![]() ![]() The plastic is thicker than many giving it a stiffness comparable to wooden stock models. Model when I bought the Hemmi below in the early 1970s. This is a less sophisticated but typical 'advanced' rule with trig and hyperbolic scales, but my overall favourite in use for handling, practicality and feel, selling for a few pounds on eBay. A Faber 2/84 Mathema which featured advanced maths functions, sold at the time of writing for over $1200 on eBay.īritish Thornton AD 150 Advanced: Produced 1973+, simplex, 12 scales, plastic. ![]() Some rarer specialist rules can command high prices amongst collectors. As many writers have commentated, this was more than sufficient to design and build most of man's creations before the advent of electronic computers. Studies have shown that a typical 25 cm model's C&D scales can be read to three significant figures to a consistent accuracy of ca. ![]() The typical positions for the C and D scales (1-10-100 scale for x²) as shown in the Hemmi below are replaced by so-called 'folded scales' CF and DF, typically folded around pi or root 10 these are also useful for some calculations. beyond the 25 cm norm, this can aid calculations where an answer 'overflows'. This, like other rules with screwed brackets, allows retensioning of the slide to suit and realignment of upper and lower stators if required. The Faber-Castell 2/83N Novo-Duplex upper face-serious firepower on a slide rule! Rubber strips on metal brackets allow desktop use and a rubberised grip onĮnds of slides also aids use. Used versions of the 2/83N crop up regularly Of scales on the back (single sided are simplex rules). This is the only duplex model of the four shown, i.e. ' When Slides Rules Ruled' in 'Scientific American' May 2006 where it was highlighted. Its combination of size, build, sophistication of scales offered and attractive use of colour gives a slide rule that impresses! It became more widely known when Cliff Stoll published his excellent This model is regarded by some as one of the finest slide rules ever made. The last is half the weight of the first example.įaber-Castell 2/83N Novo-Duplex: Size 38 x 7 cm, 30 scales, plastic. Their relative sizes and weights can clearly vary quite widely, dependent on the model style, materials and number of scales. The standard slide rule used 25 cm (some 10 inch) long scales- the top one extends the scales. A selection of Web and other resources are offered at the end which discuss their history, manufacture, use, makers and their models.įour typical models spanning a basic to a most advanced example available in the 70s are presented below. Some of these are illustrated below and, given the wealth of authoritative material available on the makers and models, I just add some comments on why they appeal to me and point out some major features. Making examples from published templates is also fun. I wouldn't describe myself as a collector, I bought one example each of styles and of makers that particularly interested me and my 'collection' has stopped at eleven. It was only about two years ago that I renewed a latent interest in them and started to explore the many superb resources available, which prompted me to purchase a selection. ![]() I bought my first scientific calculator in 1975 (a Decimo 2001E, 'Electronic Slide Rule') and my 'analogue calculator' rapidly gathered dust. I have a fond affection for slide rules-when studying the sciences at high school and college in the early 70s onwards, they were still a common tool before their rapid demise in the mid 70s when electronic calculators became affordable for all. The Appeal of Slide Rules - For Use and as Collectables 'Micscape Lite' Article - Microscopy Enthusiasts Sharing Their Other Interests ![]()
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