Video

I think this will help: www.mysundial.ca/tsp/analemmic_sundial.html I found this on the web, printed it out, then figured exactly what length it needed to be, so took it to a copy machine and scaled it up or down to get the dimensions I needed, then simply traced the "8" onto the target (curved) plate. The rest of the dial was laid out using a large protractor I picked up at Harbor freight. For Latitude, I simply looked at my GPS, figured my Latitude angel, then used my smart phone level, or any digital level, to set your own Latitude. Mine is around 34* Feel free to ask any other question. Hope the link works.

@@DavidMorris-pq4jq Thank you so much!!

Thank you! I have looked at a lot of pictures of the Schmoyer dial. I can't figure out how it works. I wish there was a video about it. It also looks like there are some complicated curves that I could never reproduce, plus I don't know what they do anyway. To me, the simpler the better!

thank you!

Go to Amazon and look for "Sundials" by R. Newton Mayall and Margaret W. Mayall. This book has been somewhat hard to find, and the edition they are selling is slightly different from mine, but I think it is all there. Their design is quite a bit simpler (except for laying out the Analemma) I created a curved target rather than the flat one they show in the book. But otherwise the one in the book is much simpler than mine! Works the same, though. Lots of other useful and interesting information in the book too. Well worth the read!

A very perceptive observation and question. Yes, it is polar aligned. And yes, it works in the winter or summer. the only adjustment you have to make is to rotate the time dial one hour forward or back, same as you would your clocks at home. The secret to working year-round is the fact that the little targeting hole (I don't know what else to call it...) is high enough that the sun projects a spot on the figure 8 year around. The targeting hole is high enough that the sun can move 23* up and down, projecting the image on the entire analemma. So yes, a simple polar type of sun dial would only work in the summer, but the way this one is designed, it works year around. Does that help? Feel free to ask any other questions.

Thank you! It was a fun project!

Thanks for your question. The front of the swing arm has the little hole in it, and the curved piece with the figure 8 on it is the radius from that hole to the 8. The pivot is 1/2 way between them So I have two dials, one the radius is 8", the other is smaller and the radius is 6" So the distance from the targeting hole to the "8" is the same from top to bottom. So whatever size your dial is, the radius is from the front targeting hole to the curved piece. Hope that helps! Feel free to ask any other questions.

@@DavidMorris-pq4jqSuper, thank you.

@@DavidMorris-pq4jqDare I suggest you make a build-along video for us novices 🙂

@@MauriceJayMusic Making me laugh! It is hard to make a video of something I built 3 years ago! I do have a few snapshots of it in pieces. Mine is also unnecessarily complicated. There are easier ways to build it. Not as pretty, but just as functional I got the idea from a book called "Sundials, How to Know, Use, and make them". by R. Newton Mayall and Margaret W. Mayall. Unfortunately it is out of print as far as looking on Amazon is concerned. I am also not sure how to add some still shots to a video already posted. I do have some photos of a much simpler version I built at first, but again, just single shots. If I knew how to send you a single shot, or several of them, I would. Otherwise feel free to keep asking questions. Just a hint, The complex separate rotating dial rotating around a smaller inner wheel can be a single piece, mounted to a flat board, which is hinged at the bottom to another flat board, with an adjustable arm to set the declination. The single round dial can have a slotted hole at the bottom for making adjustments for wherever you are within your own time zone, or between standard time and daylight savings time.. I didn't have any plans other than the simple one in the book mentioned above. All the other adjustments were pretty much invented in my head as I went along. I made several versions before finally doing the one in the video. I later made one out of aluminum. I appreciate your interest (and anyone else's) and am happy to answer any other questions.

@@DavidMorris-pq4jqThank you again squire for the reply.... looks like I will be spending the next 6 months pondering time, angles and our solar system :-)

Thanks for your comment! The curved piece of wood is a special bendable plywood. I had some left over from a telescope from years earlier. As for the analama, I looked around on the Internet until I found what looked like a good example and printed it out. Then I simply figured the size I needed, took it to a copier and scaled it up, or down, bit by bit till I got the size I needed. I'd send you you the link..... but I lost it! Thanks again, and any other questions, feel free to ask. I am awaiting to see your rendition!

www.mysundial.ca/tsp/analemmic_sundial.html Hopefully, this link works. Is where I got my analamma.

