A Local Government District of

Pinawa
Millennium Project
Grand Unveiling – July 14,
2001
Pinawa – A great place to live!
 My First Sundial
The sundial was drawn in
AutoCAD and a full scale
plot was made. It includes
a noon gap and a graph of
the Equation of Time.

The brass dial was made using

a photo-etching technique. The
sundial was raffled to raise
funds for the project.
 Design – Dial Plate
OUTER DIAL
•Local Apparent Time: solar
time as derived by the real
sun at any particular location.
•Symmetrical layout suited
for the granite tiles.
Latitude:
50°08'48" North
Longitude:
95°52'31" West
 Design – Dial Plate
INNER DIAL
•Zonal Solar Time: local
apparent time with a
longitude correction but
without correction for the
Equation of Time.
•Results in an hour line shift
Latitude: of ~23.5 minutes earlier.
50°08'48" North •Indicates Daylight Saving
Longitude: Time.
95°52'31" West
 Design – Getting Started
•Determine latitude and
longitude of the dial centre.
•Determine hour line angles
relative to noon.
•Establish the true north line.
Points to the North Celestial
Pole.
Latitude: •Establish position of the 2
50°08'48" North dial centres as a result of the
Longitude: wide gnomon – 6 inches.
95°52'31" West
 Design – Getting Started
•Initial hour line angles
calculated manually.
•Graduated to spreadsheets
for greater accuracy.
•Discovered free sundial
design software-ZONWVLAK.
Latitude: •Software produces a set of
50°08'48" North hour lines exportable in dxf
Longitude: (drawing exchange format).
95°52'31" West
 Design – Getting Started
•dxf file used in AutoCAD to
create all the detailed
drawings.
•Hour line angles measured
in AutoCAD and checked
against spreadsheets.
•Layout tables and checks
Latitude:
developed.
50°08'48" North
Longitude:
95°52'31" West
Construction – Getting Started
•Barrie Burnett-Pinawa’s resident
hobby surveyor.
•He established the latitude and
longitude.
•He established true north.
•He surveyed in all the hour line
angles.
•He laid out the dial base and
positioned the gnomon.
 Construction – Getting Started
This device was used to confirm
the position of the true north line.
•The line was first transposed to
the parking lot and markers
established.

•At precisely local noon the two

edges of the light band were
marked. True north line found.
•Compare to established line. It
was right on!
Design – Dial Plate
•38.5’ wide (east-west),40.5’
long (north-south), ~1560 ft2.
•Elevated 18” using ~65 yd3.
of crushed limestone.
•Consists of a central
medallion, inner dial and
outer dial.
•The central medallion and
outer dial are made from
polished granite with
sandblasted images.
Design – Dial Plate
•~315 sq. ft. of granite 1.875”
thick, 8860 lb.
•The inner dial and borders
are ~ 580 ft2. of red/black and
grey tumbled pavers.
•The hour lines are made
from used railroad track.
•The 92-15 minute markers
are machined from 1/2”
diameter brass rod.
Design – Dial Plate
•150 ft. of granite block
retaining wall surrounds the
dial base.
•Each block is 15 inches
square and 48 inches long.
•Each block weighs ~1125 lb.,
~40,000 lb.
•A 6” noon gap corrects for
the gnomon width.
Construction – Dial Plate
•Our sign!

•1999 - Just a flat vacant piece of

land.
Construction – Dial Plate
After clearing the organic material
4-16” diameter by 16 ft. holes
were drilled for the concrete piles.

4 cages- 1”x10’ threaded rod

welded to 20M rebar for 36’ with
10-10” diameter 10M rebar rings
Construction – Dial Plate
2 piles on the north-south line and
2 on the east-west line.

The 18” high base was built using

limestone and the help of the
residents of the Milner Ridge
Correctional Centre.
 Construction – Dial Plate
The piles with threaded rods for
securing the gnomon base.
The gnomon drainage pipes are
visible.

