Sundial

Materials:

You'll need: A 9" circle of flat materials that can be painted and left outdoors; 4 1/2' SQ. of 1/4" thick wood (sawed in half diagonally to make a triangle); black permanent medium point marker; paint markers or paintbrush and acrylic paint of ant paint that won't wash off outdoors; strong glue; transparent tape; ruler; soft (dark) pencil.

How To Make:

1. Cut this page out of the magazine (or trace the sundial pattern on tracing paper). Scribble over the back of the sundial pattern with the soft pencil.

2. Tape the pattern to the sundial surface with the numbers near the edge. Pencil firmly over the pattern lines (use the ruler as guide), letters and numbers, to transfer them. Be sure to mark line AB for placing the triangle later. Lift off the pattern.

3. Pant the wooden triangle and let it dry completely.

4. Glue one short edge of the trianlge to line AB. The triangles high point should be at A, near the 12.

5. Take the sundial outside at 12:00 noon and place it on flat ground or a level stand where the sun can reach it from all directions.

6. Set the time by turning the dial so that the shadow from the triangle pints directly to 12. Sundials work differently in different latitudes. To make yours completely accurate, check the dial every hour on the hour and pencil in new guidelines where the edge of the shadow falls. (Adjust numbers accordingly).

7. Darken the new lines on the sundial surface with the black marker.

8. Color the numbers and decorate the face of the sundial any way you like. (Though the materials used are weatherproof, it's a good idea to add a plyurethane finih and cover the sundial during heavy rains).