A blast from the past....non bee.

[beemandan]

I know, I know, this doesn’t have anything to do with bees. But while cleaning out a closet today I ran across this old friend from another time. Anyone else ever have to use one of these? Better yet...does anyone else know what it is?

[irwin harlton]

USED TO HAVE TO USE ONE.......icons ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_rule

[beemandan]

USED TO HAVE TO USE ONE.......icons ago

Showing our age, aren't we?

[cerezha]

o-ooo
In Russia we called it "logarithmic scale". I have no idea how it's called in English. Yes, I spend a lot of time doing calculations with it. Sometime I missed old days (indicating that I am old), when life were simpler and one actually could disassemble and then assemble thing and it would work... In my "logarithmic scale" we also had a normal precise ruler - it was expected that one use it for technical drawings and "calculator" part is at hands if any quick calculations necessary. Sergey

[odfrank]

I was able to learn beekeeping but not how to use a slide rule. More than a few buttons on a calculator is beyond me too. I have one in mycloset also, next to my dial phone, 8 track player, and reel to reel.

[dixiebooks]

Slide rule. I have one or two - somewhere. -js

[tabby]

I had a circular slide rule in the 1970's and knew how to use it. I currently have a linear one like the one pictured above. Sometimes I threaten to teach the daughters how to use it.

[cg3]

I still have a circular one- built into a pocket protecter.

[Sam Fugate]

I still have my users manual, but have no idea where the slide rule is.

[sqkcrk]

USED TO HAVE TO USE ONE.......icons ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_rule

icons ago? That some sort of inside joke?

[deknow]

I never had to use one...but I was fortunate to have learned machine shop practice with vernier calipers. If we keep this up, I'll have to post pics of my wire recorder: )

Deknow

[TooFarGone]

I was in the last class in my high school that learned how to use one of those- 1973 or 74, then our Scientific Calculations and Measurements class got TWO Texas Instruments TI-50 calculators. We thought we were pretty hot stuff...

I really like the old K&E engineering slide rules. I can't remember whether you add or subtract a power of 10 when the slide goes left..

[beemandan]

If we keep this up, I'll have to post pics of my wire recorder: )

There are enough of us old geezers on this site that we can surely 'one up' a young fellow like you on ancient stuff.

[beemandan]

I can't remember whether you add or subtract a power of 10 when the slide goes left..

It was never a directional thing, the way I learned. If you only had a short series of steps you kept track in your head. If you had a large number of manipulations you kept track on paper.

And three digits of accuracy! We put people into space with these things.

Makes my brain hurt just remembering........

[Michael Palmer]

I once had an Irish beekeeper on the Irish Bee List tell me...

He could sit by the fire and using his slide rule...show that 4 frame nucleus colonies couldn't possibly make the winter...

[beemilk]

Slide rules were required for my college chemistry class...back in the late 60's. I try to blame the slide rule for flunking out but it was probably due to the alcohol instead; not the stuff used in chemistry class but the stuff used in rum glass. Interesting though, after four years in the Navy, and going back to college, I am now a Professor of Biology (33 years) at the same exact institution I flunked out of. Should I credit that to hand-held calculators?

[beemandan]

... Should I credit that to hand-held calculators?

More likely a finely adjusted tolerance for alcohol....after four years in the Navy.

[deknow]

Anyone know the fascinating story of log tables, a shipwreck, and honeybee comb cell geometry?
Deknow

[jim lyon]

I was able to learn beekeeping but not how to use a slide rule. More than a few buttons on a calculator is beyond me too. I have one in mycloset also, next to my dial phone, 8 track player, and reel to reel.

Waaait just a minute. I'm still using the dial phone in my extracting room. I have tried several others there but the ole ringer on the dial phone is the only one I can hear with all the equipment running. It's right over there on the wall by the 8 track tapes.

[beemandan]

Anyone know the fascinating story of log tables,

Is it even legal to use the terms fascinating story and log tables in the same sentence?