Unique log log slide rule ?

[Chataigner]

Good Lord, that takes me back!

I went right through university with a slide rule as the only means of calculation apart from paper and pencil. I still have mine somewhere. Not sure if could use it straight off, habits change!

As others have said, fast, convenient, but not very accurate. 3 sig figs was already asking a lot.

 

[Frank House]

****,

When I read an MSc in Statistics at Aberdeen in 1964-5, Prof. David Finney used to use his cylindrical slide rule from time to time in tutorials.

Did we study in the same department a few years apart?

Regards,
Frank House

 

[Harbo]

Here's another nostalgic trip that has "moved on" from those days:

In Land Surveying, an important element is establishing a base reference line of vey accurate known length. The first OS one, set out in the 1790's near Heathrow Airport, was measured using calibrated glass rods. From that, using early theodolites, accurate angles could be taken and distances calculated. The start of the eventual "Triangulation" of Britain.

In the early 60's it was measured using calibrated Invar steel tapes, tripods, plumb lines, spring balances, hydrometers, barometers, surveying level and 12 figure log tables - it used to take an age and many, many hours of calculations.
Then came the Swedish Geodimeter - a bit of a Heath Robinson affair powered by two 12 volt car batteries which sent out light pulses to a reflector and measured the time taken to bounce back. It still needed a bit of additional correctional calculations but only took a few minutes by comparison.
As part of our surveying Field Course we set out a line in Whitby by both methods and they agreed by 1/4" ( I cannot remember the base length now but probably 1/4mile? - the tapes were 100ft long and 1/8" wide).

Now there's GPS, Total Station Instruments, Lasers scanning etc etc!

Rod

 

[Benchwayze]

Now there's GPS, Total Station Instruments, Lasers scanning etc etc!

Rod

And they still send articulated lorries through tiny Welsh villages and over bridges that just about take the width of one wheel!

John :lol:

 

[rxh]

I have got a user manual for the Unique slide rule. I could post a copy but I suppose there might be a problem with copyright (Moderator please advise). It is marked price one shilling so it must be at least 40 years old. I have got several slide rules but I haven't used them much since I obtained my first electronic calculator in the mid 1970's. You could make an impressive performance of using one and coming up with an answer but the big problem is keeping track of where the decimal point goes. They were commonly referred to as "engineers' guessing sticks".

 

[xy mosian]

They were commonly referred to as "engineers' guessing sticks".

That's right and I seem to remember calculators being "Mechanical guessing sticks".

xy

 

[bugbear]

I have got a user manual for the Unique slide rule. I could post a copy but I suppose there might be a problem with copyright (Moderator please advise).

Doesn't seem to worry this guy:

http://sliderule.ozmanor.com/man/man-download.html

BugBear