Slide Rules For Sale
The following rules are in search of good homes. “Following the Rules” is not a business; but once in a while a collector comes across a cache of items that need to be preserved and passed on to others. The majority of the items shown here were “rescued” (bargain price) from the bookstore at Penn State University nearly 50 years ago as the store made room for the new electronic calculators. They came into my possession recently through the original buyers. The slide rules, highlighted below, are available for purchase via PayPal. All proceeds from the sale of these slide rules will go toward keeping this web site alive, along with its upkeep and enhancement.
The slide rules are for sale “as found”, and all sales are final. Generally speaking, I found that the boxes may be scuffed from years of shuffling between shelves, but the contents are in very good shape.
Priced to sell, shipping within the United States is included. Requests for shipping to locations outside the U.S. can be discussed separately (email me). Any questions or concerns about a possible item must be communicated to me via email prior to purchase. Some images below may be representative only.
Send email to syphersm at gmail.com to reserve your item. Payments are to be made via PayPal.
Thanks for looking, and for your readership and support of Following the Rules!
Learn to Use the Slide Rule
Get started learning about slide rules and how to use them with this fantastic starter set! The Pickett 120 has the most basic scales and is one-sided for easy use. Next is the Post (Hemmi) 1445, a popular intermediate simplex bamboo slide rule with 10 scales, a plastic carrying case with holes for inclusion in standard 3- or 5-ring binder, and Post’s 68-page instruction manual with examples geared toward self-instruction. These general instructions can be used for all three slide rules being offered. The Sterling 587 (labeled as 687 on the package) is a pocket-sized slide rule with basic scales.
Scales:
- Pickett 120: K A [ B T S CI C ] D L
- Post 1445: K DF [ CF CI C ] D A, [ S L T ]
- Sterling 587: A [ B CI C ] D K, [ S L T ]
Includes: | Sets Available | Price | |
Post (Hemmi) 1445 and manual, Pickett 120C-T, Sterling 587 | 4 | $30 |
Price includes US domestic shipping costs.
Four Pickett Beginners
This starter set is Pickett all-the-way! It consists of Pickett’s plastic beginner’s slide rules Models 120C-T, 140C-T, and 140-ES. The Microline 120 Trig Trainer slide rule has 9 scales and comes in a white finish. The 140 Microline Log Log slide rule, also in white, has 22 scales. Both models are in their original shrink-wrapped packaging. The Eye-Saver yellow version (nice!) of the 140 comes in a fancier case, has lengthier instructions, and a box rather than plastic-wrapped packaging. Also provided is a separate 120C-T whose packaging has been slightly compromised – thus, you can immediately take it out for a slide right away and compare it directly with the 140-ES!
Includes: | Sets Available | Price | |
Pickett 120C-T (x2), 140C-T, and 140-ES | 2 | $30 |
Price includes US domestic shipping costs.
Collection Starter Set
Start your slide rule collection with a variety of popular rules. Included is the Post (Hemmi) 1445, a popular intermediate simplex bamboo slide rule with 10 scales, a plastic carrying case with holes for inclusion in standard 3- or 5-ring binder, and Post’s 68-page instruction manual with examples geared toward self-instruction. The Pickett Microline 140C-T Log Log slide rule, white finish, with 22 scales, was a popular plastic rule for math, science, and engineering students. The shrink-wrap packaging on these rules is slightly compromised – so don’t be afraid to take it out and use it! Also in the group is a Sterling 587 pocket rule in its original 1968 packaging (labeled “687”) for the on-the-go slide rule enthusiast. My 587 got me through my sophomore High School chemistry class! And finally, we include an all-metal Pickett N500-ES: The Hi-Log Speed rule, with 22 scales, was standard in technical schools during the 1960s and 70s. Comes in its original packaging.
These are great slide rules for learning how to use all the standard scales, with well written user’s manuals included. Makes for the start of a solid slide rule collection.
Scales:
- Sterling 587: A [ B CI C ] D K; [ S L T ]
- Post 1445: K DF [ CF CI C ] D A, [ S L T ]
- Pickett 140:
LL02 LL03 DF [ CF CIF L DI C ] D LL2 LL3; LL01 K A [ B S ST T C ] D DI LL1
- Pickett 500:
+LL1 -LL1 A [ B T ST S C ] D DI K; +LL2 -LL2 DF [ CF CIF L CI C ] D +LL3 -LL3
Includes: | Sets Available | Price | |
Post (Hemmi) 1445 and manual, Pickett 140C-T, Sterling 587, and Pickett N500-ES | 2 | $65 |
Price includes US domestic shipping costs.
Pickett Collection Set
Start your Pickett collection off right with these four popular starter and intermediate-level slide rules. The set starts with the high-end plastic beginner’s rule, Model 140-ES in Eye-Saver yellow. Next up are three of Pickett’s popular all-Aluminum models: the N902-ES, N500-ES, and the N1010-ES. All three are in Eye-Saver yellow.
- Pickett 140-ES: Microline Log Log slide rule, has 22 scales. Plastic.
- Pickett N902-ES: The popular Simplex Trig slide rule, with 9 basic
scales. Instructions and tables of conversion factors, etc., are on the
back. Aluminum.
- Pickett N1010-ES: The popular Powertrig slide rule, with 17 scales,
was standard in schools during the 1960s and 70s. Good for technical
people who did not need log-log scales. Aluminum.
- Pickett N500-ES: Standard trig log-log slide rule for pre-engineering and technical students. 22 scales, Aluminum.
All four slide rules are in their original packaging and come with instruction manuals.
Includes: | Sets Available | Price | |
Pickett 140-ES, N902-ES, N500-ES, N1010-ES | 2 | $75 |
Price includes US domestic shipping costs.
Advanced Model Slide Rules
Prices include US domestic shipping costs.
Maker | Model | Price | No. Avail. | Note | |
Pickett | N3p-ES | $100 | 0 | Pocket version of the popular Model 3 Synchrolog dual base exponential speed rule, with 32 scales. This sought-after all-aluminum Pickett Expert Advanced Rule is in its original packaging. Instruction manual, “How to Use Log Log Slide Rules”, “How to Use Ln-L Scale Slide Rules”, and “How to Use Model 3 Powerlog Slide Rules”, by Maurice L. Hartung, in pristine condition. Brown leather case. | |
Pickett | N3p-ES | $100 | 1 | Pocket version of the popular Model 3 Synchrolog dual base exponential speed rule, with 32 scales. This sought-after all-aluminum Pickett Expert Advanced Rule is in original Pickett packaging. Instruction manual, “How to Use Log Log Slide Rules”, by Maurice L. Hartung, in pristine condition. Black leather case. |