| Making My Earthdial |
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I made my dial as a celebration of and contribution to the EarthDial project as I share many of Woody Sullivan's
visions, love of science and downright fascination with how things work. If the world would collaborate more with
such joint projects then, perhaps our understanding of each other would grow.
The dial and associated equipment was built from recycled materials where possible in order to reduce cost and
preserve a tiny bit more of our natural resources. I used mainly old timber that I had lying around in my workshop
and resurrected some old hobby paints from projects many years ago. I built an adjustable camera stand out of
some old electrical conduit tube (22mm dia) and some plywood discs as an adjusting Mechanism
Not having a protractor, I created the hour lines according to the caculations on the EarthDial home site and
drew them accurately in ProDesktop, a CAD Program. It was easy to copy them on to the main dial. I would be
willing to do this for any would be EarthDialler just drop me an email at terry.dixon@zoom.co.uk with your exact
coordinates of latitude and longitude.
The images I chose to put around my dial represent something of the long history and of the impact on the
modern world of this little corner of the world. See the other pages for an explanation.
visions, love of science and downright fascination with how things work. If the world would collaborate more with
such joint projects then, perhaps our understanding of each other would grow.
The dial and associated equipment was built from recycled materials where possible in order to reduce cost and
preserve a tiny bit more of our natural resources. I used mainly old timber that I had lying around in my workshop
and resurrected some old hobby paints from projects many years ago. I built an adjustable camera stand out of
some old electrical conduit tube (22mm dia) and some plywood discs as an adjusting Mechanism
Not having a protractor, I created the hour lines according to the caculations on the EarthDial home site and
drew them accurately in ProDesktop, a CAD Program. It was easy to copy them on to the main dial. I would be
willing to do this for any would be EarthDialler just drop me an email at terry.dixon@zoom.co.uk with your exact
coordinates of latitude and longitude.
The images I chose to put around my dial represent something of the long history and of the impact on the
modern world of this little corner of the world. See the other pages for an explanation.
Painting the dial.
I drew the pattern on the dial carefully and accurately using pencil as I could control the medium easily,
Originally the surroundings were to be left unpainted but Woody Sullivan suggested that I painted the area a light
colour to show off the images
All of the lines and letters were painted by brush using hand and eye to guide it. My hand is not too steady these
days but I managed surprisingly easily but it was time consuming.
I am not an original artist so the images on the dial were collected from the internet and original photographs.
These were then copied or traced onto the board before painting (No my friends, despite malicious rumours
circulating, I did NOT take the photograph of the medieval farmer personally!).
I drew the pattern on the dial carefully and accurately using pencil as I could control the medium easily,
Originally the surroundings were to be left unpainted but Woody Sullivan suggested that I painted the area a light
colour to show off the images
All of the lines and letters were painted by brush using hand and eye to guide it. My hand is not too steady these
days but I managed surprisingly easily but it was time consuming.
I am not an original artist so the images on the dial were collected from the internet and original photographs.
These were then copied or traced onto the board before painting (No my friends, despite malicious rumours
circulating, I did NOT take the photograph of the medieval farmer personally!).
Technical
The camera I have used here is a Logitech Messenger driven by SpyCam v6.34 software available at a very
reasonable price from Bill Oatman in the USA.
Although it has somewhat limited functions this software is simple to set up even for a non techie like me and
seems to be reliable and stable on my webcam computer which is set up in my garage. The EarthDial is set up
on brackets over my garage door with the camera in a housing supported on a bracket made from electrical
conduit 22 mm steel tubing. This latter is made adjustable by using support clips which can be adjusted and a
rotating adjuster made from circular plywood plates.
This computer is a lash up around a cheap motherboard with an AMD 1.8 gHz processor and 128mb RAM. The
other bits I just had lying around from other projects.
I have a 512mb broadband connection which allows permanent connection to the internet. The webcam camera
is connected to my home network by cat. 5 Ethernet cable. I tried a wireless link but there is too much distance
and brickwork intervening to get a good signal.
The camera I have used here is a Logitech Messenger driven by SpyCam v6.34 software available at a very
reasonable price from Bill Oatman in the USA.
Although it has somewhat limited functions this software is simple to set up even for a non techie like me and
seems to be reliable and stable on my webcam computer which is set up in my garage. The EarthDial is set up
on brackets over my garage door with the camera in a housing supported on a bracket made from electrical
conduit 22 mm steel tubing. This latter is made adjustable by using support clips which can be adjusted and a
rotating adjuster made from circular plywood plates.
This computer is a lash up around a cheap motherboard with an AMD 1.8 gHz processor and 128mb RAM. The
other bits I just had lying around from other projects.
I have a 512mb broadband connection which allows permanent connection to the internet. The webcam camera
is connected to my home network by cat. 5 Ethernet cable. I tried a wireless link but there is too much distance
and brickwork intervening to get a good signal.
Camera mount - a bit of a
'Heath Robinson' affair but it
works
'Heath Robinson' affair but it
works
Setting the dial
The dial has to be set in line with a true N - S attitude. In order to find this I first set the dial on it's mounting
brackets in approximately the correct attitude. I then waited until 12.00 midday and allowing for the slight time
difference as I am 1 - 10 w I aligned the shadow with the 12 mark and then fixed the other screws. I didn't use
a compass as they are inaccurate due to the changing magnetic north.
I already know that my house faces almost true south. I have previously plotted a true E- W line by using a
gnomon (posh name for a stick) on the summer solstice and marking the position of the top of the shadow on
the floor hourly over the day and then joined up the dots.
The dial has to be set in line with a true N - S attitude. In order to find this I first set the dial on it's mounting
brackets in approximately the correct attitude. I then waited until 12.00 midday and allowing for the slight time
difference as I am 1 - 10 w I aligned the shadow with the 12 mark and then fixed the other screws. I didn't use
a compass as they are inaccurate due to the changing magnetic north.
I already know that my house faces almost true south. I have previously plotted a true E- W line by using a
gnomon (posh name for a stick) on the summer solstice and marking the position of the top of the shadow on
the floor hourly over the day and then joined up the dots.