How to Make Sundials With Clay

Making Your Sundial

• 1

  Press the clay onto the disposable plate to make a round disk. This will be the base of your sundial, where you will draw lines for each hour of the day. If you like, decorate around the edge of the disk by adding shapes or fun designs made from clay.

• 2

  Cut a right triangle out of cardboard using scissors. A right triangle has one angle that is 90 degrees. Measure the distance from the center of your clay circle to its edge; make the base of the triangle about 1/4 inch shorter than this measurement. Cut the triangle freehand, or use a protractor for more accuracy.

• 3

  Press the bottom edge of the triangle into the clay with the smallest angle pointed toward the center of the disk. This is to ensure that the triangle is the correct size.

• 4

  Make a clay triangle that is the same size as the cardboard one. Attach it to the clay disk on the impression you made with the cardboard triangle.

• 5

  Allow the clay to dry according to the package directions.

Calibrating Your Sundial

• 6

  Choose a sunny day to calibrate your sundial. Place the sundial in a sunny spot where you will not have to move it for one whole day. Start calibrating your sundial at sunrise.

• 7

  Paint a line showing where the shadow falls at the top of every hour.

• 8

  Paint the time of day next to each shadow mark. Stop marking the sundial at sunset.