Today, slide rules can be found on ebay, antique stores and estate auctions. Npr ed before the smartphone, the laptop and the pocket calculator, there was a powerful mechanical computer. It gave the foundations necessary for the online manuals available for the different rules to make sense. There are at least three different scales, and on most of them the numbers arent even spaced evenly apart. As a collector, 2014 was my slide rules year after 35 years of electronic and mechanical calculators. O fine adjustments of the slide can be made with the thumb and finger of the moving hand at the slide to body joint and twisting. For example, the book shows you how slide rule can be used to i wish he had talked a little more clearly of the theory but i have to say that already having an understanding of logarithms, this really opened my mind to the possibilities of representing them spatially and how they can be. This is a circular slide rule first created in the 1930s for aircraft pilots to help with dead reckoning. Peter alfeld, department of mathematics, college of science university of utah what can you do with a slide rule.
Slide rule two page how to there is 1 adobe pdf file in 1 zip file. In the comment section instructables member mr ross made reference to a may 2006 article in scientific american magazine titled when slide rules ruled. After explaining the parts of a slide rule, the manual divides the process of learning to use a slide rule into twelve steps, each of which are discussed with examples, solutions, and exercises in the remainder of the pamphlet. In addition are a few manuals i have written for my own jugglers and radix series slide rules. Slide rules are rarely used because of the advent of electronic calculators and computers. The author was managing director of the company that made unique slide rules but as this was a. The slide rule is actually made of three bars that are fixed together.
With the aid of scales printed on the frame it also helps with such miscellaneous tasks as converting time, distance, speed, and temperature values. A programmed sequence on the slide rule 1962, pdf mb. The 100th year of slide rule production passed in 1972, but sadly, only a few years later, 1978 marked the end of slide rule production, and the liquidation of that portion of the company. Also, the creator of the universal slide rule league a lunchtime 5 minute competition of 10 problems for the slide rule. There are already a couple of tutorials posted at instructables on using a slide. Henry suttons slide rule top was an early circular rule circa 1663. Well, i stumbled on this forum googling some slide rule info, and id like to say thanks for both the link to the slide rule book pdf and to fabercastells online shop. Originally published in german in 1977 as the first major book on the history of the slide rule since florian cajoris 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. Division on a slide rule involves the exact steps used in multiplication on the c and d scales, but in reverse order.
It is a simple manual, but very adequate and covers the scales on both the virtual slide rule linked above and the pdf slide rule i built. The slide rule the book, written by florian cajori, is the standard work on the early history of. I had had the itch for a 283n and failed to pull the trigger a few years ago, but today the euro has fallen enough that i. Some donors have provided these booklets and other paper items, such as advertising flyers, directions for cleaning slide rules, warranty certificates, and. Api flange slide rule 1 16 2 116 2 12 2 916 3 18 3 16 3 116 4 116 5 18 6 7 116 9 11 58 16 34 18 34 20 34 21 14 29 12 30 10m 15m 20m quick links. On the reverse side of the slide, the s, l, and t scales appear, and the slide.
Students are now going to make log slide rules and use these to explore the properties of logs. The sliding center bar is sandwiched by the outer bars which are fixed with respect to each other. There are many pages about slide rules on the web, and you can still buy brand new slide rules 40 years old but never used, and still in their factory supplied box in various places. You dont have to track down vintage slide rules to play along. Please remember to disconnect all electrical before servicing any equipment and follow all safety guidelines. I taught evening classes in solid state circuit design at our local community college from 1967 to 2000, and during the pre calculator days, around 1974, i assumed my students had a firm grasp on slide rule operation. Amplified card rules the following is in further explanation of the rules printed on the cards, which entirely govern the play of the game. Pickett trig slide rule instruction manual national museum. Move the slider so 2 on the c scale is under the hairline. The link below will take you to dereks virtual slide rule site. Twelfth grade lesson discovering log rules because logs. All slide rules consist of logarithmic scales that can be moved in relation to each other in order to do basic mathematical calculations. If you download the instructions, two of the basic slide rules are also attached. Slide rule proportion, percentage, squares and square roots.
