Who /sliderule/ here?

>>8072999

no thanks i have an iphone

>>8072999
I have a pretty rare Gilson Binary 8.5"

>>8072999

I have one, have had it for about a decade, but I don't know how to use it as of yet. It's pretty similar to that one, except the end-bits are plastic as well.

I also got myself a nice compass kit recently. It passed the >draw a circle test. The trick is to keep the center pinned on a static spot, however. I may use it to go through the Elements the old-fashioned way.

I've been on a primitive kick lately, and I have the above two, and recently I've been looking for an abacus. Happily, this counting tool is not native to any particular culture, but instances have arisen and been standardized in much of the world, since ancient times. The below page is an excellent, brisk read on the topic:

http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~elf/abacus/history.html

basically there's old sand-marble setups, later wood-plastic-metal things. the chinese have a version, the japanese have a version, and the russians have a version. But there have been European equivalents as well.

But when I think "abacus", all weeaboo accusations aside, I think of the Japanese soroban. I've flicked the beads on a few, so to speak, and I can't find just the right one, just yet. been antiquing, they all know what I'm talking about.

Something that is true on several models, slightly annoying to me, is that the back is closed in or fenced off by wooden back-strips. I always had a vague idea that an abacus could be turned on either side, but apparently this is not the case, for practical reasons.

>>8073038
>I can't find just the right one, just yet. been antiquing, they all know what I'm talking about

Could it be that the standard size has evolved specifically for Japanese people, whose hands are smaller by enough margin to make it awkward for westerners?

I wish knowledge of the quipu was still around.
I'm also certain the MesoAmericans had tools to calculate large numbers which were destroyed... Damn, I bet they were hardcore.

>>8073056

This is a good thought too. They have BIG ones too, like a foot by six inches, but they're always these dusty shitty things, and too expensive. I don't want a curiosity, I want a solid piece that I can actually work with.

Amazon has some, I may eventually cave and get one of those. Recently I've taken to toy/science toy shops, and they tend not to have any, either.

I've found abaci. I just haven't found the one I want, so I'm picky.

>>8072999
I thought about getting one after watching The Wind Rises, but then decided that I need to stop letting anime rule my life decisions.

>>8073115
They're pretty neat and can be had for not much money.

Can anyone recommend a good primer for how to use a slide rule?

>>8073402
There's lots of good ones. Check on YouTube for videos too.