UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > General Vintage Technology Discussions

Notices

General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 10th Mar 2019, 4:59 pm   #1
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default The slide rule

I am starting a new job (a mile from home and very interesting, walking to work too on April the 1st) and will be taking my 10" slide rule with me, I like to use it for at least one calculation per project. Having it on my desk generates much interest (as does the RPN calculator).

I was wondering how many slide rules are still in use?
 
Old 10th Mar 2019, 5:02 pm   #2
barrymagrec
Octode
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Morden, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 1,552
Default Re: The slide rule

In the days when I wore a jacket to work I always carried a 5 inch slide rule and sometimes used it, to the confusion of younger colleagues.
barrymagrec is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 5:03 pm   #3
Dave Moll
Dekatron
 
Dave Moll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,118
Default Re: The slide rule

Although I own several slide rules, I have to admit that I use more modern methods for performing multiplication and division (unless they are simple enough to use the even older method of doing them in my head).
__________________
Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Dave Moll is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 5:08 pm   #4
G4YVM David
Heptode
 
G4YVM David's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 998
Default Re: The slide rule

My son and I still use circular slide rules when we fly.
__________________
David, G4YVM.
G4YVM David is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 5:17 pm   #5
Davewantsone
Hexode
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 291
Default Re: The slide rule

I usually get my Abasus out on the morning of the first day of the next month!
Davewantsone is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 5:44 pm   #6
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: The slide rule

I like to keep old technology alive by using it, just like having an old radio. It may be instructive to the younger ones in my new position too, it's not "all iPhones and apps". I can do in the head arithmetic in my head to slide rule accuracy, nice to have a sanity check now and then.
It is fun too and when making "which way to go" decisions the scales let you see the possibilities at a glance.
 
Old 10th Mar 2019, 6:18 pm   #7
TonyDuell
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK.
Posts: 5,190
Default Re: The slide rule

Another thing I do with a slide rule is if I want to find 2 resistors of a particular ratio I set the scales to said ratio and look where prefered values (nearly) line up. I am told at one time there was a slide rule with the E12 (or E24?) series marked on the scales just for that reason but I've not managed to find one.

I bought a slide rule a couple of weeks ago at an 'antique' fair. Nothing special but it looked amost new, still had the instructions in the case. And I like calculating devies of all types. I also own several helical slide rules (I think 3 Otis Kings and a Stanley Fuller).

As for RPN (or RPL) calculators, I am not clever enough to use any other type!
TonyDuell is online now  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 6:32 pm   #8
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: The slide rule

Quote:
As for RPN (or RPL) calculators, I am not clever enough to use any other type!
I agree, when handed a "normal" calculator the sums don't work.

I did treat myself to a Swiss Micros DM42 a while ago https://www.swissmicros.com/dm42.php rather swish.
 
Old 10th Mar 2019, 7:30 pm   #9
Marconi_MPT4
Heptode
 
Marconi_MPT4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Dorset, UK.
Posts: 519
Default Re: The slide rule

Still have a British Thornton AD070 slide rule given to me as a present in the early 1970's, about five years before electronic calculators became the norm.

This one did get some use, but regret to say it has not been used for a long time. It is still with original box with instructions.

Rich
__________________
To an optimist a glass is half full; a pessimist half empty; an engineer twice as big as need be!
Marconi_MPT4 is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 7:35 pm   #10
John10b
Nonode
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Wales, UK.
Posts: 2,869
Default Re: The slide rule

Much to my great regret I sold my slide rule many years ago, still got my log tables, I used it through all my national certificate and city and guild exams.
Cheers
John
John10b is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 7:46 pm   #11
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: The slide rule

Quote:
Originally Posted by G4YVM David View Post
My son and I still use circular slide rules when we fly.
I can't even use a slide rule let alone fly.
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 8:16 pm   #12
MrBungle
Dekatron
 
MrBungle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 3,687
Default Re: The slide rule

I have a nice Pickett slide rule. I can multiply and divide on it. That’s it so far!