Swimwear with zippers, buckles, rivets, or other metal ornaments are not permitted for use riders should remove watches and jewelry. The slide rule, a practical manual, 18th edition 1927 by c. Slide rules are used for quick calculations, not for purposes that require extreme precision. There is also a version as a word document which is smaller 2040 kb. Slide rule image aluminum wide geeky cuff bracelet. It is unfortunate that, for some reasons not easy to see, the slide rule is sometimes regarded as a difficult instrument with which to become proficient. Unfortunately, i dont have a copy of the revised edition, but even this early work has a lot going for it. My high school chemistry teacher 1976 who would only let us use slide rules and our brains during the first semester.
To do a calculation with a slide rule you reduce all numbers to scientific notation with 24 digits then use the slide rule to perform the basic operations. Slide rule was invented by english minister william oughtred in 1622. Also, unlike electronic calculators, the slide rule helps the user develop a feel for numbers. The log log trig slide rule 1936 this instruction manual is for the 409. A standard singleface rule with scales to solve problems in multiplication, division, squares, square roots, reciprocals, trigonometry and logarithms. Top eight rules for creating a powerpoint presentation 1. For the experienced reader we recommend the dualistic slide rule as being the best available for general purposes. Slide rule, a device consisting of graduated scales capable of relative movement, by means of which simple calculations may be carried out mechanically. Cheapskatesincluding this authorcarried plastic ones. There was a time when electronic calculators did not yet exist.
A cursor is fixed in the center of the window to allow for accurate readings. Spheres slide rule marketplace buy slide rules online. Pdf the proper way to use a slide rule researchgate. The a, d, and k scales are on the body, the b, and c scales on the slide. The slide rule, also known colloquially in the united states as a slipstick, is a mechanical analog computer. Typical slide rules contain scales for multiplying, dividing, and extracting square roots, and some also contain scales for calculating. It contains four different types of slide rules and a tutorial for each. The metal window is inserted over the slide rule to act as a place holder. That was done by the user typically by estimation, common sense or by computing the characteristic. Remember that you are the presenter, not powerpoint.
The slide rule the book, written by florian cajori, is the standard work on the early history of the slide rule. The sterling slide rule has standard a, b, c, c, d, and k scales. Many pilots watches made make use of a circular slide rule on the bezel of the watch. I typed and scanned this in from one of the manuals that came with my n4es slide rule.
The player who first moves his 4 men from his start to his home, according to the rules, wins the game. These were used by pilots to do simple arithmetic, conversions and other calculations in an era before gps and calculators. Ci1st number to multiply, goes over top d2nd number to multiply. An easy introduction to the slide rule by isaac asimov.
Scientific american may 2006 university of vermont. A player drawing a 3, 5, 8, or 12 card moves forward the corresponding number of. The logarithmic slide rule is a compact device for rapidly performing calculations with limited accuracy. By the late 17th century, the slide rule was a common instrument with many variations. The slide rule universe all kinds of reference information. Nostalgic original keuffel and esser slide rules with their advanced trigonometric and logarithmic scales invoke fond memories in accountants, engineers, scientists, and business consultants. Additionally, the slide rule does not tell you where the decimal point is located in the answer. Sphere s slide rule site provides information about slide rules. Pickett trig slide rule instruction manual national. Project gutenbergs instruction for using a slide rule, by w.
Instructions for using a slide rule project gutenberg. The slide rule could hardly compete with this, although some of the mentioned features can be fou nd in slide rules. These video tutorials are designed to only be used by properly trained and certified technicians. Pdf the most recent ebook is a hard science fiction spell binding yarn about a couple that decide to disobey the forbidden nature of entering. As graphical analog calculators, slide rules are closely related to nomograms, but the former are used for general calculations, whereas the latter are used for applicationspecific computations. A book from the same era as my recently acquired slide rule was the best introduction i could have asked for. In a separate calculation you find the order of magnitude by combining the powers of 10. Old pilots watches feature these slide rules, and any newer pilotstyle watches also have this. Speaking about nib slide rules and wondering if it wasnt already told somewhere else on the forum. Buying and selling slide rules to make your life easier, and help you find exactly what you want, we have broken the online slide rule catalogs into smaller sections. To someone who doesnt know how to use it, a slide rule looks like a ruler designed by picasso. Assembly instructions hairline cursor slider title. It remained the tool of choice for many for the next three hundred years. Located on the slide, most calculations are done in conjunction with the fundamental cd scales.
