This is 1000% right. :cool:

Glad that this info (Audels) is still relevant. . .

Funny how "operator" and "she" are synonymous

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603217167.JPG

Interesting glimpse into a world before my time.

My Mother was a telephone operator for Mich Bell for years.
She described her job to me once...it sounded as above

Dad worked for Bell Labs way back in the day. Any time a telephone repair guy had to come out to fix something, he'd get to talking with them. They soon realized he probably knew more about how things worked than they did since he'd worked on designing the system.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603221912.jpg

Four geeky objects in this photo. My 1990 (?) Monroe Bond Calculator, my kit-built RPN calculator watch, the HP Museum USB stick, and a fountain pen.

RPN watch? That's AWESOME!

I want a slide rule watch.

uWatch - A DIY Programmable Scientific Calculator Watch

Sadly, the page is just a reminder of what was. The inventor has moved on to other things and the kits haven't been available for many years.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603237292.jpg

I keep meaning to design a case and have a Pelican 3D print it for me. If the edges are covered, the watch would be more practical.

People should try a nice fountain pen...even these are very good.

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Disposable-Fountain-Original-Description%EF%BC%89/dp/B00OPQG0Z4/ref=sr_1_12?crid=X8H0SZ54MTL7&dchild=1&keywords=pi lot+fountain+pen+disposable&qid=1603283798&sprefix =pilot+foutnain+pen%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-12

From reddit today...

For some reason I can't load the picture... :( :confused: Pelican says it's too big.

https://www.reddit.com/r/toolporn/comments/jf7bml/rapid_trigonometrical_indicator_from_before_there/

I think I only write a few words by hand and pen/pencil a month. And chances are most of the time it's my signature that has devolved into a squiggle over the years. I've always hated handwriting and had horrible penmanship. There has never been any pleasure for me in writing. I do like a nice pen, but it just doesn't make any sense for me to spend any money on one.

Then there is always this book...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603296311.JPG

I still use my 35 Y.O. Mont Blanc fountain pen. Only occasionally now.

Monroe calculator is in a drawer.

I don't write much, and it is almost funny how bad my penmanship is now.

I do keep a piece of scrap 8.5 x 11 paper on my desk and a pen to notes to myself.

Mostly things I need to do, but don't want to stop whatever I am doing to do that task now. By the time the page is full of notes is is sometimes comical to see the variety of tasks I accomplished. Once the page is full, I shred it and it gets composted along with the grass clipping and leaves from the yard.

This is my high school pocket sized slide rule. No I didn't carry it on my belt, it went into my pocket protector!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603298942.jpg

I used to keep a notepad around the office for taking notes, but in the last few/several years, I converted to digital notes. It's faster and easier to launch an app and type a note than it is to find the pad, then writing instrument and write a note.

@masraum, I'll need to find my dads things but I'll post pictures when I do. I haven't seen them in a while so I'm hoping they weren't lost in a move.

I write with my left hand so using a fountain pen has never been an option for me. It's difficult finding a pen that won't smear as it is.

Grady, I hope you find them both for yourself and for me. The slide rule that I have is one that my dad found back in a closet when he was an instructor in the Navy at Corry Station in the 80s. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to tell me anything or bring anything home about 99% of what he did. From what I understand from a coworker that did the same job in the Marines, some of the equipment that he used is in the National Cryptologic Museum in Maryland.

I love all of this old stuff that allowed people to do jobs that we assume require computers these days.

Sorry - been trapped at work. Am happy to see this thread take off.

I was at a non-descript museum in Maryland last December...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603340979.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603340979.jpg

I think this fits this thread...

Back to the math stuff:

I finished my engineering degree with a math minor; I only needed something like 6 more credits to have a double degree in ME and mathematics but was sick of school (and out of money).

I think technically that the majority of trig is planar or constrained to a planar slice of 3D space (unless you're getting into spherical geometry or other non-Euclidian stuff). Algebra plays well in 3 (or more dimensions). I remember calculating some FEA problems by hand where the matrices were ~50 x 50 (which I guess is nothing compared to "real" FEA problems calc'd by software where the matrices are 1000's of elements wide...).