Mostly use an RPN calc. HP 35S
MrBungle is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 8:21 pm   #13
Nuvistor
Dekatron
 
Nuvistor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,427
Default Re: The slide rule

Never had slide rule, just used log tables and pen and paper, perhaps not as quick but they did what I needed.
__________________
Frank
Nuvistor is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 8:21 pm   #14
kalee20
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Lynton, N. Devon, UK.
Posts: 7,061
Default Re: The slide rule

I had a wooden one once. When I was doing my maths O level (1978) they were allowed, but had to write SR after the answer. This was the second year that calculators were allowed - if used, you had to write, guess what, C after the answer. Unless the question expressly forbade the use of tables or calculator, such as a question involving right-angled triangles containing an angle of 30 degrees, or a Pythagorean triple.

I'm a fan of old stuff (I'm a forum member after all!) but I have to say, calculators are wonderful things. I use my 39-year old Casio FX-501P nearly every day. The slide rule was dumped!
kalee20 is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 8:29 pm   #15
Junk Box Nick
Octode
 
Junk Box Nick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 1,571
Default Re: The slide rule

I've still got my Frank Castle log table books. I got my first scientific calculator in 1976 and I haven't used them since. Don't think I could now...

I have spent a lot of my working life in a very ageist industry. Keeping my hair well (though goodness knows how in some of the environments) means I've often been thought to be younger than I am and much as I'd like to tell the whizz kids about the good old days and pass on some long-forgotten but still useful techniques it's been in my own interests to keep quiet!

However, it's been amusing to be invited into the occasional brainstorming session and see the wheel being reinvented.
Junk Box Nick is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 8:32 pm   #16
M0FYA Andy
Nonode
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 2,510
Default Re: The slide rule

I have to say that I never got on with a slide rule, I much preferred log-tables as there was no element of variability.
M0FYA Andy is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 9:09 pm   #17
Dave Moll
Dekatron
 
Dave Moll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,118
Default Re: The slide rule

Certainly, I always felt I could get more accurate answers with logs and antilogs - and the sines, cosines and tangents were invaluable in trigonometry.
__________________
Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Dave Moll is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 9:24 pm   #18
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: The slide rule

The problem with calculators (the electronic variety) is that you can get a very precise wrong answer. Or, even worse, a result written down to goodness how many digits when the original measurements were accurate to a couple.
 
Old 10th Mar 2019, 9:33 pm   #19
Nuvistor
Dekatron
 
Nuvistor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,427
Default Re: The slide rule

I was taught, rightly or wrong, that with the calculations I had to do was at least know what the ‘ ball park’ would be and if I expected say 0.7 and my answer was 768.9 to think very carefully about does it seem reasonable. Anyway do the sum again.

My calculations were obviously not going to change the world or they would have someone else do them.
__________________
Frank
Nuvistor is offline  
Old 10th Mar 2019, 10:40 pm   #20
Davewantsone
Hexode
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 291
Default Re: The slide rule

Quote:
Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell View Post
The problem with calculators (the electronic variety) is that you can get a very precise wrong answer. Or, even worse, a result written down to goodness how many digits when the original measurements where accurate to a couple.
When I took my HNC way back in 1971. We were allowed you to use calculators instead of Log tables or slide rules for the first time. I foolishly bought an expensive Sinclair scientific calculator thinking it would be easier. How wrong I was the thing used "reverse Polish Logic" as an example, 3X6=18, on the Sinclair you had to enter 3+6X this then gave 18. Not only that some of the trig functions ie sine, cosine and tan gave terrible errors. Guess work would have been better
I also need to mention that the display had a fixed decimal point, so say the number 314.2 would appear on the screen as 3.142 E2. To enter say 1234.6 you had to type 12346 which would appear on screen as 1.23456 then press E then 3 which would give 1.23456E3. euk!

Last edited by Davewantsone; 10th Mar 2019 at 11:06 pm.
Davewantsone is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 6:45 am.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.