Sliderules
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Buzz Aldrin's Slide Rule on Gemini XII
I have posted this before, but it was buried in a thread of comments.
The "space factor" is a cool part of Pickett's history. The "5 Moon Flights" motif on their packaging is good marketing. I have a Pickett box with "3 Moon Flights" on it. That must come from a narrow window of time.
I have had a pretty close look at the famous picture of Buzz Aldrin asleep on Gemini XII with a slide rule floating next to him at https://tothemoon.ser.asu.edu/gallery/Gemini/12/Hasselblad%20Super-Wide%20Camera%2070%20mm#S66-62984\_G12-S
I think that one is a 1006 rather than a 600. I have attached a comparison picture, with an N600, an N1006, and Aldrin's slide rule with its contrast turned up a bit.
It looks like we are looking at the side without the logo, and it looks like the near end of the slide has "Pickett All Metal Slide Rules", which the 600 does not have. And the slide looks like it has CF, CIF, CI, and C scales, and the bottom rail has D and L.
I'm not saying Aldrin didn't take a 600 to the moon. I just don't think that's a 600 in the Gemini XII picture. What do you think?
Image Credits: NASA and International Slide Rule Museum. I used the ISRM pictures because they are clearer than my pictures of my own 600 and 1006.
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I Updated the /m/Sliderules Magazine Panel
I have updated the /m/Sliderules Magazine Panel.
- Some links have changed, particularly with ISRM's redesign
- Walter Shawlee's unfortunate passing has changed what is available on the Sphere Research site. You can still buy #Sliderules there at the updated link!
- There is new Slide Rule content on Youtube!
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If you could only have one Slide Rule, which one would it be?
First, it sure is nice that we don't actually have to choose just one slide rule and stick with that, but if you had to choose just one, which one would it be?
I think a lot of folks would choose "the big slide rule", like a Pickett Model 4, a Faber-Castell Novo Duplex 2/83N, a Nestler Multimath, a K&E Deci-Lon, or any manufacturer's "flagship" slide rule. Because anything you're likely to need to do with a slide rule, you can do with one of these big rules.
However, what if your use case is that you're not an engineer? I like my N4-ES, but I just never have the need for hyperbolic trig scales.
What, besides the number of scales, makes a slide rule the one rule that you would select?
I am partial to pocket rules, but I also like a rule that is easy to read. These two interests can be mutually-exclusive.
I am not an engineer, so I usually use a slide rule for quick multiplication & division, or I'll use trig scales to figure the lengths of legs of a triangle when I'm building something. So I don't actually need Log-Log scales.
I like a rule that is durable enough that I'm not afraid to carry it around and actually use it.
Of the pocket rules I have, my Aristo 867U Darmstadt checks the "legibility" box the best, and has a nice set of scales, even including a couple of Log-Log scales should the need arise. I'm not sure about its durability as a rule to carry around every day. Its case isn't very robust, compared to Pickett "Saddle Leather" cases.
The next candidate is my Pickett 700. It is smaller, and has enough scales to be useful, even including folded scales! It falls short on legibility, cramming all of these scales on one side of a little Pickett pocket rule. On the other hand, it's kind of an unusual rule, being an "Aerial Photo Slide Rule", so it has the extra quality of "I just like it". And its durable leather case has a window with conversion factors displayed.
The rule I actually carry and use most often is my Pickett N200-T. Having fewer scales, it's easier to read than the 700. I also think its later-model cursor should be more durable than the 700's four-screw flat cursor. It has trig scales, CI and L scales, but no folded scales. Also, this rule has a leather case with a top flap, so the rule is very well protected.
If I could only have one, though, I think it would be the 700. It's hard to fight the "I just like it" quality.
I'm glad I don't have to pick just one.
What about you? What "one rule" would you pick?
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Why do Slide Rule Sellers do this?
Looking at slide rules on Ebay, I notice a LOT of sellers post pictures of slide rules with their slides flipped. The slides might be flipped end-for-end, or rotated 180°, so the right scales are showing, but upside down.
I see it often enough that I think it MUST be on purpose, but I haven't figured out what that purpose is.
I realize that some rules are designed to be used with the slide flipped, like Mannheim or Rietz rules with trig scales on the back of the slide.
And I realize you can flip the slide end-for-end to use the C scale as a CI scale.
But recently I saw a Pickett USAF Aerial Slide Rule for sale on Ebay, and its slide was flipped so that the C, S, T, CIF, CF scales were on the side of the rule with the ALTITUDE and GROUND SIZE scales. I can't think of a way to use that rule that way!
For the attached picture, I flipped the slide on my own Pickett Model 520, just to illustrate. I have to say, it felt SO WRONG doing that!
Anyhow, all of this is just to ask, why do they do this? Is it ignorance? Do they have NO idea what a slide rule is and how to use it? Is it on purpose? Is it a trick to get us to pay attention? Is it supposed to make potential buyers think, "Oh, no! I must RESCUE that slide rule from that heathen!"
What do you think?
