Other mechanical things I collect!

[emmadog]

The case looks so simply made for such a precision instrument.

Its actually pretty robust and made of metal. There's an O-ring to make it waterproof which has of course yellowed but can be seen in the pic. There's a felt liner in the bottom of the can for cushioning and another that projects down from the top of the inside of the lid. This one has a concave surface that accepts the round top of the operating handle and keeps the unit from moving.
Sometime in the late 60's I think, the cans were switched to plastic. A leather belt holster was also available that fit the can for surveyors or anyone working outdoors.

[luckydog]

if I'm not mistaken Browning invented the BAR machine gun when he was in prison

[compirate]

I wasn't dissing the case, just thought it would be machined instead of pressed. Make it more expensive

[emmadog]

if I'm not mistaken Browning invented the BAR machine gun when he was in prison

I didn't know he ever did time. I'm gonna have to learn more about that.

[emmadog]

I wasn't dissing the case, just thought it would be machined instead of pressed. Make it more expensive

I didn't think you were. Machining would definitely be more expensive and Carl Herzstack (the inventor) was a fanatic about quality, so I'm guessing he thought a pressed case was suitable.

[luckydog]

whoops it was the M1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Marshall_Williams

I've owned 2 M1 Carbine, a parkerized with ventilated handguard, 30 round banana clips, sling with oiler, and rack number still on the butt plate and original M1 carbine bayonet with scabbard

and one that was reblued with a deep gloss bluing and stained and highly polished stock.

I also reloaded my own 30Cal ammo along with other calibers!

they were fun shooting at the outdoor range near Chicago

[heima]

That Curta is going to cost you. I saw one for auction on shopgoodwill.com. I bid a couple hundred, but went for over a grand. They are rare. Probably will only go up in value. Kinda of like my Miyauchi binoculars.

[emmadog]

That Curta is going to cost you. I saw one for auction on shopgoodwill.com. I bid a couple hundred, but went for over a grand. They are rare. Probably will only go up in value. Kinda of like my Miyauchi binoculars.

Already did. I bought the one I describe in the thread above and I have another, much later model Type 1 on the way. They're the same function wise but the operating handle was changed to plastic which survives drops better apparently than the original metal style as pictured above. I'll keep one and the other is going to be a gift for pops.
I'd also like to get an early Type 2 but I need to do a little more research first.

[emmadog]

I was surprised at the cost since around 140K were made from the late 40's to 1970. I've seen some in pretty worn shape that still go for 500 or so. Probably many were destroyed over the years due to neglect and misuse. There are anti reversal ratchets built I to stop from rotating the handle the wrong way but I'd imagine with enough force it could be overcome. There's also maybe 3 people in the world that are acknowledged experts to service them but any old school watch/clock maker could tackle it is think.
No user serviceable parts inside. For example, the porous bronze bearings inside are tiny and numerous. Each one was hand fitted to the particular shaft it supports. Probably many Curtas were taken apart and parts lost, rendering them useless and there's almost no spare parts available.

[heima]

You know your stuff, Emmadog.

I was watching a video of how it operated, and I think the narration said that design elements were based on those used in the enigma device.

I wonder how many were sold at garage sales mistakenly as pepper grinders? You just know it happened somewhere at sometime.

[emmadog]

i don't know that it was based on the Enigma device per se since that device was used in WW2 and Mr. Herzstark's idea for this came about initially in the 30's but I don't know the earliest development of the Enigma. The Curta calculator borrows upon some concepts of much earlier counting machines but he figured out how to make it into a compact, radial design plus the early counting machines and many thereafter couldn't do all 4 math functions.
Plenty of websites talk about this calc and there's a few very good ones dedicated to it plus a lot of very collectors.

[Chumsize]

Speaking of old mechanical devices... Anyone out there have any old mechanical/automatic musical instrument stuff? Was an AMICA member for years - have a Wurlitzer pumper, Aeolian reed organ, and old crank reed "monkey organ" at home...


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[luckydog]

I've always liked those, band boxes and wagons are neat watching in action. lots of videos of them on Youtube

I have a modern Crosley disk player, it plays metal 5 inch disks.