Welcome to the

2005 ASME Mechanical Engineering Article "Slides Rule" Interviews.
2006 Rope Cord News Article "Slides Rule" which mentions the original website of ISRM.
2008 Collector's Weekly Interview
2009 Ephemera.Typepad.com Interview
10-7-2009 Louisville Times Interview

INTRODUCTION

These are scans or pictures of actual slide rules in the museum or from other collections. Every specimen is different in some way. There are over 3000 unique items at present dating from 1900. Duplicate model numbers in this collection have different cursors, scales or construction features. Unlike most collectors who want pristine specimens, the museum enjoys getting slide rules that are marked with the original engineer's name especially when I'm told what work they were used for, even if it only helped them get through college.

The codes S0XX, P0XX, MXX, REF, etc are my personal filing system and are not part of manufacturer's model numbers. When you click on the pictures you will get a 150 dpi FULL SIZE SCAN of the slide rule. Scales are listed as to the location on the slide rule. Common scales A [B, C] D is the front side.

Scales are described using the above convention

This is a work-in-progress. The museum is being expanded constantly to add reference pictures of slide rules from pther collections and international sources. Some scans are being supplied by other collectors who use the site as a reference, credits are duly noted.

Most of the scans are larger than can be fully displayed in a default browser. Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 uses Automatic Image Resizing to make it fit without scroll bars. To display an image at full size in order to see more detail, change your settings by navigating to: Tools/Internet Options/Advanced/Enable Automating Image resizing [uncheck box].

MISSION STATEMENT

This collection of mathematical artifacts has taken quite a while and expense to accumulate and catalog. Consequently, my goal as the curator, was to not only provide research information at no charge to the public but also assist worthwhile educational and historical institutions in expanding their collections. So far, recipients have been the University of Colorado, the Math History Museum of the Smithsonian Institute, and the Computer History Museum. I also have instituted a Slide Rule Loaner program for educators which sends matching sets of 25 slide rules to schools for temporary (as long as a school year) use. The slide rules are provided through the generous abundance of collectors worldwide.

As of May 26, 2006, the majority of the physical specimens and files used to create this museum are now located at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California for preservation and display. Take time to visit CHM when you are in the area.

DONATIONS (GIFTS) OF SLIDE RULES

If you wish to give your slide rule or your parents or relative's slide rule a bit of immortality and especially to honor the work that was done in life, donations of slide rules are readily accepted and will be well cared for. Please include a brief bio/profile of the owner for the display. A small portrait may be included. Along with being displayed in the ISRM galleries, every attempt will be made to install gifted specimens into a permanant display and in some cases re-gifted to another institution that may be looking for similar articles. See the Example below on how it will be presented.

Please contact:

1944 Quail Circle
Louisville, CO 80027
United States

MONETARY DONATIONS

All the high resolution images of slide rules in the galleries and the PDF files of scanned books, manuals and instructions have been free to download since 2003. The policy of ISRM is to continue this practice, without restrictions in order to provide research and educational information to the world at large. However, running a web site of this size with a large amount of data does take a lot of time and effort and does incurr costs in hosting in order to provide the bandwidth. We get over 30,000 hits per day. If you have enjoyed the many offerings of ISRM, and would like to contribute toward its expansion, you can send money using the Secure Paypal button on the right. All monetary contributions will be used to pay for the web site service, support shipping for the Slide Rule Loaner Program or obtain additional items for public displays. Thank you for your support and consideration!

To contribute
toward downloads:

PRIVACY STATEMENT

ISRM does not collect any information concerning any of its visitors. In the case of Paypal transactions, only Paypal has access to your information.

Display Example of a Slide Rule Donation:

S535 K&E 4092-3

K&E 4092-3 S/N 187247
Made in U.S.A. - All Glass cursor - Used 1926-1930
Front Scale
LL0, A [ B, S, T, C ] LL3, LL2, LL1
Back Scale
K, DF [ CF, CIF, CI, C ] D, L

Parker D. Shepperd (c1910-1963) used this slide rule at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Graduated 1930 with a mechanical engineering degree. Case has student's address at 1221 University, Boulder, CO, a fraternity house near the campus. Mr Shepperd worked in various firms designing commercial HVAC systems, such as General Electric in Schenectady, NY, and Johnson Service Company in Detroit, Cleveland, and Boston. One of his big projects was the John Hancock Building in Boston. Slide rule donated by his daughter, Marnie, and has now been permanently transferred, with other items, to the University of Colorado Heritage Center.

Leslie (My Dad) Konshak's Slide Rule

This was my father's slide rule. Like most things he had it was not elegant, always practical, and in this case is one of the least expensive out there. Yes, it's a Sterling 584 which many collectors wouldn't even give a second glance. Sometime along the way the slide rule broke and rather than toss it away, Dad (or Mom) epoxied it back together and was given a new life. Eat it up, wear it out, do with or do without. As of 2009, I am 62, Dad is 92. Mom passed on in 2003 at 84.