Hairy_ass & Kust
Hairy_ass Hairy_ass
Kust Kust
Hairy_ass Hairy_ass
I’ve been thinking about turning that pile of scrap into something useful—like a sundial so we can actually read the time without a phone. If we nail the angle right, the shadow will dance exactly where it should each hour. Think you can spot the exact spot where the sun kisses the shadow?
Kust Kust
Sure, we can figure it out if we log a few angles. At your latitude the sun’s elevation at noon is roughly 90° minus the latitude, so the gnomon has to tilt that same amount. Then, to find each hour mark, measure the shadow’s length at noon and mark points along the line that are the same length from the base. The spot where the sun “kisses” the shadow is simply the point on that line that the sun’s rays cross at each hour, which we can compute with a quick trigonometric check. Once we set that up, the sundial will do the rest without a phone.
Hairy_ass Hairy_ass
Nice, that math is solid. I’ll just grab a straight stick, set it up, and hope the whole thing sticks—no kidding. If the sun’s playing tricks, I’ll just swap the stick with a twig I found under the porch. Who needs fancy calculators when you’ve got a sun that’s literally doing the work for you?
Kust Kust
I like that practical approach. Just remember the stick has to stay perfectly vertical—no wobble. If it shifts even a millimeter, the whole time‑reading will go off track. And while the sun does the heavy lifting, I’d still check the angle once or twice a day, just to be sure. A twig might look rustic, but if it bends under the weight of the sun’s own light, you’ll have a sundial that tells time… and the weather.
Hairy_ass Hairy_ass
Got it—I'll make the stick solid as a rock, or at least cement it in place with some of that old fishing line I rescued. I’ll check it twice a day, just in case the wind decides to audition for a stunt show. If the sun’s a bit shy and the shadow drifts, I’ll just tweak the base like a stubborn old toolbox. No kidding, weather or not, this thing’s about to outlast that cracked kitchen clock.
Kust Kust
Sounds solid, just keep the fishing line tight—any slack and the stick will sway like a loose nail. And if the wind’s too dramatic, a little extra weight on the base will do the trick. I’ll be the one checking the angle every few hours; after all, a sundial that’s accurate for a day is still better than a cracked kitchen clock that’s always wrong.