Stucco recipes and a revolvable shaping template
Copper-mercury and glass-borax stuccos; a template on a pole and the geometry of reflection
Two facing recipes for stucco open the page: one of copper and mercury spread over a plaster form to the thickness of a knife's back and burnished, the other of powdered glass kneaded with borax and varnished with fire until it shines. The heading 'On reflection' then introduces the device drawn below, in which a profile-template (sagoma) mounted on a pole bears down on c d to shape a revolving piece. Leonardo works out the geometry of incidence and reflection (a b c d / c d f) and warns that the template must sit directly beneath the pole's center, or the weight of its projection will bend the shaft and spoil that center.
On this page
Revolvable template mounted beneath a pole
A profile-template (sagoma) is carried on a shaft so that it bears down on c d; Leonardo notes that a short pole-shaft would be strong enough to use the template as situated. He warns the template c d must sit directly beneath the pole e f, the center of the revolvable body, or the weight of its projection would bend the shaft and spoil the center.
Line of incidence a b c d and its reflection c d f
The incidence a b c d is said to have its reflection in c d f. Leonardo instructs that this must first be drawn on a flat plane and then carried out straight in practice, keeping the template aligned with the axis.
