What Did You Get for Christmas?

[BobG]

You guys are immensely tempting me to purchase a pickett beauty. Are those internationally available? More specifically in Europe? Are they expensive? Would you mind telling me how much your pickett cost, FredGarvin?

I honestly can not remember how much I paid for it. It was a bit pricey though. It is a collector's item now. Plus it was never used. I think it was about $90. You can buy beginners and less expensive ones though for about $25-50 range. I like this guy's site:

http://www.sphere.bc.ca/test/sruniverse.html
Very nice folks there.

Walter Shawlee's Slide Rule Universe that Fred mentioned is the best slide rule site I've found. He has lots of information on slide rules on his site and is a great reference, even if you're buying your slide rule on E-Bay. His slide rules are quite a bit more expensive than buying one off E-Bay, but you also don't have the risk either. Walter will have already cleaned up and restored the slide rules he sells. I've bought a couple of slide rules from his site (plus a pretty cool RCA pencil). He has charity auctions every so often, which are hard to resist.

If the seller provides good photographs and you know what you're looking for, E-Bay is usually the cheaper option (just search for slide rules). Of course, the prices will vary quite a bit, as well, since there will be other bidders that want the quality slide rules.

Starter plastic slide rules go very cheap. Your best bet for the quality slide rules are the Post Versalog, the K&E Deci-Logs, or the Picketts on US E-Bay sites. These are extremely common, meaning just about every collector already has one. You can get one of these in excellent condition on E-Bay for around $50 (the leather case should be in good condition, too - you can usually restore the leather case, but you won't know just from the picture) vs. the nearly $200 you would pay at Slide Rule Universe. The wooden slide rules will probably still have good action with the slide, but there's a risk. The bamboo Hemmis, Hughes & Owens, and Posts will almost certainly still have good action - bamboo is self lubricating and should last a minimum of 50 years, even if stored in less than optimal conditions (advertised lifetime was 50-75 years - my oldest is 51 years old and works perfectly).

Actually, being in Europe, you should be able to find a good Faber Castell, Nestler, Dietzgen, or Aristo at a local thrift store, antique store, or garage sale. These were top of the line slide rule makers. They're kind of exotic finds in the US.

 

[BobG]

That is pretty cool. Much better than the little stand alone prog that I have. I'm going to bookmark that one.
Here's a pic of my beauty which has a pristine leather carrying case w/ belt loop:

Very nice. The specialty rules just amaze me. Most of them are still better suited for their function and quicker and easier to use than a calculator. I took a Chemistry class with a Post 1491 Chemical Engineering slide rule. It was much better suited for the class than a calculator. In fact, by the end of the class, I was pretty much convinced that Michael Chang, the author of the textbook, must have been a slide rule collector, himself. Any answer that would be found on the left side of the slide rule was given to 4 sig figs while answers found on the right side were always given to 2 sig figs.

 

[FredGarvin]

Very nice. The specialty rules just amaze me. Most of them are still better suited for their function and quicker and easier to use than a calculator. I took a Chemistry class with a Post 1491 Chemical Engineering slide rule. It was much better suited for the class than a calculator. In fact, by the end of the class, I was pretty much convinced that Michael Chang, the author of the textbook, must have been a slide rule collector, himself. Any answer that would be found on the left side of the slide rule was given to 4 sig figs while answers found on the right side were always given to 2 sig figs.

I think it's pretty much a draw with my programmable calculator for specific calcs. I do tend to get rusty if I don't use it though. I do like seeing the look on people's faces when I walk into a test cell with it. It does tend to stick out.

 

[FredGarvin]

Yeah, its winter term. 1 day = 1 week.
Topics:
· Stress analysis of machine elements
· Deflection and stiffness of machine elements
· Fits and tolerances
· Materials for machine elements
· Steady loading
· Variable loading
· Fasteners and connections
· Bolts preloading
· Welded joints
· Mechanical springs
· Rolling-contact bearings
· Lubrication, journal bearings
· Bearings design considerations
· Gearing general
· Spurs and gears
· Clutches, brakes
· Couplings, flywheels
· Belts, shafts, axles
I don't know if well actually do all of it or not.

