26 Sep
2012
26 Sep
'12
1:03 p.m.
On 2012-09-26, at 2:30 PM, ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) wrote:
Sitting o n shelf here I have a cylindrical object about the size of
small truncheon. I often ask visitors what it is usef for, I say it's not
a weapon of any kind. So far nobody has figured it out.
It is, of course, an Otis King helical slide rule.
I have an Otis King in my collection. It's one of my favourites. Very accurate, and
IMO quite lovely. I love pointing out that if you straightened out the scales, they would
be as tall as I am.
I gravitate toward slide rules that have interesting scales or embody unusual ideas. I
have a British Thornton side rule with what they call "differential trig" scales
- they're supposed to make accurate setting of trig stuff easier. I have an Aristo
969, which is nearly three inches wide. It's one of the largest slide rules made,
barring ones intended for teaching. I have a Pickett N4-ES, with 34 scales. As far as
I'm aware, it had the largest number of scales ever on a production slide rule.
There's a fairly plain Jane Hemmi that says "Made in occupied Japan", and a
pre-war Hemmi that has the word "Japan" scratched out with black pen. I could go
on for quite a while about my collection:) If you see me around, it's guaranteed I
have at least one slide rule on my person.