Astronauts, Purdue alumni add their contributions to new slide-rule exhibit

Purdue News Service ^ | 30 August 2004 | Emil Venere

[Theo]

Everyone in my high school physics class used a calculator on the final exam, except for me. Even though I had a nice TI calculator, I chose to use a sliderule. I earned the highest grade on the final.

True story. :-)

(Graduated from high school in 1984, FWIW....)

[Eepsy]

I have a serious soft spot for all the stories from the golden age of SF where the day is saved by an enterprising Boy Scout and his trusty slide rule. Especially the vintage Heinlein stuff. Always meant to get myself one of those slipsticks :D

[PatrickHenry]

If you remember the make and model of the thing, you can find one on eBay, and for little money.

On any day, eBay has about 500 slide rules for sale. Many are junk, but all brands and models eventually show up, and in every state of preservation. If you're patient, you can find what you want in virtually new condition. There's an entire category devoted to them, under "collectables." The subcategories you have to drill through are:
Collectibles > Science, Medical > Engineering > Slide Rules

[ravinson]

"Taking a course to learn how to use a slide rule was mandatory at one time," he said. "And from then on you used it for the rest of your academic career."

I recall my father teaching me how to use a slid rule when I was about 12. It certainly beat the hell out of the abacus.

[RadioAstronomer]

I am holding my K&E Log Log Duplex Decitrig. :-)

[Ichneumon]

Seldom has an ubiquitous invention become so completely obsolete, so rapidly, as did the slide rule upon the advent of electronic calculators.

It seemed that one year, every "techie" had a slide rule, and then only 2-3 years later, they had virtually vanished and all manufacture of them ceased.

[PatrickHenry]

By way of curiosity, would anyone know when the last sliderule was manufactured?

By the early 1970s it was all over. It's difficult to find one from 1973, and 1974 is just about zilch. Some outfit still makes plastic circulars, I think.

[Ichneumon]

Slide rules were for wimps, they made it too easy. Real geeks calculated on these:

.

...and programmed on these:

(and yes, I'm enough of an old fart to have owned and used both)

[Tallguy]

Another 'problem' introduced by electronic calculators was the issue of 'significant digits'. I got beat-up a lot by physics professors from the slide-rule era for carrying too many digits through to the final answer.

[MineralMan]

"On any day, eBay has about 500 slide rules for sale. Many are junk, but all brands and models eventually show up, and in every state of preservation."

Yup. I looked today, and the best thing I saw was a pair of Pickett yellow aluminum ones, brand new in the original package. One was a 6" log-log, and the other was a large one with additional scales. Reminds me of the pair I had, and could, in fact, be the same pair. Complete with leather holsters.

I couldn't believe how cheap the rules are on eBay. I know there are slide rule collectors, but I'm sure they're all looking for the rare ones or the unusual ones. The common ones we all used in engineering school go for cheap.

I'm tempted.

[petro45acp]

"I have a serious soft spot for all the stories from the golden age of SF where the day is saved by an enterprising Boy Scout and his trusty slide rule. Especially the vintage Heinlein stuff. Always meant to get myself one of those slipsticks :D"

BIG Heinlein bump!

And, I remember clearly, "THE FIVE CHINESE BROTHERS," a carton of tepid milk, then naptime........mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[MineralMan]

Well, I mispoke a little. That pair of Picketts was going for $159, so I guess a brand new pair still costs plenty. It would be a great set, though, for someone who really wanted to learn to use rules.

[petro45acp]

"Slide rules were for wimps, they made it too easy. Real geeks calculated on these:"

WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO owned and used both of these too! Fantastic! MANY thanks for the reminders!!!!

[Professional Engineer]

BUMP!

[RightWhale]

Best slide rule I had was a circular one 4" in diameter. Even faster than the slipstick and the outer scales were just as accurate. Really convenient to carry around in a shirt pocket.

[Eepsy]

The quintessential moment for me is the story where the boy fasts all day so he can lose enough weight to smuggle his scouting uniform on to a ship. When the ship gets a hole in mid-planetary-flight, he plugs it up with the uniform and saves everyone from explosive decompression LOL!

[Shryke]

"Our gigantic 7-foot-long slide rules really catch your eye, and then as you get up close the display kind of pulls you in with the story that it tells," Alleman said

Uber nerds with Small Ding Dong Complex? Who knew??

[ErnBatavia]

You know, you used to be real cool when you had strapped on your leather slide rule carrier to your belt...

[PatrickHenry]

Things are slowing down. I was wondering if this thread would make it to 50 posts. Probably not. But I just had to post it.

[RadioAstronomer]

I also still have my Picket Model N4-ES. :-)