The Nerd Pride Thread....

[cautery]

I am a nerd, and darned proud of it!

I had one of these bad boys for longer than I care to admit... Had it continued to function, I'd still have it, today.

TI-59c... with.... a card reader! Snazzy!

View attachment TI-59_Cardreader.ogv.240p.vp9(1).webm

And what kind of cave man uses a sandpaper paddle?

Real nerds carried one of these... I finally stopped using 2mm lead holders, so I no longer carry it now.



And to this day, I carry 2 pens, Pentels in 0.7mm, 0.5mm & 0.3mm, 12 in metal ruler/scale, et al. in my 20+ yr old aluminum notebook... because it's better to have your drafting basics and not need them, than to need them and not have them!



Y'all have a great day!
Bask in all that makes you a nerd!

 

[boatgeek]

A REAL nerd had a powered eraser and an eraser shavings brush. The senior drafter at our office still has his 40-year-old brush. The bristles at the root are still 2.5-3” long, but the ones at the tip are worn to half an inch or so.

 

[bjphoenix]

A REAL nerd had a powered eraser and an eraser shavings brush. The senior drafter at our office still has his 40-year-old brush. The bristles at the root are still 2.5-3” long, but the ones at the tip are worn to half an inch or so.

I had the powered eraser. It would erase so cleanly from paper and if you were doing intricate sketches it could erase precisely by using the steel eraser shield.
Many years ago I was in my office working on some sketches, across the hall was our new marketing person. I picked up my eraser to do a quick correction and put it down. She had been watching and the second time I picked up the eraser she perked up and came to my office to ask what it was. She thought having an electric eraser was the height of laziness.

 

[4regt4]

I have perhaps 200 slide rules. Use several of them regularly.

Does that qualify me to participate in this thread?

Hans.

 

[Alan15578]

I have perhaps 200 slide rules. Use several of them regularly.

Does that qualify me to participate in this thread?

Hans.

Send them to Ukraine. Many students there are without electrical power.

 

[4regt4]

Yeah, true. But students these days would need a PowerPoint presentation to figure out how to use one.

Hans.

 

[K'Tesh]

What do you call a bedpan in Russian? A Poo-tin

 

[K'Tesh]

 

[Grog6]

I memorized the trig tables so I could see how high my model rockets went.

 

[Cape Byron]

I measure the height of things on the farm (trees, bamboo) with an Estes Altitrak. Saved me from dropping 200 ft high bamboo on the house more than once.

 

[Alan15578]

I memorized the trig tables so I could see how high my model rockets went.

Wow, I only memorized the series expansions for the basic trig functions,

 

[AllDigital]

I found this today…

 

[bjphoenix]

Wow, I only memorized the series expansions for the basic trig functions,

I had the CRC book of tables, but starting at age 15 or so I had a slide rule that could calculate trig functions, and at age 19 I got a calculator that would calculate trig functions.

 

[the random rocketer]

View attachment 531203

Every day...
Me: Computer... Run "Run Program..."
Computer: Running "Run Program"...

Then I don't run in the running run program...

Me: End Running "Run Program"...
Computer: "Run Program" Ended.

It's a running joke.

That is pure evil!!!!

 

[K'Tesh]

It was a bug, and now it's a feature.

I need to debug my train of thought...

 

[K'Tesh]

 

[Blast it Tom!]

From left to right:
6" rule graduated to 1/64"
Magnetic switchable screwdriver
4" bamboo architect scale
Mechanical pencil
Polymer eraser stick*
Pen with laser pointer and stylus nub
Pen with integrated flashlight
All in the ol' "Circle-bar-W" pocket protector!

* Eraser stick is for modifications, not mistakes!

 

[K'Tesh]

So that's why my socks stink....

 

[jweger77]

I frequently do panels at comic shows where I share a love of making replica film costumes and props. Here I am in my element, second from the right. I also have a YouTube channel where I do the same. These just scratch the surface for me. Ha ha.

 

[BEC]

View attachment 553530
From left to right:
6" rule graduated to 1/64"
Magnetic switchable screwdriver
4" bamboo architect scale
Mechanical pencil
Polymer eraser stick*
Pen with laser pointer and stylus nub
Pen with integrated flashlight
All in the ol' "Circle-bar-W" pocket protector!

* Eraser stick is for modifications, not mistakes!

