The earliest timekeeping devices used by humans date back to ancient times, even though their design was quite simple—just a stick, a shadow, and a marked surface on the ground. Despite their simplicity, they were remarkably accurate for their time.
As a modern person, I’ve grown accustomed to the precision of mechanical and digital watches. It’s safe to say that very few people today know how to read a sundial. However, on Instructables—a popular open-source hardware platform—a maker named Sebastian Morales has given this ancient timekeeping tool a fresh, modern twist. His project makes reading time on a sundial both easy and fun, blending old technology with new "black tech" aesthetics.
In his tutorial, Morales explains how he calculated a precise time scale based on his geographic location. He then used Autodesk Inventor to design a 3D model and printed it using a 3D printer. The resulting sundial is compact, portable, and surprisingly effective.
To use it, simply place it in the correct direction on a sunny day. As the sun moves, the shadow cast by the gnomon (the stick) will slowly move across the dial. Thanks to Morales’ clever design, the shadow falls on numbered markings, making it easy to read the current hour. For example, if the shadow points to “11,†it means the time is approximately between 11:00 AM and 11:59 AM.
Morales also accounted for daylight saving time by designing the base separately from the gnomon, allowing for easy adjustments depending on the season.
He mentioned that once the design is understood, the process is straightforward. If you're interested in building your own, you can check out his detailed tutorial on Instructables. This project not only revives an ancient method of timekeeping but also brings it into the modern age with a touch of creativity and innovation.
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