Boy...going over it that fast, I sure hope you don't glance over things. My first DME class was kind of like that. I had to go back and really learn things I found out I should have known.

 

[BobG]

I do tend to get rusty if I don't use it though.

Yeah, that can be a problem, especially keeping track of that darned decimal place: Rocket science at its finest

I do like seeing the look on people's faces when I walk into a test cell with it. It does tend to stick out.

Especially if you lose track of the decimal place: Rocket science at its even more finest

 

[tribdog]

Wow, Santa's getting more creative.

get your mind out of the gutter. What I meant to say was what I got was laid, by a chicken. I got an Egg McMuffin.

 

[hypatia]

Does she know your pet name for her is McMuffin?

 

[tribdog]

I call her McMuffin because she has wrinkley buns, she calls me vienna sausage, but I don't get it.

 

[Cyrus]

Boy...going over it that fast, I sure hope you don't glance over things. My first DME class was kind of like that. I had to go back and really learn things I found out I should have known.

I found this to be true for every class no matter how good the teacher. I am in the process of 'learning' engineering from square 1. I am working through statics, every single problem, every single chapter, but paying more focus on theroy than problem solving. Even something simple like statics can be very very hard, if you think about it long enough.

 

[FredGarvin]

Yeah, that can be a problem, especially keeping track of that darned decimal place: Rocket science at its finest
Especially if you lose track of the decimal place: Rocket science at its even more finest

That's pretty darned funny. I always have my data system backing me up. I would not try it on the fly, on my own in a million years. Things happen too fast and too many things to look at.

 

[FredGarvin]

I found this to be true for every class no matter how good the teacher. I am in the process of 'learning' engineering from square 1. I am working through statics, every single problem, every single chapter, but paying more focus on theroy than problem solving. Even something simple like statics can be very very hard, if you think about it long enough.

That reminds me of what my senior project counsellor told my group when I got my undergrad..."Now you know enough to ask intelligent questions."

 

[DM]

Actually, being in Europe, you should be able to find a good Faber Castell, Nestler, Dietzgen, or Aristo at a local thrift store, antique store, or garage sale. These were top of the line slide rule makers. They're kind of exotic finds in the US.

Yes, I suppose I could do but I must admit I'm not an expert on this. It would take me a considerable amount of time to first of all consider it and then indeed doing it. I've never been too adventurous on finding things around here. Auctions certainly would sell them but of course the conditions of the items are bound to be somewhat detrimental.

The $200 at Slide Rule Universe is also quite expensive. Perhaps saving a bit will benefit me more than planning on buying it in auctions that are 50-50 (by being quite frankly optimistic) likely to sell them on the day. This of course also demands a lot of time to travel around the vicinities of my town and to a greater extent, around London.

Thank you for the input guys.

 

[BobG]

Yes, I suppose I could do but I must admit I'm not an expert on this. It would take me a considerable amount of time to first of all consider it and then indeed doing it. I've never been too adventurous on finding things around here.

Admittedly, it's easier if you're married and get dragged around to these stores and sales whether you like it or not.

 

[DM]

Admittedly, it's easier if you're married and get dragged around to these stores and sales whether you like it or not.

Now that you mention it, I might as well save the money until then. Why step outside and drag myself to auctions when I might be hauled (conserving energy in the process) by my future wife?

Splendid analogy

 

[Danger]

I didn't get a sliderule.

But that's okay, really, 'cause I don't know how to use one.

 

[tribdog]

me neither, I remember my dad having one. And I played around with one a couple of months ago. It was a round one though with three disks and a clear marker. All I could do was multiply and divide though and still had to write down the numbers so I could remember the decimal places.