Here derek has put together a number of working slide rules that can be used for calculations and demonstrations on the computer. Highly recommended for archeotech or retrocomputing people. We strongly believe every hvac technician should own a supercool slide rule. Expecting mothers, people with heart conditions or back trouble should not use the slides. Shows how to use the slide rule to calculate squares, square roots, proportions and percentages. An easy introduction to the slide rule asimov, isaac.
This one, inspired by the yokota slide rule s scale arrangement, doesnt even require putting scales on the back slide of the slider, thus, construction is basically the same as the postscript slide rule initially offered here as constructed by brian ronald. Thompsons original 1930 slide rule book was also updated in a second 1952 edition the standard manual of the slide rule that many collectors feel is the standard slide rule reference text. Slide rule instruction manuals here are a few instruction manuals for aw faber faber castell slide rules that i have acquired, most came with slide rules as indicated. The simplest slide rule would have two log scales that you could use to do multiplication and division see my slide rule introduction page for more info. Sphere researchs slide rule universe, build your own. The company continued after that as a cad company under the name aristo graphic systeme. Students first need to complete questions on the student worksheet logarithmsdemystified. Oct 01, 2000 originally published in german in 1977 as the first major book on the history of the slide rule since florian cajoris 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. The cursor appeared on the earliest circular models but appeared much later on straight versions. The accuracy of the calculations made with a slide rule depends on the accuracy with which the user can read the numbers off the scale. Sharp and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The slide rule, a practical manual, 19th edition 1930 by c. The slide rule and logarithmic tables by j j clark published by frederick j. They will use their findings here and the slide rules template to make the slide rules.
From the finest to the humblest, however, all slide rules were based on logarithms see box on page 85. Slide rules come in many different styles, including sliding bars and rotating cylinders and circles. However, they are a valuable educational tool because of the mathematics behind its design. The slide rule, a practical manual, 22nd edition 1941 by c. To multiply two numbers on a typical slide rule, the user set the left index start of the scale on the c scale to line up with one, slide rules and logarithm tables slide rule or ii print out papersliderule.
The slide rule, a practical manual, 23rd edition 1942 by c. One slide rule remaining in daily use around the world is the e6b. Back in 2008 instructables member legionlabs published how to use a slide rule. Spheres new in box nib pickett slide rule page buy. Mannheim slide rule 1850 faber castell 283n nestler 23r mannheim issac newton put 3 scales in parallel in 1675 to compute. Each just needs to be cutout and placed onto a cd case. Jeff weiner brought to my attention that actually there are some slide rules that can add and subtract, specifically the pickett microline 115 and the pickett 901 rules. Basic slide rule operation for scientists and engineers 10. These rules have extensive directions on the reverse of the rule. Circular slide rules and cylindricalspiral slide rules also appeared quickly. More divisions allow for more decimal places which means increased accuracy. This instruction manual is for the 4092 and 4092 12. Slide rule instructor containing new and important rules upon the present practice of engineering etc for the improved slide rule by j.
Water slides rules read and obey all posted signs and obey instructions given by water park staff. Look at the graphic used earlier for 2 x 2 in step 5. It is quicker in action, more accurate in its results and the irritating necessity of traversing the slide when using the more usual type of slide rule is eliminated. Most students learned slide rule use on the linear slide rules, and did not find reason to switch. This did not stop us from doing complicated things, like going to the moon, figuring out the double helix, or designing the boeing 747.
Oughtred society slide rule reference manual the oughtred. O if your slide is too loose, on most high quality slide rules it can be adjusted, but in the meantime, let the thumb and fingers of your holding hand add a little friction. Scales to make a circular slide rule using a cd case by ying hum va3yh canada there are 2 circular slide rule options shown. Constructing and understanding new and old scales on slide rules. Right now i am talking with a friend who studied electronics just a couple of years after electronic calculators unceremoniously drove slide rules from the engineering scene. Notes on frederick post slide rules, in the journal of the oughtred. This manual is missing page 30, however this section of the manual is identical with the how to use log log slide rules and the missing page from that manual is here. Once that article was available online in pdf, but has since been removed. Bissaker slide rule 1654 circular slide rule king pocket calculator 66 sclales thacher calculator 30 ft. If you use a different pdf reader, your procedures should be quite similar. Use your slides to emphasize a point, keep yourself on track, and illustrate a point with a graphic or photo. Slide rules can get very fancy, but the basic type has a body, one slide the thing. Stanley this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions. The main idea of any old or new slide rule is 4 that we write each.
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