[GreenKeys] OT: Mechanical Adding Machines

[Bruce Gentry]

The Curta was in the endless ads in the back of most technical magazines 
in the 1960s. Most of us did not know what it was until a friend 
explained it and what it could do. We quickly dubbed it the math 
grenade. They sold for about $180 (about $1800 today), far beyond  the 
cut grass-pump gas-throw papers incomes of most high school kids at the 
time. I finally saw one in the early 80s, and got one of my own about 
ten years later. An accountant friend said he preferred it and refused 
to buy and use an electronic calculator for many years, it was quicker 
and never had a bad battery.

        Bruce Gentry, KA2IVY

On 11/6/17 9:56 PM, Richard Knoppow wrote:
>    Mine is a Model II. It was given to me by a friend. I had wanted 
> one ever since I saw my first one when I was about thirteen or 
> fourteen. That one belonged to one of my photography mentors. There is 
> a good deal of literature about them on line. I spent some time 
> learning how to use it, at least partially, but its not really a 
> substitute for a slide rule let alone an electronic calculator. It is 
> essentially a mechanical adding machine. Doesn't do roots or powers 
> directly.
>
> On 11/6/2017 2:43 PM, acti at provide.net wrote:
>> Richard Knoppow wrote:
>>> I sort of collect typewriters but I think calculators are more complex.
>>> I do have a Curta, which is an amazing bit of engineering.
>>
>> Wow... Lucky guy... Which type?
>>
>> OOC... Are there any Google/Yahoo groups or elists for Curta 
>> enthusiasts?
>> I am interested in learning more about them.
>>
>> For coolness factor, I've always wanted to take a Curta to FIRST 
>> robotics events
>> and use it there in the pits to freak out the students... But they're 
>> too rare,
>> delicate, and expensive! (Would've been perfect last season.. A 
>> "Steampunk" theme.)
>> Also... Considering most smart phones (and even my Dollar Tree 
>> "scientific pocket
>> calculator" for $1) can do all that and more, I may have to "wait 
>> until I'm old &
>> insanely rich with cash to burn" to afford to collect one.
>>
>> Speaking of mech calculators, decades ago my accountant dad had a 
>> Frieden
>> [15 place, AC, mechanical] Calculator in his office. As a kid, I 
>> loved to
>> tell it to divide something by zero and watch it merrily mechanically 
>> crunch
>> away at it until you got bored and interrupted it... Great 
>> entertainment. (grin)
>>
>> I guess I'll have to be happy for now with my Interpolating Slide Rule
>> and Napier's Bones set.
>> .. http://mathworld.wolfram.com/NapiersBones.html
>> .. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier%27s_bones
>>
>> Thanks!
>> - Keith Mc.
>>
>