I used to carry an arsenal like that (except for the little architect’s scale), but these days, several years retired, I’m down to a good mechanical pencil (not unlike the Pentel 0.9mm one in the picture, but smaller lead), a ball point pen with no special features (though the current one is a Space Pen) and a retractable hobby knife (https://www.amazon.com/Excel-Blades...2377302&sprefix=excel+k47,aps,257&sr=8-3&th=1). I have but no longer carry the 6-inch rule and a small screwdriver set in pen body and a separate Pentel eraser stick. For many years all that stuff save the knife, which is only recently added to my collection) rode in an INFO64 pocket protector, and then later a SPEEA (the Boeing engineers’ union) protector.

It is amazing how often I find myself using that retractable knife either at the building table or at the flying field, as well as other times around the house.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

I used to carry an arsenal like that (except for the little architect’s scale), but these days, several years retired, I’m down to a good mechanical pencil (not unlike the Pentel 0.9mm one in the picture, but smaller lead), a ball point pen with no special features (though the current one is a Space Pen) and a retractable hobby knife (https://www.amazon.com/Excel-Blades-Pocket-Executive-Retractable/dp/B000NC6NM4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1I4UG84MB8D4B&keywords=Excel+K47&qid=1672377302&sprefix=excel+k47,aps,257&sr=8-3&th=1). I have but no longer carry the 6-inch rule and a small screwdriver set in pen body and a separate Pentel eraser stick. For many years all that stuff save the knife, which is only recently added to my collection) rode in an INFO64 pocket protector, and then later a SPEEA (the Boeing engineers’ union) protector.

It is amazing how often I find myself using that retractable knife either at the building table or at the flying field, as well as other times around the house.

Well, I don't pack a protector like that anymore, either, being "retired" myself. But I filled it for old times's sake! I still have my "sword" - a 12" Pickett N4-T, puchased for college in 1973, plus a plastic 12" and even a 6" that the boss gave to us joking, "in case of a power outage." As well, my HP-15C, still working fine, bought in 1986. I have 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, & 0.7 mm pencils as well. And highlighters. and a 12" Starret machinist's rule. And some drafting tools. And a wife who has the insane notion that since I'm "retired"* I should get rid of my engineering texts...

I keep a very sharp Swiss army knife in my pocket pretty much constantly; as you note, I'm using it all the time.

*"Retired" - so how did I gain 50 hrs. in my week and still have no time for workouts and hobbies?!?!

 

[BEC]

*"Retired" - so how did I gain 50 hrs. in my week and still have no time for workouts and hobbies?!?!

Indeed!

 

[bjphoenix]

a wife who has the insane notion that since I'm "retired"* I should get rid of my engineering texts...

Search the internet enough and maybe you can find pdf versions of them.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Search the internet enough and maybe you can find pdf versions of them.

Thanks, but glory, for stuff like this I prefer a book in my hands! Plus it helps inspire the grandkids.

 

[K'Tesh]

 

[OverTheTop]

Found these two in the workshop when cleaning up today:


The PC1350 was purchased in 1985 when I started my engineering degree. I only retired it earlier this year. It was always on my desk at work, and always getting used. Nowadays I use a scientific calculator on my phone, and have one less item on my desk.

Is it sufficiently geeky to say I also have the machine-language programming manual for that?

 

[bjphoenix]

Found these two in the workshop when cleaning up today:

Those are super neat! I remember when those came out.
I also remember when the original "notebook computers" came out, basically laptops that were 8.5"x11". I was writing software for my company and wanted something like that so I could carry it with me and work on my programs when I had time. This was in the days of MS-DOS and trackpads hadn't been invented. Years later when I got a laptop it was Windows based, with trackpad, and was much larger than 8.5x11. Of course my laptop now has a 15" screen so I guess I'm not so concerned about size.

 

[4regt4]

The PC1350 was purchased in 1985 when I started my engineering degree. I only retired it earlier this year. It was always on my desk at work, and always getting used. Nowadays I use a scientific calculator on my phone, and have one less item on my desk.

Is it sufficiently geeky to say I also have the machine-language programming manual for that?

Sharp used to make some really good, innovative stuff. I had a number of their little computers and calculators. Wonder what happened to them?

Hans.

 

[SolarYellow]

If I'm wearing pants, there is a pocket knife and rechargeable flashlight in them. Unless I'm flying. Then just the flashlight.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

I have perhaps 200 slide rules. Use several of them regularly.

Does that qualify me to participate in this thread?

Hans.

Yes, but need pics!

Also, I have a working slide rule - same Pickett N4-T - for my computer "desktop". I used to troll new young engineering hires with it! And even my computer & phone calculators are RPN.