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Slide rules live! 3

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oldfieldguy

oldfieldguy

Electrical
Sep 20, 2006
1,571
US
I was working with my fifteen year old son on a computer problem this weekend and he found an old slide rule on my shelf.

"What's this, dad?"

"It's a slide rule."

"What's it do?"

"Puts men into outer space. Breaks the sound barrier. Builds the interstate highway system. Let me show you how it works..."

And he thinks it's neat. He may never use it, but he knows it exists.

old field guy
 
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I wouldn't know where to start with a slide rule. Can I use it to draw straight lines?
 
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Ussuri - You can download generic instructions of the "intended" of a slide rule from my website - of course [smile]
Also, JAE recently contributed another reference:

The amazing thing is that these instructions are one of my most frequent downloads, month after month. I don't know why the interest in slide rules... but its there.

[idea]
[r2d2]
 
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The "slide" ruled engineering for many decades. Then again, so did the abicus.

I still have four - two bamboo K&E's (college), a metal Picket (High school), and a garbage plastic (?).

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
 
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The names K&E and Picket brought a smile to my face.
I nodded in rememberance.
Then I frowned remembering how LONG AGO that really was!!!

Then I smiled. I can still remember that far back!

Somewhere in my many moves I lost my Ivory "K&E Log-Log Duplex Decilon"

Sigh.
 
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Yep, no idea where my aluminum Picket is. Oddly, I won that in high school for something to do with Engineer's week. This was, of course, after I had already spent $150 to by a TI SR-51, which was waaay more accurate and had way more functionality than the Picket.

So my Picket was never really battle tested.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
 
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"So my Pickett was never really battle tested."

Mine was, almost literally. I took mine to "bridge classification" class when I was a young tank commander. Others did calculations to determine a bridge's load-bearing capacity with pencil and paper. I whipped out a slide rule and made short work of the problems. Of such things are legends made...

old field guy
 
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Ah, memories. Just pulled out my 6" Post to see If I can still remember how to use it. Will need a refresher course, after I clean it up.
 
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The slide rule was invented by T. Boone Pickett too.

And actually, I think one of the K&E's I mentioned is a Post.

The nickname is "Slip Stick".

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
 
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I gave my K&E log-log-decitrig to my daughter when she got her engineering degree. It's like passing along a family heirloom. I had my name etched into it.
 
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My father-in-law willed his to me. He was a dentist.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
 
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you guys have to be in your late 50's and 60's?

slide rule what is that? Thats like vacuum tubes in old tv's right? lol

Lets just listen to old stereo equipment because there is no transistor noise. God loves ya lol
 
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controlsdude--

You're so very right... Learned electronics with vacuum tubes, as a matter of fact.

old field guy
 
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No need to listen to "old" stereo equipment (with vacuum tubes)... you can listen to new stereo equipment (with vacuum tubes), such as:

Actually, I prefer old monaural equipment, say 1936:

Z-6S52-Front.jpg


[idea]
[r2d2]
 
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We are from an area when "the slide" ruled...

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
 
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Our library is in the process of scanning and archiving old documents from the 60's. One appeared a couple of years ago discussing the use of computers and calculators. There was a brief mention of the new electronic calculators and how they might just take off.

- Steve
 
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