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I guess mechanical watches aren't really *that* complicated by comparison

  1. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 3, 2015

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    Cutaway of a mechanical calculator, not sure if its column wheel or cam and lever, but there's definitely a lot to lubricate. @Archer what's the going rate for a service?

    [​IMG]
     
    Tire-comedon, Which Watch Next, dougiedude and 3 others like this.
  2. Traveler Ω 2

    Traveler Nov 3, 2015

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    That is amazing! Can you imagine the Eureka moment ... "Ahh, now I realize how to build a mechanical abacus!"....
     
  3. citizenrich

    citizenrich Metal Mixer! Nov 3, 2015

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    I would have a freaking aneurysm if I had to disassemble and re-assemble one of those monsters.
     
  4. lando

    lando Nov 3, 2015

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    There is a story, my father has told me: When i was about 2 years old, i was throwing a handful of nails into something like this. They found out, after it didn't work any more. Seems to have been an expensive repair, as i am told. No wonder, looking at the above pic.

    What makes me wonder more, however: How was it possible, that a 2 year old had unattended access to nails?

    Oh well, luckily i didn't swallow them... :)
     
  5. orbistat

    orbistat Nov 3, 2015

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    Wow that's insane, I'd hate to see the exploded view in the service manual, this is why microfiche was from this era me thinks.....
     
  6. alam Ω 1

    alam Nov 3, 2015

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    I regret to say, I no longer consider this one an "original" specimen. I noticed the main summation lever spring was replaced with a factory service part... :D
     
    Which Watch Next, ulackfocus, dougiedude and 5 others like this.
  7. gatorcpa Ω 2

    gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Nov 3, 2015

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    I know someone who used to repair old adding machines and typewriters. He used to get between $50 and $75 per for normal repairs (parts extra). That's what he charged friends and family about 25 years ago.

    Unlike a watch, I don't think he'd totally disassemble the unit. He'd just take off the cover, blow out dust with compressed air, replace any broken parts, then test and recase.

    Most of the time he'd get a monthly fee for being "on call" to businesses that used a lot of these, like banks, accounting firms and law firms.

    A human insurance firm, really.
    gatorcpa
     
  8. JohnSteed

    JohnSteed Nov 3, 2015

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    Gonna be costly too, so many complications
     
  9. ahsposo Ω 1

    ahsposo Most fun screen name at ΩF Nov 3, 2015

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    Phhhhhhht! What makes women tick is WAY more complicated than that...
     
    ulackfocus likes this.
  10. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 3, 2015

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    I'd imagine 25 years ago they'd have gotten to the curiosity point rather than being a practical necessity still. Its hard to imagine but the most revolutionary tool in accounting and finance is now almost 35 years old, and still in production.

    [​IMG]
     
    Andy K, gatorcpa and Northernman like this.
  11. Darlinboy Ω 2

    Darlinboy Pratts! Will I B******S!!! Nov 3, 2015

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    I have one of these, and after 20+ years, still works like a champ.
     
  12. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 3, 2015

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    The best part is handing it to someone who likes to think they're good at maths / finance / accounting and watching them struggle to do basic addition without knowing RPN :)
     
    Darlinboy likes this.
  13. cicindela Ω 2

    cicindela Steve @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 3, 2015

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    Mmm, I forget the primitive conditions down under, we had those back in 1970. :D
     
  14. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 3, 2015

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    I don't mean a calculator in general but the HP 12C finance calculator, its an incredibly sophisticated almost pocket computer considering the era it came from, and was so good that it still to this day is HP's longest continuously sold product.
     
  15. nightowl

    nightowl Nov 3, 2015

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    Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine is quite the chef-d'œuvre when it comes to mechanical complexity. I would love to see Patek take a whack at buildning a miniature version of it. There's currently a project for buildning it according to his original plans, and preliminary simulations indicate that it will work with very slight modifications. That's quite incredible considering it's a full computer made out of cogwheels.
     
  16. Archer Ω 2

    Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Nov 3, 2015

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    I bought my little Sharp PC-1401 in 1983 when they first came out...first year of engineering so a "financial" calculator was not on my radar at all, but this certainly was. 32 years later and I still use it almost every day...but not the BASIC programming functions, because it's been so long I don't think I could remember how to write a program in BASIC anymore...

    [​IMG]

    I've bent it, dropped it countless times, spilled coffee on it multiple times (you can see the stains in the display) and it still works great! I just recently swapped the batteries, which is about all I'm going to do on a calculator...

    Cheers, Al
     
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  17. cicindela Ω 2

    cicindela Steve @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 3, 2015

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    Thanks for the update :thumbsup:
     
  18. dougiedude Ω 1

    dougiedude Carpe horologium! Nov 3, 2015

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    [​IMG]

    Wish I still had mine...

    What I remember, is the gratifying sensation of the button 'pushing'... ahhhhhhh...

    .... almost as nice a feeling as punching the pushers on my Speedie, or my Sky Chief!:)
     
    Darlinboy likes this.
  19. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 3, 2015

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    They do have such a nice firm press to them, vey mechanical but with no play whatsoever, and they never get sticky or worn, it just feels expensive and well made.
     
  20. gatorcpa Ω 2

    gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Nov 3, 2015

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    I have a watered down Texas Instruments version of this that I bought in the late 1980's for about $25. Still works. I think I've changed the batteries maybe twice in all that time.

    There are a few people in my office that still use the HP version. I never got the hang of RPN.

    Once I figured out how to embed financial calculations in Excel, these tools became redundant to me. However, there is still no efficient substitute for a good 10-key calculator with a printed tape for adding up a column of numbers.
    gatorcpa