Slipstick spirit lives on!
Are you an engineer? Okay, cool, so you have a slide rule, right? Wait, what? No slide rule? How can you call yourself an engineer then? A scientist? I mean, don't you LOVE logarithms? And trigonometric functions? And order of magnitude has always been easy to keep track of in your head, right? No slipstick?!
Alright, I'll help you out here. This lens will give you another notch on your geek belt. Yeah... I see you smiling now!
A Brief History of the Slide Rule
Excerpt from Wikipedia
Before the advent of the pocket calculator, it was the most commonly used calculation tool in science and engineering. The use of slide rules continued to grow through the 1950s and 1960s even as digital computing devices were being gradually introduced; but around 1974 the electronic scientific calculator made it largely obsolete and most suppliers exited the business.
Read the rest of the article.
Slide Rule History
Slide Rules: A Journey Through Three Centuries
Originally published in German in 1977 as the first major book on the history of the slide rule since Florian Cajori's A History of the Logarithmic Slide Rule, this newly revised and translated edition of Slide Rules, A Journey Through Three Centuries, offers readers a fresh, more Continental perspective on this most fascinating of calculating instruments.
Amazon Price: $23.50 (as of 08/21/2008)
Learn to Use the Slide Rule
- How and Why a Slide Rule Works
- Great page with clear illustrations. If you serious about understanding how it works, this is the best place to do it.
- Instructions in Slide Rule Use
- A set of links that point you to simple, no nonsense guides on using the slide rule. Describes basic mathematical principles and gives descriptions of all the scales that can be found on a slide rule.
- JavaSlide Interactive Slide Rule
- If you don't have a slide rule, you can use this one on the web. Drag the slider and place your cursor over the hairline to read the answer.
- UniVirtual Slide Rule Emulator
- This slide rule emulator is prettier and acts more like a real slide rule since you must zoom in to see the marks more clearly. Exact values appear if you hover your cursor and you can also add/subtract scales to the rule.
- Build Your Own Slide Rule
- Has pdf files that you can print to make your own slide rules. You can print them on transparencies if you want to use them as overheads, too.
Slide Rules Explained in Video
Build Yourself a Slide Rule
Nate the Mathematics Guy: Episode 3: Build Yourself a Slide Rule. Nate the Mathematics Guy explains what a slide rule is and how you can build one of your very own! To build the slide rule you will need to download and print the following image (at 300 dpi): http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7657/sliderulenn3.gif
Runtime: 9:57
3956 views
10 Comments:
Using the Slide Rule
Slide Rule, How to Use It (Everyday Handbooks Series)
simple, practical guide with complete instructions.
Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)
Linear Slide Rules
Okay, you're ready to get your own slide rule now. Take a peek. Get your own pocket-sized slipstick to truly become old-school engineer! Ditch your calculator. They use electricity.
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What is 2 x 2?
The engineer whips out his slide rule, shuffles it back and forth, and finally announces "3.99".
Circular Slide Rules
If you're always doing calculations that make you run out of room, you need a wrap-around circular slide rule. Oftentimes, you'll get increased accuracy on the outer scales, too. They come with one or two movable arms.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byGIANT Slide Rules
Do you believe bigger is better? Check out some of these large demonstration slide rules. Great for classrooms and living rooms. Or bedrooms, too.
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Photos here under the terms of their Creative Commons license.
Benchmade 551 i Nest...
Circular slide rule
Slide Rule And Case
Slide Rule
Slide rules etc.
Blue lit Pi
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Materials
Cut fine details
Outline Cut
Slide Rule Watches
You think engineers are the only ones who used slide rules? Well, you know what, pilots use slide rules, too. And they are so cool that they still use them today! It's a fast way to calculate speed, distance, fuel use, etc. The E6B style watches go great with aviator glasses.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand bySlide Rules Made Simple
The Slide Rule, Simplified, Explained, and Illustrated for the Mechanical Trades
This book, first published in 1881, was written about the use of the first standard slide rule made in the United States: a Mannheim-type slide rule made by Stephens Co., a major rule manufacturer. As a source book, it should be of great interest and value to tool collectors, slide rule enthusiasts, and woodworkers.
Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 08/21/2008)
Slide Rule Collecting Links
- Oughtred Society
- The world's best known international slide rule society. "Dedicated to the preservation and history of slide rules and other calculating instruments."
- Ron Manley's Slide Rule Site
- This site is a must-see for all collectors. One of the only slide rule pages on the web to be updated regularly. Furthermore, he analyzes the prices of slide rules sold on eBay.
- Eric's Slide Rule Site
- Photos and information about one man's slide rule collection. He also gives tips on how to restore old slide rules.
- The Slide Rule Universe
- Doesn't the name just say it all? Huge, extensive slide rule site. You can even buy them here.
Slide Rule Fanclub President?
Have you got your slide rule yet?
Did I convince you to get one? Or are you an avid collector already? Please leave a comment. Especially if you have a slide rule joke. Thanks!
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ElizabethJeanAllen
Mention a slide rule to the younger generation and they give you a blank look. I have one in my classroom. I call it my manual calculator. The kids love it...as long as they don't have to actually use it. Posted August 15, 2008 |
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mulberry
I still have a slide rule although I dont' really recall using it; we had large, clunky, and somewhat expensive calculators. My husband is an engineer and he likes doing everything the hard way so he can appreciate this page! Posted August 14, 2008 |
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The_Homeopath
Oh dear. I am old. Posted August 13, 2008 |
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Roxy_Calamari
Great lens! I had no idea that slide rules were collectibles. 5 stars! Posted August 13, 2008 |
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poddys
I remember using them at school. Never did like it much. Thankfully we now have calculators. I also remember using compometers too. Posted July 07, 2008 |