​​@@DavidMorris-pq4jqThank you so much for responding! I'm trying to make plans for one of these so I can build one. One more question if you don't mind (I may lack the exact terminology but I'll be as clear as possible) : Concerning the curvature of the piece. It appears that the curvature is calculated by using the pin hole that the dot shines through as the center of a circle, and this curved piece of wood is a section of said circle, and the total length of the analema (not the total length of the wood) is [roughly] a 47 degree section of the circle. Is this correct?

​@@DavidMorris-pq4jqJust subscribed as well. Thank you so much for sharing this! So many dials do not "automatically" compensate for the equation of time nor are they adjustable for DST, latitude or your placement within a time zone.

@@American-Plague I think you got the idea. In my particular dial, the pinhole is in the center of a 16" circle, so the measurement is 8" from the pinhole to the curved target. The reason for doing it that way (and the article I used for my design did not do it that way) is that if you use a flat piece, which you can, but both ends would have to be slightly distorted, or elongated. Using the curved plate, like I did, makes the distance from the pinhole to the Anelemma (how do you spell it??) the same, so there is no distortion. Probably wouldn't make a big difference, but I like to be as precise as possible, using what I have.

Thank you! 😊

Hi Tom.. I m a very amateur woodworker. Most of the tools I used were just hand tools picked up at Harbor Freight or one of the other hardware stores. Nothing fancy at all. For layout, just a big protractor and some careful measuring, then a wood burning kit for the markings. Just a lot of manual labor! And a lot of thinking! The book I used is called "Sundials, how to know, use, and make them" from Sky Publishing Corp. I looked on Amazon, and it seems they are no longer available. So the best I could suggest is to find someone who is reasonably good with woodworking, or better yet, if you actually want to use it outside, someone who can do some metalworking, and have them make one. If you find such a person, I could maybe photo copy the pages from the book and send them, then would be willing to correspond by email or something if there are any questions. The original plans in the book are very different from the one in the video, though I did make a couple close to the original plans before modifying it to the one you see there. I modified it a lot, and made it more functional and artistic. The concept is simple, and the operation is simple, but very accurate. So let me know, because I'd be happy to help out any way I can for someone who would like to know how to build one, and maybe even make a few crude drawings to illustrate it. I'd love to see more of these out there! For sure if I had the ability, I'd make them myself and sell them!Equatorial Sundials on line and CZcams. This is just a modified and enhanced version of the same.

🙂 I think I have probably built my last one. I don't have access to some of the tools I used to build the one in my video. I did make one out of aluminum so I can leave it outside. If I ever built another one, I'd like to make it out of brass, and perhaps have the markings etched in professionally, rather than hand drawn like the one in the video. I actually built 4 of them, adding improvements in each one. But thanks for the comment! If I had the equipment, I'd like to make them commercially, because there just aren't many like that out there.

oops. Meant to say "......are NOT labelled".

Glad you made that little correction! Makes it easier for me to understand, and to answer, too. Once you set it up correctly for your location, everything is locked into place, so the only thing that moves is the pointer arm. So once you place the spot on the correct side of the "8", corresponding to the current month, you simply read the time off the dial pointer. All other corrections are built in. I could have marked the days of the month, but on that small dial, using wood burning methods, it would have just added confusion. The spot will always be in the correct place if the dial is built and set up correctly. Hope that helps!

In fact, you could go out every day, or maybe every week, and put a mark where the sun is. You will see that it changes position every day anyway. All automatically

Yes. I should have realized that without you having to point it out. Where can I get the plans for this thing? I would make one that wasn't adjustable for longitude but there is no way to just build this thing to look like yours without having the correct measurements.@@DavidMorris-pq4jq

Maybe I meant the operation of it! Who knows what I was thinking a few years ago! I have seen some much more complicated designs to use or understand or to build. My main tools for this one, was a table saw, a router, a hole cutting attachment for the router, and some elbow grease. A couple of large protractors and rulers and a wood burning kit.....

can you write your question in English? I'd be happy to tell you how I built it......

it is built to work anywhere. You just have to set it up for where you are. Feel free to ask any specific details.

Thank you! It was a fun project, and works well!

​@@DavidMorris-pq4jqhow to draw ol 8 shape please ??

@@edwoodcon9039 What I did was went to the web site I will give, printed out the "8", then using a copier scaled it up or down in order to get the size I wanted. Remember it needs to be upside down on your dial. Here is the link: www.mysundial.ca/tsp/analemmic_sundial.html Let me know if you need any more help. Hope this works!

