JB

"Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH"

31/12/2008 5:06 PM

Wooden Addiator plans?


Surely somebody remembers these pocket mechanical add/subtract calculators.
I was thinking of trying to make a large one from wood as a math teaching
aid. Has anybody here done it? The mechanism is pretty simple, and it
looks like it would be easy to build, but we all know how the easiest
looking projects can turn into a mess when it comes to actual execution.


This topic has 7 replies

KM

"Kerry Montgomery"

in reply to "Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH" on 31/12/2008 5:06 PM

01/01/2009 11:36 AM


"John Grossbohlin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Han" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> "Martin H. Eastburn" <[email protected]> wrote in
>> news:ZjW6l.88147
>> [email protected]:
>>
>>> Talking about abacus ? I bet the third from the bottom on this page :
>>> http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/mechanical_calculators.html
>>>
>>> Kingson Four-Rule
>>>
>>> Martin
>>>
>> My Dad had one like that, but it got lost :(
>
> I had one like that when I was a kid. I think it was the Exactus model
> shown on the web site... the instruction manual looks familiar to me! I
> still have a circular slide rule with the case and instructions... I got
> the slide rule just as the TI pocket calculators were starting to drop
> from the $400-500 range to about $100 in the early to mid-70s. I figured
> the slide rule would be a neat relic. Wish I'd realized that about the
> Additor type calculator. ;~)
>
> http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/exactus.html
>
> I can recall how carefully you had to stick the stylus in the little
> notches and move them... To get accurate results you really had to pay
> attention and have a feel for the tool, much like using my hand tools vs.
> running things over my jointer or through my planer. ;~)
>
> John
>
>
John,
Lots of them still available on eBay - enter
mechanical calculator
in the search box, and the bottom of the page will show several Addiator
type devices in the eBay stores section, as well as a couple in the auction
section.
Kerry

JG

"John Grossbohlin"

in reply to "Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH" on 31/12/2008 5:06 PM

01/01/2009 1:33 PM


"Han" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Martin H. Eastburn" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:ZjW6l.88147
> [email protected]:
>
>> Talking about abacus ? I bet the third from the bottom on this page :
>> http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/mechanical_calculators.html
>>
>> Kingson Four-Rule
>>
>> Martin
>>
> My Dad had one like that, but it got lost :(

I had one like that when I was a kid. I think it was the Exactus model shown
on the web site... the instruction manual looks familiar to me! I still have
a circular slide rule with the case and instructions... I got the slide rule
just as the TI pocket calculators were starting to drop from the $400-500
range to about $100 in the early to mid-70s. I figured the slide rule would
be a neat relic. Wish I'd realized that about the Additor type calculator.
;~)

http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/exactus.html

I can recall how carefully you had to stick the stylus in the little notches
and move them... To get accurate results you really had to pay attention and
have a feel for the tool, much like using my hand tools vs. running things
over my jointer or through my planer. ;~)

John

Hn

Han

in reply to "Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH" on 31/12/2008 5:06 PM

01/01/2009 12:17 PM

"Martin H. Eastburn" <[email protected]> wrote in news:ZjW6l.88147
[email protected]:

> Talking about abacus ? I bet the third from the bottom on this page :
> http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/mechanical_calculators.html
>
> Kingson Four-Rule
>
> Martin
>
My Dad had one like that, but it got lost :(

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

JB

"Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH"

in reply to "Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH" on 31/12/2008 5:06 PM

02/01/2009 12:13 AM

"John Grossbohlin" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I figured the slide rule would be a neat relic. Wish I'd realized that
> about the Additor type calculator.

I inherited granddad's log-log duplex Pickett slide rule. It was good for
some funny looks when I used it on a radio exam. I still use it from time
to time when I'm stuck without a scientific calculator.

MH

"Martin H. Eastburn"

in reply to "Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH" on 31/12/2008 5:06 PM

31/12/2008 8:59 PM

Talking about abacus ? I bet the third from the bottom on this page :
http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/mechanical_calculators.html

Kingson Four-Rule

Martin

Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH wrote:
> Surely somebody remembers these pocket mechanical add/subtract calculators.
> I was thinking of trying to make a large one from wood as a math teaching
> aid. Has anybody here done it? The mechanism is pretty simple, and it
> looks like it would be easy to build, but we all know how the easiest
> looking projects can turn into a mess when it comes to actual execution.
>

DG

"David G. Nagel"

in reply to "Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH" on 31/12/2008 5:06 PM

31/12/2008 12:10 PM

Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH wrote:
> Surely somebody remembers these pocket mechanical add/subtract calculators.
> I was thinking of trying to make a large one from wood as a math teaching
> aid. Has anybody here done it? The mechanism is pretty simple, and it
> looks like it would be easy to build, but we all know how the easiest
> looking projects can turn into a mess when it comes to actual execution.
>
Joe;

I can't give you any help on designing and building one but I seem to
recall seeing one years ago. This looks like an exciting project though.
If you do make one please publish your project on a website somewhere
and let us know how it goes.

Dave WD9BDZ

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH" on 31/12/2008 5:06 PM

31/12/2008 12:36 PM


"Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Surely somebody remembers these pocket mechanical add/subtract
> calculators.
> I was thinking of trying to make a large one from wood as a math teaching
> aid. Has anybody here done it? The mechanism is pretty simple, and it
> looks like it would be easy to build, but we all know how the easiest
> looking projects can turn into a mess when it comes to actual execution.
>

Sorry no plans but I do have an Addometer with its original leatherette
case. Mine is about 12" long and probably would not fit your pocket very
well.


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