Equatorial Sundial and Orrery
A Sundial on The Sea
Set looking out over the Marblehead coastline, this sundial was designed to evoke both the maritime history of the region and the earliest scientific exploration of the heavens. The model of the solar system nestled in the base is inspired by the relationship between maritime navigation and outer space, while giving a nod to the client’s passion for science fiction.
The Equatorial Dial
The sundial itself is equatorial, which means that the gnomon, the shadow-casting rod, is tilted to match the latitude of the sundial’s location. All of the sundial hardware was machined on an antique lathe from stainless steel and naval bronze. The steel was copper-plated, patinaed, and sealed with a marine-grade epoxy clear-coat for corrosion resistance.
Classic Design with Modern Tools
The sundial and orrery were our first opportunity to use two dimensional CAD software to design a piece, while still forging and fabricating much of it.