Breaux Bridge  

 Sundial: 992
State/Province:  Louisiana Country:  USA
Dial Type:  Equatorial Dial Condition:  Excellent
  Latitude and Longitude: 30° 13.300' N  91° 53.883' W
Location:
  • Dial is located in the yard at 11343A Lake Martin Rd,
    Breaux Bridge LA 70517
 
Description:
  • This is a simple but well designed equatorial dial made of a steel frame and 4-foot diameter aluminum equatorial band. This time band can be loosened from its frame and rotated to an equation of time offset position that's based on solar noon according to dates on a placard fixed to the base. When adjusted, the dial shows time to within a minute. The 10-minute time marks and Arabic hour numbers used vinyl numbers and strips as cover during sand-blasting of the aluminum time band. The vinyl was removed leaving the reflective and polished marks and numbers against the grainy sanded aluminum. (This process was first done on a test piece five years earlier and placed it in direct sunlight - no signs of deterioration or coloring. So this is a relatively easy and permanent alternative to chemical etching). Attention is given to alignment with the base adjusted in azimuth and the dial adjusted with a set of three-point latitude and skew alignment bolts. This dial is an excellent study in functional design. According to the builder, "It was a real fun project. Getting it designed and properly setup was challenging. It has given me a keen appreciation for what it must have taken to build some of the great dials around the world!"
 
General Information:Inscription:
  • Owner: Ted Spillers
  • "I show only the sunny times"

    Placard on the base of the dial shows bi-weekly civil time of solar noon, allowing a noon match of the equatorial time band.
  • Designer: Ted Spillers
  • Builder: Ted Spillers
  • Construction Date: June 2019
 

Last Revised: 2019-09-19 11:42