Roman portable sundial WIP

[MDF]

thanks guys,

@thanks for the explanation Crispus, unfortunately I am not unfamiliar with the english language so your description is sure more accurate that mine :roll:
However, I have tested this sundial and is very very accurate ... as you said the hours during the year vary their length, but the division into 12 periods of this sundial allows a very accurate reading.
I've made this following the original model but the calculations and measurements for my latitude were made with modern instruments, so I think it's much more accurate than the original!

@Swiss watch? Perhaps ... but the Swiss have copied to other roman things ... like the roman multitool !

@No, I did not think to make a water clock because I prefer to work smaller and portable.
I am gathering information to build another clock in the future, a beautiful specimen called "Prosciutto di Portici" have an ham shape ... a different type of that I want realize with bronze lost wax but I have to find more information on its operation because I made functional objects!

[Crispvs]

Marco,

You said that you used an ostrich bone. Are you able to tell me which bone that was? Am I correct in thinking it would have been a femur? I wonder if the central portion of a calf's femur (reared in the open rather than kept for veal and thus thicker boned) might also be suitable.

Also, the piece of antler you used for the rotating piece. Can you tell me which species of deer this antler came from? In my experience the inside layers of the antlers of some species are spongier than those of others, making them less suitable for this sort of use.

I was also wondering how you planned to secure the rotating piece so that it can be raised to allow the arm to be pulled out but prevented from becoming detached from the outer drum when hung up.

Crispvs

[MDF]

Hi Crispvs,

yes, as you say the bone is a femur of the ostrich, usually with a whole femur you can easily give 2-3 handles.
It's very compact, high-quality, long ago was very popular among knife makers here but now is out of fashion, and i had difficulty in finding this little piece.
I found some calf's femur and in several bones maybe you can find an ideal bone for a similar project but in my experience is very difficult. The main problem is that you can turning the outside but the internal section of these bones is irregular, I am attaching a few pictures of the calf's bones that I have found.
Ostrich bone already has a very circular section, I think this feature also is great for gladius handle!

Yes, you're right about deer! As you say many species of deer have a very spongy horn, I know and I used Sambar deer for this ... it is very compact, ideal for turning.

The closure cap is secured by a high-precision turning, as you can see also in my photos I grind the small pin with the belt grinder, leaving a ledge hundredths of a millimeter few ensures restraint.


[attachment=1662]IMG_0023800x600.jpg[/attachment]


[attachment=1663]IMG_0024800x600.jpg[/attachment]

[Crispvs]

Thanks Marco.

The middle bone looks about the right size for a gladius handle but to my eyes it looks like a metacarpal bone (the front ankle bone) whereas for a gladius handle you need to use a matatarsal bone of about that size. The matacarpal has a 'D' section whereas the metatarsal has a round or slightly squared section. It does narrow towards the middle of the bone but for a handle this is good as it allows for an easier grip on the sword tang.
The bottom bone (the one you are holding in the photo) appears to be a metatarsal but it looks rather too big to use for a sword handle. I made my guard from a metatarsal of about that size.

Crispvs

[markusaurelius]

Great work, and wonderful tutorial!

[MDF]

Hi guys,
the sundial is finished 8)

[Titus Marius Secundus]

Beautiful :-P

[Robert Vermaat]

You certainly have a way with photographing your beautiful products!!

[MDF]

Hi Robert,
yes, I've in my way.
I think that it is pointless to do the work of dozens of hours and then not to photograph well! This is a necessity that I have learned photographing knives.
I use an old digital about 10 years ago (only 2 megapixel) so I built a simple but important accessory: a lightbox.
This eliminates disturbing light, is very simple and allows you to take good photos without annoying sunlight to appreciate all the details.