The 8”x12” hollow steel section

is bolted to the east-west piles.
Plywood templates were used for
positioning the holes for the
threaded rods.
Design - Gnomon
•All images were created
by the artists using Adobe
Illustrator.
•The manufacturer
required an AutoCAD file
for their plasma cutting
machine.
•The Adobe dxf (drawing
exchange format) file was
not adequate as it used
splines for the curves.
Design - Gnomon
•The entire drawing was
traced using AutoCAD
with the appropriate
drawing tools.
•A full scale paper mock-
up of the gnomon was
constructed to check the
design.
•The AutoCAD file was
emailed to the supplier
and the gnomon was cut
out using 1/2” steel plate.
Design - Gnomon
•The style height is equal
to latitude at the dial’s
centre: 50°08'48"
•The gnomon is about 16
ft. long and 17.5 ft. high.
•The images cut into the
plate steel reflect those
illustrated on the granite
icon tiles.
 Construction - Gnomon
12”x 12”, 4”x 8”, 6”x 6”, 3/8”
thick hollow steel sections
form the base of the structure.

Computer
controlled
plasma cut 1/2”
(1/4”) mild steel
plate. 10 pieces
in total.
 Construction - Gnomon
The gnomon is welded and
ready for sandblasting. (plug
welded images, hand forged
1”x3” trim)

Gnomon
construction in
the machine
shop.
 Construction - Gnomon
The gnomon is being removed
from the shop for sandblasting.

The sandblasting process.

•Medium grade silica sand.
•Portable sandblaster/diesel
compressor.
 Construction - Gnomon
Matt grey colour after the mill
coating removed.
Surface oxidizes rapidly and
uniformly.
The hollow steel section gnomon
base:
•8”x 12” positioned on east –
west piles.
•12” x 12” positioned on north –
south piles.
 Construction - Gnomon
The Galion was used to position
the gnomon on the 12’ x 12’
hollow steel section.

The gnomon was not released

until it was secured in position.
It was able to balance on its own
even before welding.
 Construction - Gnomon
A portable welder was used to
attach the gnomon to it’s
support structure.

Barrie Burnett was set up over

one of the reference markers to
ensure the correct orientation of
the gnomon.
 Construction - Gnomon
“The Gnomoneers”
Steve Berry, Bill Macdonald,
Ervin Hemminger, Glenn
Graham, Carl Sabanski, Clive
Schultz

“The Gnomon Erectors”

Barrie Burnett, Fred Betker, Al
Abraham, Brian Dyck, Leonard
Scholz, Clive Schultz, Carl
Sabanski
Construction - Gnomon
•Erected November 1, 2000
•Time capsule placed in the
base.
•The oxidization began as
soon as the gnomon was
sandblasted and is a unique
characteristic of the
structure. It is always
changing as the rain paints
new patterns on the steel.
Design – Hour Lines
•Donated recycled railroad
track was used. Made in 1934
and weighs 85 lb./yd.
•225 ft. of rail was used
weighing 6375 lb.
•The track was sandblasted
and coated with a clear finish.
This finish was not
permanent and wore away
allowing the rail to oxidize.
Design – Hour Lines
•Inner dial - 169 ft. of rail from
7.2 ft. (204 lb.) to 14.3 ft. (405
lb.)
•Outer dial – 56 ft. of rail from
25 in. (59 lb.) to 7 ft. (198 lb.)
•92 15-minute markers
machined from 1/2” solid
brass stock were set into
holes drilled in the grey
pavers.
Design – Hour Lines
•16- inner dial hour lines are
marked in Arabic numbers
sandblasted & painted into
the grey pavers & indicate
Daylight Saving Time.
•15- outer dial hour lines are
marked in Roman numerals
sandblasted and painted into
large granite stones collected
along the river shore line.
 Construction – Hour Lines
7- 36 ft. long railroad tracks were
donated. To fit the trailer they
had to be cut into 28 and 8 ft.
pieces.