@@DavidMorris-pq4jq thanks a lot 👍👍

@@DavidMorris-pq4jq it worked for me. Thanks a lot

Here is the website I used: www.mysundial.ca/tsp/analemmic_sundial.html I simply printed it out, then scaled it up or down using a copy machine to get it to the size I wanted. Let me know if that helped!

@@DavidMorris-pq4jq Thank you, did you use a 'lazy Susan' for the body of the sundial? I think I hear the bearings rattle. Did you just turn this upside down? I am also curious, did you just look at the radius from the hole to the scale and figure out how long the analemma needed to be to cover 47 degrees?

All the parts were cut from a sheet of plywood, using a router and circle cutting attachment. The "bearing" you see in the center is an old CD. I am making another entire dial from aluminum, which hopefully should be a bit more weather resistant! And yes, that is exactly what I did to figure out the length of the analemma. I drew it all out to scale on a piece of paper then figured what size to make everything. You don't really need to make a curved back plate. The book I have shows it to be just a strait, or flat, piece. It probably wouldn't make a lot of difference, but I figured a curved plate would be slightly more accurate, and looks good anyway. To be honest, the size of the project was determined by the size of some of the parts left over from building a telescope a number of years earlier. Then I made another, smaller, and slightly different design dial from the left over parts of the one you see in the video...

@@DavidMorris-pq4jq yes, I see that. Fantastic design, I'll be modifying it slightly, adding a declination scale, settings for longitude and DST/ST and a vernier scale for the minutes. Should be an interesting build for my channel.

I will be interested in seeing what you come up with! I do have a declination scale, but not very accurate. I don't have good machining skills, so my markings are not totally accurate. Close enough, but I use a digital level to get it precise. My outer dial can be rotated to make the changes from daylight to standard time. There are several different ways to do that, or just etch both times on the surface. Will love to see your final build!

I'm not sure exactly what your question is, but the basic design came from a book called "Sundials" by R. Newton Mayall and Margaret W Mayall. I think that book is still available on Amazon. I found an image of an Analemma here: www.mysundial.ca/tsp/analemmic_sundial.html I just printed it out, and then traced it to the back plate, then in one case wood burned the image onto the plate using a wood burning kit, in another case, used an archival ink pen, then covered everything with several coats of varnish. The rest of the design and construction was very much my own, based somewhat on a couple of old photographs, which design I also modified to my own abilities. It can certainly be made more simply than this one, and work just as well. I would not leave this one out in the weather much, as it is just made of wood, but I am working on a design that I can construct using copper plating. Thanks for looking, and for your question. If you have anything more specific you'd like to know, I will be happy to try to answer.

@@DavidMorris-pq4jq What is the curve of the analemma wood piece?

@@ethanweyn752 The curve is simply the radius from the targeting hole (What else should I call it??) on the front piece. The original design in the book I mentioned showed that piece as a simple straight piece of wood. The problem with that is that the analemma would have to be distorted somewhat at either extreme (top and bottom). You probably wouldn't notice it in real life, but I just wanted to be more precise. Artistic too, I think! The curve makes all parts of the analemma the same distance from the targeting hole. I'm just hoping the analemma I downloaded from the internet is accurately drawn. My test dial seems to be working pretty well, though that back piece is flat on my first attempt.

@@DavidMorris-pq4jq Beautiful work, I'd call the radius the 'focal point'? Nice job, I want to make an an Armillary sundial, being a metal man it seems more suitable for me.

@@user-rh7cs9pv6b Thank you! I am trying to figure out how to make one out of metal myself. The etching of the markings and also welding or soldering the parts together has me a bit stumped. But for sure, metal would be better! I did make an Armillary dial out of knitting hoops! Primitive, but it does work! Sort of....!

Thank you!

It does not. Especially as the tracker has only one motor, driving the RA axis. There are a couple of buttons on the unit itself for slewing a bit faster or slower. It has been a while since I have used mine (due to the fact that I live in such light polluted skies that it is sometimes hard to even see the Big Dipper from my house). It is set up to use an autoguider in that one axes if you want, increasing the accuracy of the drive.

Thanks! That was taken at my student's house. We put the phone up on a low wall between her kitchen and living room, and started playing, just to see what it sounded like. Then her cat jumped up to see what was on the wall. I was afraid the cat would knock the phone down, but he didn't. My student was afraid I would be mad at the cat for messing up the video, but when we listened to it, and watched the cat, especially the Mew at the end, I said, "this must go on CZcams!", so there it is! Thanks for checking it out!

