Way OT: Who remembers a time before calculators?

I clearly recall chanting the "times tables" (2 to 12) until we knew them all by heart - disliked it at the time but there's hardly been a day go by since then when I haven't used that knowledge. It pains me when youngsters in shops (2 of them in Rays - a few weeks ago) need a calculator to add $14 to $71.95.

Mike Harding

Something else thats diapeared is having your change counted back to you.

Also you should see the look on a kids face if say something costs
$7.35 youve got $20 and some change so you give them $22.35
They look at you like you are strange then ring it up with the tills that tell you the change then the look of understanding when it comes back $15.00

>Your post reminds me that I'm getting to be "older"

I know the feeling! :)

This site may help you remember how to use your slide rule:

Slide rule info

I still have a couple in the back of the cupboard too.

>I have reverted to using blackpowder in my shotguns

Interesting. Do you make your own? What sort of load and does it cause problems on modern barrels?

Mike Harding

Mike,

Do I make my own? ( do you mean the shells themselves or the powder? - I use Wano brand black powder (German I think) to load my shotguns shells - about 80 grains behind 1 oz of shot for shooting clay targets. Lots of time involved in cutting the felt wads and removing the base and supports from the 1oz wads before putting the whole thing together.
Problems with modern barrels - none whatsoever - lots of folk seem to think that it must damage them but when I point out that their Grandfathers used BP in the damascus barrelled guns of old and did not have any problems. I also roll crimp some shells to 2 1/2 " for an old DB hammer gun that is only proofed for BP. Whenever I show up for a shoot as a visitor many shooters asked me these days "Did you bring some of those noisy ones with you?"
I've only very recently started into Single Action shooting and really enjoy using the 1860 Old Army replica's and the BP. Can't wait to be able to use the 1873 Peacemaker ones I've also got put in the club armourers safe.
Do you shoot yourself?

Cheers

Hi John

I meant the black powder. Years ago my elder son (about 12 at the time) decided he would like to make some and blow things up - so I said, "OK, we'll do it together - that way you should still have all the limbs you started out with when we finish" :) We had a lot of fun with that - I think we created more smoke than bang but we blew a few tins etc up :) Later on he matured into filling garden gnomes with BP and blowing them up - curious to think he's now a respected member of society :)

I remember the Damascus barrels (before my time) and that they are only suitable for non nitro stuff.

I'm interested in the handguns you mention - I have little experience of the old handguns, perhaps you would tell me a little more about them if you have time? E-mail may be better.

>Do you shoot yourself?

Been licenced in a few countries for about 38 years - occasionally I even hit something :) I used to shoot clays quite a bit but rarely do these days - I do a bit of pest shooting in the bush and I'm the chief scurge of tin cans with my Gamo air rifle :)

Mike Harding

mike_harding@fastmail.fm

When John T says "Do you shoot yourself?" I presume that what he actually means is..........

My first after school job was in the cheque clearance section of the Commonwealth Trading Bank and there were rows and rows of those old hand crank operated adding machines, that looked very like the old "Fruit machines" that came before modern pokies.
I well remember books of log tables at school and the pages and pages of formulae we had to learn by heart in senior maths. Actually, I tell a lie, I never could learn them. Do we also remember the spring or pneumatic systems that used to wizz around the big department stores sending money and change to a central point? Loved them.

blackpowder shooters are nuts...hahaha
bloody dirty gunk makes one hands dirty
and thats before you even clean your gun.......

I'll stick to WST thanks

That may be true number 1 but WST does not give that safisfying boom and the great clouds of smoke. And I can clean the handguns in the kitchen sink as there is no SWMBO to tell me off.

Cheers

Mike, have a friend who wrote the Worksafe manual for firing a cannon using black powder. He bought a government surplus stock and fires a shot every weekend over summer for tourists. Loves the smell too.

They tell a story of the time a shell was fired in anger from that fortification - toward a public house where the captain of the guard was ejected the previous night. The only damage done was broken windows from the percussion.

Fantastic percussion actually standing forward of the barrel, before you hear the explosion. WHHOOOOMMMM

Oh, yes I have a slide rule too and remember having to budget for my first calculator!

MN1 One of the locals from kal was known to clean his BP in bed...................
Didnt please his missus much but i guess she got used to it

Blow the WST never did pour as well
ive still got some 452AA i picked up from the back of the gunshops store shed

now that is rough...cleaning it in bed..hahaha

If you go to the top of the page (the one produced by the link in the original message) there is a link "Gallery Index." click on that and then click on "Slide Rule Calculations by Example" - this will brush up your slide rule operating. There are also links to other slide rules.

PeterD

G'day number 1

You are a lucky ba...d to have the antique fall front mate - when my Dad passed away big brother got the drop front desk I had covetted for many years. So did I sit in the corner and sulk - no way. I grabbed the Qld maple I had been storing for over 20 years and made my own - and even if I do say so - it's a far better desk than the original - more secret hidy holes for starters hehe and I made it myself - heaps of satisfaction there I can tell you.

And the Aristo Trilog slide rule - still has my initials on it in green pen.

Cheers