The rails were cut using a band

saw. A drawing indicated the
cut angles and length of both
sides of the rail. The finished
rails were within a couple mm
of the specifications.
 Construction – Hour Lines
The rails were sandblasted and a
clear seal coat was applied.

The longer rails ready to be

installed. As the rails age and
the seal coat wears off the rails
are slowly oxidizing.
Design – Granite Icon Tiles
•12 icons illustrate the
history of the Eastern
Manitoba region as well
as well as important
factors that played a role
in the development of the
region.
•Three additional icons
complete the dial plate.
Design – Granite Icon Tiles
•Glaciation
•Glacial Lake Agassiz
•First Peoples: Introduction
of Stone Tools
•First Peoples: Introduction
of New Technologies
•The Coming of the
Europeans: Voyageur Fur
Traders
Design – Granite Icon Tiles
•Industry-Agriculture,
Forestry and Mining
•Modern Transportation-
Rail, Air and Road
•Development of the
Winnipeg River-”Old
Pinawa”
•Further Development of
the Winnipeg River
Design – Granite Icon Tiles
•Whiteshell Provincial Park
•Wildlife
•Research & Development -
Atomic Energy of Canada
Limited
•The Day Sky
•The Night Sky
•The Earth and Sun
Construction – Granite Icon Tiles
Sheldon secures a rubber material
that was applied to all the areas
not to be sandblasted.

Each tile was then sandblasted

until the artists were satisfied that
it met their requirements.
Construction – Granite Icon Tiles
Tiles in the process of being
sandblasted.

The last part of the job was to

paint the sandblasted areas of all
the tiles and move them to the
site.
 Construction – Dial Plate
The central medallion consisting
of 4 granite tiles was positioned
first on a bed of sand.

The pavers for the inner dial were

laid on sand to create one
continuous field. The sections
between the hour lines do not
look like they have been filled in.
 Construction – Dial Plate
The centre line for each hour line
was surveyed. An offset found
each edge of the rail. A chalk line
was snapped and the pavers were
cut using a cut-off saw.

The pavers are removed for the

rail installation. After the rails
are leveled and surveyed into
position the pavers are put back
into position.
 Construction – Dial Plate
The inner dial is complete: central
medallion, hour lines, red/black
pavers and grey border pavers.

The outer dial rails are placed

into position and the granite tiles
placed between them.
 Construction – Dial Plate

The last piece of granite!

The rails have been positioned

and the sand bed is ready for the
remaining tiles.
 Construction – Dial Plate
The dial plate is there but you still
can’t tell what time it is unless
you are familiar with its layout.
The hour markers still need to be
done.

A view of the dial from the

northwest. The sun is shining
and there is a great shadow.
 Construction – Dial Plate
The granite blocks for the outer
wall are installed. Each weighs
~1125 lb. and there are 36 of them
– 150 ft.

How do you place and position a

heavy granite block? Ice! You
need a lot of freezer space for
120+ blocks of ice. It really
works!
 Construction – Dial Plate
The completed retaining wall.

Granite stones are used for the

outer dial hour markers. The
inner dial markers are set into
the pavers. The noon gap is
seen in this photo.
 Construction – Dial Plate
Each hour marker is unique.

Each 15 minute interval is

marked with a brass button set
into the grey pavers.
The Sundial

“TIME TO
CELEBRATE”
 The Sundial
A view illustrating many of the
components of the sundial.

An excellent shadow. Once the

time is determined on the inner
dial all that needs to done is to
correct for the Equation of Time.
Within 5 minutes of clock time.
 The Grand Unveiling
Lillian Tankard (Culture and Tourism), Culture,
Heritage & Tourism Minister Ron Lemieux, MLA
Darren Praznik, Liberal Leader Jon Gerrard,
Mayor Len Simpson, Resident Administrator Gary
Hanna and Cst. Brunet

Mr. Gnomon

July 14, 2001

 Web Site

Web site:
For more information about our sundial please
visit:
www.mts.net/~sabanski/sundial/sundial.htm