Hardware:

A Keufell & Esser slide rule (plastic) and a laminated aluminum Picket with the extra scales - both with belt holsters of course.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603341484.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603341484.jpg

Another Picket with its book and box (no idea where this came from):

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603341484.jpg

Another K&E - laminated wood (looks to be walnut which was unusual):

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603341888.jpg

Guess the photo didn't come out that well.

Hodge-podge of "old" stuff. Bonus points if anybody else has the same mouse pad (and an old SGI 550 workstation in the garage to go with it).

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603342038.jpg

Not quite sure where the drafting instruments came from; it's older stuff and one of the dividers is engraved as 1940. The dead reckoning calculator was used by my wife's grandfather (who wasn't a pilot but was an engineer involved with aerospace in the 50's). This set of drafting instruments was given to me by one of my college profs as a graduation present; not quite sure on the date.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1603342038.jpg

I have actually used this set many times. The ruling pens work almost as well as my old Rotring tech pens - just don't move your hand too quickly.

Was looking in my chest of drafting equipment for the old fountain pens and Rapidograph mechanical pencils - can't find them. Not sure where my lead holders are either.

(And the secret to keeping the lead in your lead holder sharp is to rotate the lead holder while pulling a line...)

Audell's is a great book to go through. My copy is very old, pages yellowed, and it's falling apart - I'm almost afraid to open it.

And I guess I'll just put these links here (just in case you've read everything at the Museum of HP Calculators website):

https://sliderulemuseum.com/SRM_Home.htm

https://www.sphere.bc.ca/test/ke-sliderule.html

https://www.sphere.bc.ca/test/pickett.html

One piece of calculation hardware that has always fascinated me is the mechanical integrator. I've seen one once in person - fascinating mechanism:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mechanical_integrator_CHM.agr.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1606162596.jpg

I'm pretty excited - bought a HP92 on the 'Bay and excitedly awaiting its arrival.

The HP92 was Hewlett-Packard's desktop "financial/investor" printing calculator. https://www.hpmuseum.org/hp92.htm It is much rarer than the HP97 desktop "scientific" printing calculator, which I have sitting on my desk. I have been looking for a HP92 for many years, but they all seem to be $600+. I finally found one for a reasonable price and grabbed it. It has a problem in the paper feed mechanism, but I took the gamble that I can fix that.

Why do I care if it is a HP92 or a HP97? Why do I want either on my desk? Well, sometimes you need to do some quick calculations and don't want to fire up Excel, I have a hard time using an algebraic calculator, and I really have little need for scientific functions but do occasionally have need for TVM and IRR functions. I think the HP92 does bond math too but I doubt I'll use it for that.

Very cool, congrats on the find/purchase!

My Dad used to guard this during the Korean War. He was 3/4th the way through college (Aeronautical Engineering) when he was drafted. His choice: OCS or Technician at the Supersonic Wind tunnel at Aberdeen Proving grounds, MD.

So, yep, he regularly pulled guard duty on the ENIAC.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1606163888.png

I believe Boolean logic was the programming basis????

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1606888597.jpg

Here’s the HP92 elbowing aside the HP97. It needs the printer rollers repaired but that seems doable. HP97 is going on the shelf.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1606888947.jpg

But is the fountain pen a Pelikan?

I grew up in the TI-82 era so no slide rule for me, but still have an old CRC kicking around:

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/am8AA...L7/s-l1600.jpg

I haven't been able to locate my dad's stuff from his time in the Navy but I'm still looking. Just need to dig a bit deeper.

I'm a Francophile, so its a Waterman :-)

Out of the blue, my brother offered me my father's slide rule yesterday. He's doing some housecleaning. I will post a picture when I get it. He graduated from engineering 71 years ago...:eek:

and differential equations? i got a B in that class, and i still never understood it. i just followed the steps.

Very cool!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1606931458.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1606931458.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1606931458.jpg

Wow I haven't thumbed through a CRC in years. I still have my Lange's handbook but I loaned my Merck index to a friend and never saw it again.

Really early stuff...
 

hahahaha.