@@DavidMorris-pq4jq lmao @ the cat meowing. It made it all the better.

@@kingdomwarrior1651 I will agree, the cat made the video interesting! Tell you what, if you are still interested in studying the Bible, here is my address dmorris99us@yahoo.com once you get it, I will try to delete it here. Not too many people looking at this music/cat video, so it is pretty safe to publish my address here, I think. Hang in there!

Thank you!

Sorry to be so late in replying. You probably figured it out by now.... But the plate is attached to whatever mount the camera has. Some of the larger lenses have a tripod attachment on them, in order to balance the whole assembly.

You still have to look through the alignment scope and adjust all the knobs. The hand controller just gives you some slewing in RA, and also controls the camera, which is a very nice feature. It also *kind of* tells you where Polaris should be, but then you must adjust the mount to put Polaris where it should be in the scope. Hope this helps.

Hi Richard. I'm not quite sure what you are doing, so I'll start from scratch. 1st, remove the cap that covers the eyepiece. 2nd, there is a plastic plug in the mount end (where you mount the scope or camera or ball head). You should then be able to look through from the eyepiece end and see the reticle with the hour markings on it. You then simply rotate the red part (loosen the clutch) until the 12:00 position is straight up. You need an app on your smart phone to tell you where to position Polaris. Re-reading what you wrote, I think you got it right. The main problem you seem to be having is balancing the camera. That is pretty important. if you are using the counterweight bar, then mount the camera on one end of it, and the counter weight on the shaft on the other end. They should balance, so that with the clutch loose, it should stay in whatever position you leave it in...within reason! Most of us make it a little heavy to the east side of the mount. That way, the drive is always pushing...just a little. It makes for better tracking. No slop to deal with. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Rich ...you just point the camera at whatever object you want to photograph in multiple ways. Release the clutch to rotate the RA axis and rotate. If you look under the camera there's a round dec mount with 2 screws you can loosen to rotate the camera on that axis. You can also slew the camera around the RA axis by using the buttons on the guider itself. My recommendation....... use the bracket counter weight system irregardless of the weight of your camera....put the camera on the long end of the bracket.....not the short end like in this video....I can balance my canon with my light weight 50mm lens up to my 14mm wide angle monster! Heavy glass. To check balance you release the clutch and adjust the weight so while it's spinning freely the camera should stay where ever you put it while spinning freely. This may not be perfect but get it as close as you can. This reduces strain on the motor. You'll be able to spin it anywhere with just the tip of your finger when the clutch is released. Then lock it. Most important..... using the counter weight bracket lets you recheck polar alignment at any time during your imaging run. You can't do that if you don't use the bracket. The polar scope will be covered so if you bump the tripod for whatever reason you can't check polar alignment. You payed for it so why not use it. My recommendation for pointing the camera.....Use a ball head with the bracket and use the ball head to point the camera. Supporting the camera with one hand and slowly adjusting its direction with a ball head at your target is much smoother and you're less likely to knock your tripod out of polar alignment. I would set the tripod up in a rough polar align.... point the camera at your target if it's already dark..... polar align....recheck your camera to see the target and adjust the ball head carefully if needed and re-check your polar alignment. The tracker does the rest. That's the beauty of an Equatorial mount......Once your polar aligned and your scope/camera is locked on target the mount only tracks around the RA axis. Dec axis is fixed and stationary. Hope this helps.

Thanks Cliff, for taking precious time to explain a few things to a "newbie"... I have yet to get outside with the rig (to cloudy and/or cold)... warmer weather is coming tho! ;)

Brian K. Edwards Not totally sure what you are asking, but i will try to answer... But i think the answer would be yes, you can aim the camera anywhere, once you get the mount aligned to the pole. The "alignment" position is only to get the reticle oriented for correct alignment of the mount. Once the mount is locked down, you can aim the camera wherever you like. Hope this helps....

Thanks for your response. But I still have to keep the skywatcher pointed where I set up and did polar alignment. The camera/lens can be moved if, for example, it is mounted on the Skywatcher via a ball head. That was my suspicion. Thanks, again and best wishes.

@@briankedwards There is a small circular mount which comes with the Sky Guider which you can use instead of the ball head and attach directly on top of the declination bracket. This will allow you to move the camera to the sides. To adjust the camera positioning with the ascension, you can control that by rotating it counter or clock wise. It's a nightmare but it works.

*crickets* I wanna see his results too...