Design school who said wood is good, and I agree. I use it for prototypes as well as finished products. I know of very few materials that can actually stand up to freeze/thaw for very long periods. Even concrete will fracture, and most outdoor statuary people recommend bringing pieces in or covering them with a tarp for the worst part of the winter. Here in Cincinnati, Ohio we have very extreme cycles...I have seen it 60 degrees and saturating rain one day, and below zero the next day. My rock retaining walls around the house do not respond well to these conditions, and are a testament to the power of the forces of nature. If you think about it, most of the worlds best preserved outdoor antiquities are in places that do not experience this type of abuse. If you are really bent on using non-tropical wood outdoors, I suggest experimenting with the new marine grade epoxy systems...I use a resin called epon by Shell Chemicals. I have not used it in an outdoor setting as described, but I do turn vases and cups/goblets out of various woods and use it to line the interior. Constant exposure to water then has little or no effect, and in fact, the epoxy resin actually migrates into the wood below the surface and forms a polymerized new material. However, UV radiation will eventually degrade the surface anyway. But you may wind up with a piece that will last your lifetime at least... Jim Tallman, FX Studios.
Re Wood for dials
A bit tongue in cheek this because I know absolutely nothing about wood and its properties for dials. There is a dial at Downside Abbey (in Somerset, England) which was made a year or two ago by one of the monks from the wood of an old science laboratory bench used at the Abbey School!! This has been carved and oiled (no paint) and when I saw it earlier this summer it still looked fine - however it hasn't been up long enough to know if it is really durable. It is certainly very attractive and unusual though. I can e-mail a picture if anyone's interested. Not sure what sort of wood is involved in old lab benches though :-) Patrick
Re: Re Wood for dials
Patrick Powers wrote Not sure what sort of wood is involved in old lab benches though :-) Very often teak again - especially in older laboratories when it was more plentiful. My garage doors are made from Iroko, often referred to as 'African Teak' or even 'teak substitute', salvaged from more recent laboratory bench tops. Tony Moss
Re: Wood for dials
Dear All, From my time at Kew Gardens I picked up a couple of bits of information which might be of interest... Alder, often found growing near river banks or in damp places (at least in England!), was used for lock gates and also for clogs since it resists the effects of getting wet and drying out very well. Presumably if it was used for clogs it must also be fairly durable. I have no idea as to the closeness of its grain or its stability, but it might be worth a try. Incidentally, it was the wood of choice for producing charcoal for gunpowder! David Higgon London
Re: Wood for dials
Tom, Lignum Vitae So far no one has volunteered any information on Lignum Vitae. Have you any knowledge of its properties, or any experience in its use? I've used it for making musical instruments (recorders and shawms) when it turns like brass and takes on a natural burnished finish. It is also a favourite with Northumbrian Small Pipe makers, tribes of whom used to infest my workshops and fill all the metal lathe leadscrews with lignum vitae dust :-( Some lignum specimens exude a greenish powdery surface deposit in time which is rather like verdigris and doesn't add to the appearance. The main problem I imagine would be obtaining large enough pieces as, even when plentiful, the logs were only 12 - 14 diameter. Jointing up wide boards from narrow stock would be risky as it doesn't hold glue very well due to its density and rather 'oily' surface. Tony Moss
