Surveyors' wheel

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A surveyors' wheel, also known as a waywiser, was used for measuring distances along the ground. This steel example was made around 1830, probably by T.D. Ormiston of Duns in the Borders.

The waywiser has a wheel nine feet in circumference and a shaft terminating in a grip with a wooden handle. The rotations of the wheel are indicated by a pointer on a circular brass toothed plate which engages with a worm gear on the axle.

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• Online ID: 000-100-102-741-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1978.25
• Date: Around 1830
  c. 1830
  
• Material: Steel, wooden handle, brass plate. Inscription: T.D. ORMISTON / MAKER / DUNSE
  Waywiser / surveyors' wheel
  
• Dimensions: 1420 mm L x 880 mm D
  
• What: Waywiser / surveyors' wheel
  
• Subject: 5. CARTOGRAPHY, Surveying (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: T.D. Ormiston (Maker)
  
• Where: Scotland, Berwickshire, Duns
  
• Event:
• Description: Steel waywiser or surveyors' wheel, by T.D. Ormiston, Duns, Berwickshire, c. 1830
  
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