You can likely make it yourself with some scrap spring steel and a pair (or two) of pliers. May even be able to get away with some springy plastic.
A recent house move brought to light an old pocket slide rule my dad used to have. It's only around six inches long and about as much practical use as the bezels on some 'pilot' watches. However I would dearly like to keep it on my desk as both a memento and a conversation piece.
Unfortunately though, the small sprung metal piece which holds the sliding cursor in place has gone astray at some point. Does anyone have any idea where I can source a replacement, or suggestions as to an alternative way to keep the cursor firmly in place but still movable?
You can likely make it yourself with some scrap spring steel and a pair (or two) of pliers. May even be able to get away with some springy plastic.
There's a complete one you could cannibalise for the slide/spring for sale on eBay, starting at £3.99. It's in Harrogate. Pouch & instructions, too.
ARISTO RIETZ NR. 89
______
Jim.
Wonderful piece of family memorabilia.
Try explaining it to a teenager!
Think this was the one I had at school:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284477223992
Lovely things. I still have mine somewhere, it was inexpensive and mostly plastic. My dad had one that was made of some sort of white-lacquered bamboo with a glass lens. I wonder what happened to that?
Just found two of my late father in laws slide rules this week.
Now my dad had at Otis King, now that was a clever bit of kit. A bit like a tubular slide rule. I used it as a puffer to blow over small toys….phillistine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otis_King
Steve
You clearly haven't seen my metal working skillz in action.
Thanks Jim. It never occurred to me to look on there. That's certainly an option to consider. It does however raise the Trigger's new broom dilemma as the slides look to be a slightly different design and I'd be tempted to swap them over at the same time.
I seem to recall that they were one of the few (only) ones approved by the examining boards for use in GCSE exams.
Designed by a B&O engineer after looking at his side rule... great piece of kit.
https://beocentral.com/beomaster1200
I think that your best bet is the transplant of the essential part from a donor if you can resist the temptation to swap over more than necessary. There's usually a bucket of battered old slide rules in TNMOC shop at a tenner a pop, I can have a shufti next time but I'll be surprised if there's an Aristo amongst them. Alternatively just slap an elastic band around the cursor to keep it in place.
I covet a Fuller's cylindrical calculator, the equivalent of a straight slide rule 83 feet 4 inches long.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
I still have my Faber Castell slide rule which was presented to me back in 1965 at Kitson College of Engineering and Science for being the 'most promising student in my year'. A great honour, sadly, things went downhill from there It sits in the drawer of my desk along with my fountain pens all of which still get used. Lynn tells me that when I was borne the Luddites broke the mould!
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
I have always fancied a circular slide rule but the commonly available Russian ones are too small. I still have my school slide rule on my desk at work.
Fowler's Long Scale "Magnum" in the bottom right of this image is a whopping 120mm diameter, the Universal on the left is a more pocket sized 87mm. Top right is a standard Long Scale.
The nicest circular slide rule by far is the Halden Calculex, top and bottom centre. Nice examples turn up for about £80 if you bide your time.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
The Universal would certainly suit. Thanks for the image.
I still have mine (Graphoplex) somewhere too. But a friend had a circular one unlike any of the above. It was probably around 12 cm but it was in a square, with dented wheels in the corners to turn the scales and move the cursor.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.